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Red 5 Studios pulls the wraps off Firefall
Red 5 is no longer standing by, and in fact has launched its first salvo of proton torpedoes at a crowded MMO market by announcing the long-awaited Firefall title at last week's PAX Prime. The game, a massively multiplayer team-based shooter, will feature microtransactions and sport a free-to-play business model. Red 5 made headlines earlier this year by laying off 30 developers, but looks to be back on its feet after a $20 million cash infusion from The9, a Chinese MMO publisher best known for Atlantica and Soul of the Ultimate Nation. Firefall's developer roster features a number of Blizzard alums, as well as lead designer Scott Youngblood of Tribes and Tribes 2 fame. Check out the official website as well as a lengthy trailer after the cut.
Red 5 Studios reveal Firefall, coming to PC 'near the end of 2011'
Perhaps it isn't enough for you to know that Firefall -- Red 5 Studios' first release -- is full of guns and jetpacks? Would it help if you knew that the lead designer was also headed up Tribes? Ahhh, good! Firefall is a "team-based action shooter" featuring "hundreds of players" completing objectives and battling to the death in a "dynamic open world." And, frankly, it looks great. The title is free-to-play and relies on an in-game marketplace for profit. We might normally balk at such a monetization system, but we were thoroughly impressed by the game's debut gameplay trailer, not to mention the pedigree behind Firefall. If you're as enticed as we are, you'll be glad to know that Red 5 is accepting applications for the game's beta starting right now.%Gallery-101312%
Red 5 Studios standing by to show team-based online shooter at PAX '10
After the fate of its Offset Engine-powered MMO was left in doubt when the Project Offset team at Intel left the building, Red 5 Studios -- founded by former Blizzard crew -- has confirmed plans to show off its debut effort, a team-based online shooter, at PAX Prime in September. We knew that the developer intended to forge ahead with its game using "highly modified" Offset Engine tech; we just didn't know until now what the nature of the title was or when we'd see it. It would seem that the $15 million Red 5 received from China's The9 (former operator of World of Warcraft in that territory) got the company through a rough patch, and that its game -- intended for a worldwide market -- will finally have its day in the sun. (If the sun even comes out in Seattle, that is.)
Red 5's Offset-powered MMO still in the cards
The future of Project Offset may look grim -- what with the team disbanded and its founders creating a new startup -- but it looks like the Offset Engine will live on. Red 5 Studios, which has been working on an MMO powered by the Offset Engine (concept art can be seen above) for the last several years, has informed Gamasutra that its project is still in the works, despite the Offset-related shenanigans at Intel. "While we are using a highly-modified version of the Project Offset engine," a representative said, "the closing of the Intel team does not impact our ability to complete our own project." Very little is actually known about the project, though Red 5 itself was founded by former World of Warcraft team members. The studio ran into trouble earlier this year, reportedly laying off nearly 30 employees. Shortly thereafter, the majority stake of Red 5 was acquired by The9, the company once responsible for running World of Warcraft in China.
Red 5 still planning on making their MMO [Updated]
You have to give Red 5 Studios credit for tenacity, if nothing else. When they initially announced their connection with Intel via licensing the Offset Engine, the plan was to use Red 5's upcoming fantasy MMO, codenamed Project Offset, to showcase Intel's high-end Larrabee processors. However, last month, Intel decided to scrap their plans for the Offset Engine, and redirect the Larrabee processor towards more business-type uses. Meanwhile, despite Red 5 having financial difficulties requiring a layoff of staff, they're continuing on. This is all thanks, in large part, to China's The9, who have stepped in to give them a $20 million infusion of cash in exchange for a majority stake in their company. While some startup studios might fold after a series of large setbacks like this, word is that development on Project Offset continues, according to a story on Gamasutra. Only now, it's running on a "highly modified" version of the original Intel Offset Engine, giving this graphics intensive first-person MMO life. While details are still thin as ever beyond the game being a fantasy title, we hope that this newest partnership with The9 coupled with the recent infusion of cash helps their studio get back on track. [Update: We've received word from Red 5 that they have no relationship to the canceled Project Offset, but they are still using a highly modified Offset Engine to continue their work on their own game.]
Killspace Entertainment pulling from ex-Pandemic, EALA; working on two unannounced games
Ever heard of Killspace Entertainment? Yeah, neither had we until Supererogatory spotted the unannounced development studio's website (replete with strange video). In a Digital Development Management brochure (warning: PDF link), the studio is advertised as having one "Original IP with major publisher" in development and one "Licensed IP -- TBA," though it's said to be working on games for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, iPhone, and Facebook. A quick search on LinkedIn shows that the dev house has been picking up employees from the likes of Obsidian Entertainment, Pandemic Studios, Red 5, and EALA, and will be focusing on "3rd and 1st person character action" titles. It also appears that some employees have been with the studio for over a year, meaning it's not exactly a brand new venture. Odder still, it appears that one Douglas Markland of Killspace Entertainment is down as the contact on a WHOIS of both ApocalypseNowGame.com and WarIsNotAGame.net (though both sites are still devoid of content as of this writing). We've reached out to the studio for information on any of this and will update this post if we hear more.
