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Embracer Group CLOSED Volition Studios
blargskull
Member Posts: 98 Arc User
in Ten Forward
As one might know, Embracer Group purchased Cryptic Studios from PWE and placed it under Gearbox. Now because of a massive crash in Embracer's stocks last July they have officially close Volition Studios and fired Gearbox employees. Embracer has also closed some other studios, but astonishingly Cryptic Studios didn't fall into Embracer's cross-hairs just yet. I believe this is only due to the fact that Cryptic Studios is a low cost remote skeleton crew.
Volition was a very unique, they cared about their workers, they hired in game modders, and most of all they cared about their end-users and product. They left this final statement;
The Volition team has proudly created world-class entertainment for fans around the globe for 30 years. We’ve been driven by a passion for our community and always worked to deliver joy, surprise, and delight.
This past June, Embracer Group announced a restructuring program to strengthen Embracer and maintain its position as a leader in the video game industry. As part of that program, they evaluated strategic and operational goals and made the difficult decision to close Volition effective immediately.
To help our team, we are working to provide job assistance and help smooth the transition for our Volition family members. We thank our customers and fans around the world for all the love and support over the years. You will always be in our hearts.
I personally purchased the entire "Saints Row" series. I also bought some of these games for my friends here and overseas. I will miss Volition games greatly and do wish them the best.
What are your thoughts and opinions? Did you play "Saints Row" or other Volition games? Do you think Embracer Group will eventually close more studios or defunct themselves?
Volition was a very unique, they cared about their workers, they hired in game modders, and most of all they cared about their end-users and product. They left this final statement;
The Volition team has proudly created world-class entertainment for fans around the globe for 30 years. We’ve been driven by a passion for our community and always worked to deliver joy, surprise, and delight.
This past June, Embracer Group announced a restructuring program to strengthen Embracer and maintain its position as a leader in the video game industry. As part of that program, they evaluated strategic and operational goals and made the difficult decision to close Volition effective immediately.
To help our team, we are working to provide job assistance and help smooth the transition for our Volition family members. We thank our customers and fans around the world for all the love and support over the years. You will always be in our hearts.
I personally purchased the entire "Saints Row" series. I also bought some of these games for my friends here and overseas. I will miss Volition games greatly and do wish them the best.
What are your thoughts and opinions? Did you play "Saints Row" or other Volition games? Do you think Embracer Group will eventually close more studios or defunct themselves?
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If you believe Cryptic press - both Star Trek Online and NeverWinter are doing quite well financially; and in STO's case Paramount has renewed the license at least twice since STO launched.
If that changes, yeah, I'm sure Embracer Group will look for ways to cut losses by either attempting a sale of Cryptic; or yes, shutting Cryptic down; but there's ALWAYS that possibility when profits fall <--- But that doesn't seem to be the case for Cryptic yet.
Time will tell.
PWE ARC Drone says: "Your STO forum community as you have known it is ended...Display names are irrelevant...Any further sense of community is irrelevant...Resistance is futile...You will be assimilated..."
Yeah while it's not impossible that Embracer would close Cryptic they'd have to weight that option against possibly angering/upsetting Paramount and anyway loosing a major licence, so I don't think that's likely soon, that said I could see things like the 3D printing of ships getting cut (in fact I think the financial difficulties of Embracer was the cause for sunsetting the 3D printing option).
cut snippets from article
https://gameworldobserver.com/2023/10/16/cryptic-zen-studios-layoffs-embracer-group-restructuring
Word from AmbassadorKael himself, who would be in a better position to know what's going on at Cryptic than we do.
It's very very important to note that he is speaking only in the immediate present tense. Nothing about his statement indicates changes are not planned, only that they have not been made as of his post.
Also, several Cryptic devs as well as Kael (last pic) are now looking for new gigs:
I wish them all the best of luck.
The-Grand-Nagus
Join Date: Sep 2008
The-Grand-Nagus
Join Date: Sep 2008
A few things:
1: I'm not suggesting that Nick/Kael aren't telling the truth. I believe them that no one has been laid off at Cryptic (yet).
2: I also believe Cryptic has been told it's coming, hence so many people suddenly looking for work.
3: If people don't want to speculate and would rather just "wait and see", that's completely fine. If that's the case, it's probably best not to read threads like this.
The-Grand-Nagus
Join Date: Sep 2008
TL;DR, a contract and a license aren't the same thing.
