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Warner Bros. makes cuts across Seattle studios
A WB Games representative this evening confirmed to Joystiq that the publisher has "had to make reductions" across its Seattle-based studios this week. The layoffs were apparently a result of the publisher's "continual review of our business operations and fluctuating market conditions," and no specific studios were named in the comment. We first heard of potential firings at the company from 3D Realms co-founder George Broussard's Twitter account, which puts the cuts at "60ish" folks in the studio's Seattle studios (which includes Monolith Productions, Snowblind Studios and Surreal Software). The latest release from WB Games Seattle was this week's Lord of the Rings: War in the North.
Rumor: This is canceled: This is Vegas
CVG reports it has a "cast iron source" claiming This is Vegas has finally been buried out in the desert somewhere. The title was under development at Surreal Software for Midway before the publisher folded. The property was then scooped up by Warner Bros. Interactive, but apparently met its (inevitable) conclusion when the developer was quietly shut down in June. The site's source estimates Midway spent around $43 million on the project before it was sold to WB, elaborating, "The title was on the schedule for release late last year - but still needed another eight months to a year to finish with a studio burn rate of $250,000 per month." We've contacted WBIE for confirmation that This is Vegas really has played its last card and busted out. %Gallery-15441%
Warner Bros. lays off staff from Monolith, Snowblind, Surreal
Apparently, Warner Bros. didn't get the memo that layoffs are so 2009. The publisher has released an unspecified number of staffers from Seattle developers Monolith Productions, Snowblind Studios and Surreal Software, perhaps best known for the FEAR series, Death Tank and The Suffering, respectively. The publisher told Gamasutra, "we had a few too many resources in certain functions and some positions were eliminated in this process." Seems logical enough, but that doesn't make it any less of a bitter pill for those affected. Here's hoping everyone lands on their feet.
Oh craps! This is Vegas delayed until 2009
Not saying we were taking bets on this but, surprising exactly no one, Midway's "lifestyle action experience" This is Vegas has been delayed until 2009 for all three platforms in development. Midway tells GameSpot that developer Surreal Software – the team behind The Suffering games – is being "given the development time needed in order to make This is Vegas a triple-A videogame and a must-have for all PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC owners." The game will be playable at E3 in a couple weeks so we'll be sure to let you know how close it is to a "must-have" then.%Gallery-15441%
This is a trailer for This is Vegas
If you've been curious as to what sort of gameplay "an open world, lifestyle action experience" such as This is Vegas would entail, you'd best head past the break and view the game's debut trailer. Judging by the brief clip, we're dealing with a role-playing game -- one where you've thrown all your ability points into douchebaggery, hooliganism and cartoonish uppercutting. Also, you'll be playing as Attack of the Show's Kevin Pereira.Not that you need any more incentive to visit virtual Vegas, but we think one Gametrailers user summed it up better than anybody in Midway's marketing department ever could: "its the same company that maded the suffering its surreal i want this game specialy because there is hot girls."%Gallery-15441%
This ... is ... trailer! Debut trailer for This is Vegas
If the images released a few days ago weren't enough to whet your appetite for the upcoming action title This Is Vegas, then try this debut trailer on for size. The footage looks early but the Vegas hook is sure to draw people in, especially those who think they can fool Gil Grissom. The open world action is slated to hit the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC this winter from Midway's internal studio Surreal Software, makers of The Suffering and Drakan: The Ancients' Gates. By the way, no one fools Gil Grissom.
This Is Vegas announced, insert Spartan joke here
Ah, reality. It can get pretty boring sometimes. Especially if you live in a place like Tulsa, Oklahoma (sorry Richard). Thankfully Midway knows your life is as boring as clicking refresh on X3F all day and announced This is Vegas. Combining Grand Theft Auto, Second Life and, well, Vegas, This is Vegas allows players to experience the wild desert wonderland and find out what people mean when they say "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." According to the official site, This is Vegas puts players in the role of a business man visiting the strip who will have to rise to the top and create a vast empire by reigniting the adult playground, drive the fastest cars and prove your power with weapons or via fisticuffs. The open world playground is being developed by the in house Midway team at Surreal Software and is slated for a Winter 2008 release on the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC. Also, always double-down on 11.[Via Joystiq]%Gallery-15465%
Super duper secret new PS3 IP in development
Just when you thought all hope may be lost for the PlayStation 3, there comes word that a new, original game from Midway's Surreal Software is indeed in the works for the system. Though we already knew that some sort of mysterious game from Surreal was coming, what we didn't know was that the title would be a new IP.IGN follows the story by referencing this latest help wanted ad by the company: "This is new, exciting IP, on a new technology base, with a concept which will blow you away. This is your chance to be the keystone of a large and experienced development team."Full development support and new, original IPs for our next-gen appetites is definitely something we would like to see more of.[Thanks, Ethan]
Midway lets slip a PS3 game rumor -- it's original!
Our mates at IGN have been keeping tabs on Midway's Surreal Software's newest next-gen title, but until now there was speculation as to what game they would be continuing on the next-gen consoles. Rumors hopped between a new Drakan game or another The Suffering title. It's not. It's a new game. Not a sequel. Which is great news since many of the next-gen games are indeed sequels, especially those hotly anticipated for Sony's new console. The job listing is still up, asking for a Senior Associate Producer and claiming their new title has "a concept which will blow you away." Is that being cute? Will there be a lot of explosions? Or... is it really that original? Either way, it's exciting news from Midway, as the aforementioned games were indeed pretty fun.
