Highlights
- Former members of Volition have fashioned a brand new growth firm referred to as Shapeshifter Video games, providing co-development providers for AAA video games.
- Shapeshifter Video games has introduced in a number of veterans from Volition, together with studio heads and designers, to work on co-developing a mission with Xbox Video games Studios.
- Embracer continues to restructure, shedding workers and shutting studios, with the most recent involving Black Forest Video games.
Former members of Volition, a studio recognized for franchises like Saints Row and Pink Faction, have banded collectively to begin a brand new growth firm referred to as Shapeshifter Video games. Embracer Group, previously referred to as THQ Nordic and the Nordic Video games Licensing previous to that, has continued to scoop up belongings over the previous 10 years or so, together with belongings from THQ, Crystal Dynamics, and tons of various IPs. Sadly, latest instances haven’t been fairly as type, as a reported failed deal between Embracer and Savvy Gaming Group, pressured the corporate to announce a big scale restructuring plan involving studio closures and workers reductions.
As workers had been laid off and initiatives canceled, one of many studios to close down was Volition, which was one of many unique THQ belongings Deep Silver acquired earlier than being bought by Embracer in 2018. The studio had change into well-known for the Saints Row sequence, although the studio’s remaining two launches of Brokers of Mayhem and the franchise reboot Saints Row, discovered a devoted smaller viewers however largely did not resonate with shoppers. As such, Embracer introduced that Voltion can be shut down on August 31, 2023, prompting the studio to put up one remaining heartfelt message to followers. Nevertheless, our of the ashes of Volition has seen the rise of a brand new studio with a variety of veterans from the Champaign, Illinois firm.
TimeSplitters Developer Reportedly Faces Closure Quickly
The developer of the TimeSplitters sequence is reportedly going through fast closure as a part of Embracer Group’s ongoing cost-cutting efforts.
The announcement comes from a put up on LinkedIn by Matt Madigan, the studio head at Shapeshifter Video games. Madigan reveals that Shapeshifter Video games is a co-development companion for AAA video games, which means they’ll help different builders/publishers with their initiatives. Positioned in Champaign, the studio additionally seems to have work because the profile of lighting artist AJ Nelson, who arrived from Immortals of Aveum developer Ascendant Studios, seemingly confirmed that Shapeshifter is at the moment co-developing a mission with Xbox Video games Strudios. Sadly, no further particulars had been supplied.
Former Volition Builders at Shapeshifter
Along with Madigan, who beforehand served in numerous monetary roles with Volition, THQ, and Koch Media, Shapeshifter has managed to herald a variety of veterans from the Saints Row studio. This consists of individuals like Rob Loftus and Brian Traficante, who’re serving as twin studio heads, at Shapeshifter. Others embrace longtime Volition stage designers like Jeff Touchstone and Chad Dodson, software program engineer David Andsager, quest designer Alex Cline, together with designers Darren Dienst and Bryan Dillow.
Shapeshifter is a co-development companion for AAA video games. Our aim is to develop and help builders and publishers by offering a sustainable workforce mannequin.
Whereas the Volition closure in the end had a contented ending for a lot of, Embracer appears to be like to be gearing up for an additional spherical of layoffs. Final week noticed further layoffs hit Black Forest Video games, a studio which has change into recognized for the Destroy All People franchise, however was at the moment engaged on a online game adaptation of the favored comedian sequence Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Final Ronin. Reviews indicated that round 50% of the workforce was decreased, which continued the tough development of layoffs and closures occurring to the gaming trade up to now in 2024.
Saints Row 2022
Volition’s Saints Row 2022 rebooted the franchise with a recent forged and a brand new id. A 3rd-person shooter set in a big open-world, the sport garnered a blended reception at launch and proved to be Volition’s remaining launch.
- Launched
- February 25, 2022
- Style(s)
- Open-World , Motion-Journey , Third-Particular person Shooter , Journey
- Multiplayer
- On-line Multiplayer , Native Multiplayer