Rumours are floating around that UK-based Bizarre Creations, who are known for their work in the racing genre of games, faces closure. If this is the case all 200 of the current staff will find their jobs in jeopardy. Following reports of the rumours online Activision issued a statement on the state of the studio.
Activision has said that Bizarre could find itself sold off after recent losses following the release of racing title Blur. They have not confirmed whether the studio’s closure is an option but have said that they are considering options for Bizarre. The possible sale of the studio was mentioned. Part of the statement reads:
“Although we made a substantial investment in creating a new IP, Blur, it did not find a commercial audience…Bizarre is a very talented team of developers; however, because of the broader economic factors impacting the market, we are exploring our options regarding the future of the studio, including a potential sale of the business.”
Activision have just closed Budcat Creations, who were responsible for working on the PS2 and Wii versions of the Guitar and Band Hero series of games. According to Acti, Budcat was closed to realign the company’s music development resources.
“Approximately 88 positions, or approximately 1 per cent of our global workforce, will be impacted by these reductions. We are working to redirect those employees that are impacted to other parts of the company where possible, as well as offering them outplacement counselling services”
Brett Venter