Obviously but amount of support Paramount/CBS has given to STO suggests they consider it an important thing and while there might not be literally a negative repercussions, it might make Paramount second guess giving Embracer any Trek contracts in the future.
Counterpoint: Speculation in the negative direction can lead to DOOOOOOOM posting. And Doom Threads are against forum rules.
Cool. If you see any DOOOOOOOM postings then do what you gotta do. That said, the last sentence of the OP is literally asking if people think this will lead to any more of Embracer's studios closing, so that's actually part of what this thread is about.
The-Grand-Nagus
Join Date: Sep 2008
So yeah, it's more likely they'd shop Cryptic to another buyer, and cashflow is cashflow; BUT if anyone remember the end of the Cryptic/Atari (well actually French Infogames) relationship prior to them being bought by PerfectWorld...yeah, we could be in for a return to the "No cups in the breakroom" days; and effective maintenance mode until Embracer finds a buyer or pulls the plug on Cryptic all together.
But unfortunately no, given the level of debt Embracer has to shed, the latter of the above is also a REAL possibility, and a downsizing and drawdown of game operating and ongoing development costs is all but assured - which is why the 30 Cryptic employees who want to continue a career in the Gaming industry have put out feelers. Not to mention teh company has said publically they want to more away from 3rd party IP licensed games and develop their own IPs for their games...yeah BOTH Neverwinter and Star Trek Online ore such 3rd party licensed games - so unless CBS says, "Hey, we'll BUY Cryptic and fund all Star Trek Online development" and Embracer says, "Great!" - yeah, the Paramount and Hasbro (is it still Hasbro who owns the Neverwinter IP?) licenses to create/maintain those aren't even on Embracer's corporate radar ATM.
There are DEFINITELY going to be changes made to the way Cryptic operates. When your current parent company is facing $1+ billion in debt and bankruptcy, it's inevitable - and yes someone Upper management at Cryptic was told what's coming and that leaked to the staff...so some staff are taking action before the Hammer falls.
PWE ARC Drone says: "Your STO forum community as you have known it is ended...Display names are irrelevant...Any further sense of community is irrelevant...Resistance is futile...You will be assimilated..."
YMMV, but to me a long post explaining why someone thinks something bad may happen is not "DOOOOOMMM". And if people want to disagree with that post they should have to actually try to explain why by refuting the points, not just be able to use some label to do the work for them.
On the other hand, some short proclamation that the company/game will be shutting down without any real reasoning fits the "DOOOOOMMM" category, IMO.
The-Grand-Nagus
Join Date: Sep 2008
If there's a mushroom cloud on the horizon, there are bigger problems than someone shouting 'doom!'
Kael tweeted this then deleted it:
Nick Diguid (Tumerboy) posted this:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/nickduguid_hey-all-the-axe-fell-at-cryptic-this-morning-activity-7125925425339355137-61ld?trk=public_profile_post_view
Scott Boyd (Lead Environment Artist at Cryptic Studios) posted this:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/scot-boyd-2b69503_hello-community-im-sure-you-have-been-seeing-activity-7125903624823529473-YlBM?trk=public_profile_post_view
The-Grand-Nagus
Join Date: Sep 2008
Since this directly affects the game, I would have thought General would be ok, but I don't make the rules.
For info, for those that don't follow X (Twitter), details of the layoffs can be found in this article:
Embracer's implosion continues as Star Trek Online developer Cryptic Studios lays off employees
Embracer's implosion continues as Star Trek Online developer Cryptic Studios lays off employees
Just to play devil's advocate, the AOL contact center in Florida had this happen. A rumor the center was closing spread and the site director said no, not happening. the next day employees showed up to work to find the gates locked and the site closed.
Never say never
...THEN THE WINGED HUSSARS ARRIVED!
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Anyway, it's very unfortunate that STO and its playerbase are now basically paying the price for years of overreach.
If I'm not mistaken, developers had already been fired in the past after being transferred from STO to another one of Cryptic's less succesful games that hadn't even been fully released yet at the time.
Obviously I'm not familiar with all the financial data and facts that led to these business decisions, but it seems pretty clear to me now that they were bad decisions. We've been told for years that STO was one of their succesful games - they should have concentrated their investments and other scarce resources, including manpower, here then.
Less adventurism, more focussing on the formula that - according to official statements - worked well.
I guess it's not just a problem at Cryptic/ Embracer. Still, I am left with the impression that this could have been avoided.