Lackluster ‘Prototype II’ sales
Activision has announced a drastic reduction in the staff of Radical Entertainment, its developer. The remaining employees will be re-assigned to support roles on other projects due to poor sales of ‘Prototype 2’.
Another developer is following suit. Radical Entertainment, an Activision-owned studio behind Prototype, is now effectively gone.
Activision stated in a statement that they did not make a large investment in Prototype IP. However, the IP failed to find a wide commercial audience. “Radical has a talented team of developers. However, we explored many options for the studio, including the possibility of selling the business. We came to the difficult conclusion that the best option is a substantial reduction in staff. Radical Entertainment will continue to support other Activision Publishing projects. However, the studio will stop developing its own games.
Although I didn’t enjoy the Prototype titles, the latest in the series was not as well received. It’s still a shame that people lose their jobs or livelihoods, and that a creative endeavor fails to find “a broad commercial audience”, like the first Prototype game.
Naturally, this is how the Business Operates
On Facebook, the developer stated that Radical Entertainment had experienced a significant staff reduction. “We are proud of the Prototype franchise’s success, but the Blacklight virus did not spread as far as we expected. PC gamers can rest assured that PROTOTYPE 2 will still launch on July 24, as scheduled. Radical Entertainment would like to express its gratitude to the PROTOTYPE Army, as well as all of our passionate and loyal fans, for their support. Without you, we wouldn’t be where we are today.
Prototype 2 ranked in the 70s on Metacritic with a similar user score. VGChartz puts the game’s global sales at 390,000.
I didn’t play it. What did you think? How did it compare to its predecessor? Are smaller developers able to survive in an Activision-dominated Call of Duty environment?
- P.S. P.S. Game marketers should stop using live-action trailers.
- Radical Entertainment, a console game studio, closes its doors
Activision stated that although they made a significant investment in Prototype’s intellectual property, the product did not reach a wide commercial audience. Radical has a talented team of developers. However, we explored many options for the studio including a possible sale of the business and came to a difficult conclusion during the consultation process that the best option is a substantial reduction in staff. Radical Entertainment will continue to support other Activision Publishing projects. However, the studio will stop developing its own games.
[Update] Activision’s Radical Entertainment Shuts Down
[Update 1] Game Informer reports that Activision has not completely shut down Radical Entertainment, but it is still operating at a “much lower capacity” while they look into the future of the studio and consider a sale. The studio’s collapse is believed to have been caused by low sales of Prototype IP.
Activision released the following statement regarding Radical Entertainment
“We made a significant investment in Prototype IP but it didn’t find a wide commercial audience. Radical has a talented team of developers. However, we explored many options for the studio including a possible sale of the business and came to a difficult conclusion during the consultation process that the best option is a substantial reduction in staff.
“As such Radical Entertainment will continue to support other Activision Publishing projects while some employees will be employed, but the studio will stop developing its own games moving forward.”
Original
Activision has not yet made a formal announcement. However, it is confirmed that Radical Entertainment, based in Vancouver, has been officially shut down.
The news of the studio’s impending doom spread first through various game developers. It was confirmed today by Rob Bridgett (radical entertainment’s audio designer), who tweeted “RIP Radical Entertainment 1991-2012”.
Radical Entertainment is most well-known for Prototype 2 and Prototype 2. They also worked on many popular video games, including Scarface: The World is Yours (2006) and The Incredible Hulk Ultimate Destruction (2005). (1993).