Former Blizzard dev starts Atomic Operations game studio
Industry veteran Chris Millar has been around -- he's been with Blizzard since the WarCraft II days, and has worked on everything from Black and White 2 to Fat Princess – but now he's off to head up his own company called Atomic Operations. In this quick Q&A with Gamasutra, he says that the company will be a grab-bag of methods and products, all using "an evolved production method similar to that of movies." They've already got a project out the door, too: Atomic is the company that's supporting Fat Princess, with the bugfixes released the other day and presumably more to come. Millar and Atomic Operations join the multitude of other Blizzard veterans off working on their own companies. Let's see, there's Keith Lee and his crew at Booyah, the ex-Blizzard folks at Red 5 Studios, the unfortunate souls at Castaway Entertainment and Flagship Studios (now Gravity Bear and Gargantuan Studios), new WoW TCG licensees Cryptozoic, and a few other little developers and divisions headed up by ex-Blizzard devs. Whew, that's a whole lot of babies -- Blizzard is like the Zeus of gaming studios lately. What are they serving in the cafeteria over there, startup cola?
The Daily Grind: GDC10 predictions?
With GDC 2010 officially beginning tomorrow, March 9th, we'd like to hear your MMO predictions. And remember, the wilder the better. Although, if you've got some inside info, we're always happy to receive hints via our contact form. Here are some of our predictions, see if you can figure out the wild crazy ones: Red 5 Studios minimally reveals the name of their first title. BioWare attends, but Star Wars: The Old Republic maintains a low presence. Realtime Worlds will be there showing off something awesome about All Points Bulletin. This particular blogger will obsess over not attending and missing out on seeing the game again. Massively Editor Sera Brennan will be dared and subsequently sing a most heinously embarrassing song. She'll later regret these events, as the very performance of said song will delay, at minimum, five MMOs set to release sometime within the next 24 months. Think you can do better? We agree, but would like to see proof, mind you.
The9 invests nearly $15 million into Red 5 Studios, Fire Rain
The9 didn't have the best year in 2009 -- Blizzard decided to take away its ability to run World of Warcraft in China, and as a result, the company reported a Cataclysmic drop in revenues. But the company doesn't want you counting it out of the MMO game just yet: Reuters says that The9 has invested almost $15 million into the ailing Red 5 Studios (which, coincidentally, is staffed by some ex-Blizzard employees) as well as China-based developer Fire Rain. Last we'd heard of Red 5, it was working on some kind of fantasy MMO, though that may have since changed to an MMOFPS. There's definitely an MMO game of some kind; The studio told our buds at Massively that even with The9's help, the game will be aimed at a worldwide market, not just Chinese players. Time will tell if The9 has a solid strategy to rebound after the big loss of WoW, or if it's desperately trying to invest the last bit of capital to keep the company alive. Red 5's work has always seemed interesting -- here's hoping this infusion is enough to get it to a worthwhile release.
The9 invests in Red 5 Studios, Fire Rain [Updated]
They may have been burned by Blizzard when they lost World of Warcraft to their rival, NetEase, but The9 isn't out of the fight yet. Especially not when they've just recently backed the troubled Red 5 and Chinese developer Fire Rain with a substantial sum of money. Gamasutra is reporting that The9 has invested 100 million RMB (14.67 million USD) into Fire Rain, however the number is unconfirmed and neither The9 or Fire Rain are confirming the exact terms of the investment. However, if these reports are accurate, The9 would now have a large majority stake in the company or may have bought the developer outright. As to the US based Red 5 Studios, having The9 as a new backer may be keeping the studio alive. Last week, we reported that approximately 30 people had been laid off from the studio, and Kotaku has reported that the studio may have even been close to closing their doors. Red 5 has since "re-evaluated" their position and may be pursuing a game aimed at the Chinese market. Update: Red 5's community manager, Matt DeWald, has gotten in contact with us to say that Red 5 is not pursing a game aimed solely at the Chinese market. Red 5's MMO will be aimed at the worldwide market.
Rumor: Red 5 Studios gets the axe [update]
Update: We just received a press release from Red 5 Studios announcing the "reorganization," stating the company has "great respect for these departing team members and the contributions they have made." The press release also confirms that Red 5 Studios has taken aid from a new investment partner and is "currently working on an unannounced massively multiplayer online game." So much for that ping-pong idea! Original post: Kotaku is reporting that Red 5 Studios, a studio comprised of some key ex-Blizzard personnel, is the latest to be handed its walking papers. A source claims that nothing but a "skeleton crew" remains at Red 5 Studios now, which at one point had offices in Irvine, CA and Shanghai. The latter recently shut its doors, though the relevant press release on Red 5 Studios' site has since been pulled. Apparently, the Irvine home base was also in danger of shutting its doors, but was bought out last week, spurring these layoffs. The Kotaku tipster said Red 5 Studios was currently at work on a MMOFPS, a militaristic title built on an Offset Software-developed engine as part of an $18.5 million deal inked with Korean publisher Webzen. Obviously, that game is now on hold, and it's believed the "skeleton crew" that remains has shifted its focus toward working on a product for the Chinese market. Might we suggest a table tennis game? We hear that's all the rage over there.
