Crytek USA was the result of a single meeting
The formation of Crytek USA was a whirlwind affair, reports GamesBeat, with the fledgling company founded on the basis of a single meeting. On Friday, January 25, the day that Vigil Games was officially shuttered, studio head David Adams was told that Crytek CEO Cevat Yerli was flying in from Germany. "He came out the next day," said Adams told. "We met, and the day after we were pulling a new studio together called Crytek USA." Yerli had spoken with Adams during the final days of THQ. Crytek had considered bidding on Vigil during the auction of THQ assets, but Yerli said there were "too many unknowns."
He had been impressed by Adams, however, and Crytek had already decided its US operation would be based in Austin, Texas, Vigil's home turf. Yerli flew out to meet with Adams on a Saturday, the day after Vigil shut down. They held a meeting with the former Vigil staff the next day, and it was the team's solidarity under Adams that sealed the deal for Yerli. "When they all showed up and expressed that they really wanted to work together - that team integrity and the fact that they really didn't want to split up was enough for me to say this goes beyond an interview."
Yerli didn't read a single resume or conduct any formal interviews, even for Adams. The team's commitment, and the quality of the Darksiders series, was enough. And that Monday, three days after Vigil closed down forever, Crytek USA was born.