Rumor: Red 5 Studios lays off one-third of its staff
Their official site reads "Red 5 Studios is seeking highly talented and driven programmers to help us build a AAA massively multiplayer title." Well, maybe not. A report from Gamasutra gives the news that we never like to hear or report: Red 5 Studios -- founded by former World of Warcraft team members -- has laid off approximately 30 people. This report comes from a "reliable source" close to Red 5, and if the number is accurate, it's nearly a third of their 100-man team. (That figure from a December 2008 interview with CEO Michael Weingartner.) Red 5 Studios has been around since 2005, and as a rule has stayed very quiet regarding their ambitions for their upcoming MMO. They secured funding in 2006 and made some staff changes in 2008, but it's been mostly silent on the Studio 5 front for the most part, until now. Our best wishes go out to those affected by the layoff, and to all involved. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in as a tip!] Update: Red 5 has confirmed and clarified this rumor via a press release announcing the restructuring of the company: "As part of the restructuring, some team members chose to part ways while others were let go."
The Daily Grind: What MMOs are you looking forward to in 2009?
Yesterday, Kyle gave us his impressions of the most anticipated games for 2009. This watch list was based not-only on games that are set to release within the year, but also games that are set to be announced in 2009. This list includes everything from DCUO and The Agency to the speculation of a City of Heroes 2 announcement. The comments were heated, so we thought we'd pose the question officially here for our readers.What is your most anticipated game or game announcement for 2009? What games do you dream about? Do you think Red 5 Studios will reveal their stealth project? Will Darkfall finally be your holy grail? Do you think Guild Wars 2 will finally get a release date by the end of the year? Let us know!
The Digital Continuum: Five MMOs to watch out for in 2009
Out of all the games coming out or possibly being announced in the coming year, which are the ones everyone should train their eye on? What games -- or announcements -- should be watched more closely than others, and why? These are the questions that I'll do my best to answer in this week's The Digital Continuum. Of course, I'll also probably say some crazy things that may or may not come true, as per my usual agenda. So it's a win-win for everyone involved!
The Digital Continuum: Five MMOs to watch out for in 2009, part 2
The next few years are certainly going to be interesting, especially when we get to the point when three superhero MMOs are on the market with a fourth (CoH2) on the way. Anyhow, getting back to the point: DC Universe Online is especially lucky for its IP, which is most definitely the strongest of all the superhero MMOs currently known to be forthcoming. Although, the rather unfortunate SOE stigma may cause a little turbulence in the formative months that come after any MMO is released.
Red 5's upcoming MMO to be announced soon
With a recent shuffle in management and the promise of a truly ground-breaking MMO in the works, Red 5 Studios continues their trek through our anticipated games list in stealth mode. In a recent interview with Gamasutra, Red 5's Chairman and Chief Creative Officer Mark Kern joins the company's CEO, Michael Weingartner, to discuss the studio's current status and the news that their top-secret MMO will finally be announced "in a few months".We've been following Red 5 and their upcoming game's development for a while now, and they never cease to crank up the anticipation level with what they tell us. This interview gives us a better look into their plans to not only go in a different direction than Kern's former employer and their behemoth World of Warcraft, but we get to hear a little bit about how they hope to achieve success in this fragile market.
Red5 sends recruitment messages that won't self-destruct
The adage usually goes "it's hard to find good help these days." And it's all too true in the gaming industry. While other industries may shun players of MMORPGs, game development companies are actively looking to recruit top-notch talent. Competition is tough to get the best developers, especially when the projects they might be working on cannot be revealed. So to break the monotony of typical recruiter phone calls, Red 5 came up with a unique way to get potential employees interested.Their Golden Ticket system sent 100 developers an unmarked FedEx box. Inside was another box, labeled 1, that featured art from the game under development and looked vaguely like it might have come from a Mission: Impossible set. Then, in a sort of modern Russian nesting doll manner, the potential employee uncovered the full group of five boxes. Within the fifth box was an iPod, personally engraved for that recipient, along with a code to enter on the Red5 website. The iPod, once hooked up with the site, played a personalized message inviting the developer to the Red5 offices to check out the facility and interview. Quite a unique, if paranoia-inducing, way to get new applicants.
Red 5 Studios interview: How to fail-proof your MMO
During a recent interview with Ten Ton Hammer, Red 5 Studios' Mark Kern described his views on why games like Tabula Rasa and Hellgate: London had recently failed, and how his colleagues at Red 5 are making sure an early game closure isn't in their future."I think the key is that you need to marry whatever your theme is to the nature of the gameplay," Kern advised. "I think that the issue comes in when you take a theme or a genre that doesn't fit with the style of gameplay that you're making. I think that's some of what you've seen with these failed games. If you just go out and try to make a WoW-type of game with a few tweaks, then try to place the sci-fi genre on top of it, I think you've got some big issues there." Ouch! We can only speculate as to which game he's referring, but we tend to agree with his point here. Shoot us your opinions on a topic that's probably not going to go away any time soon.
Original World of Warcraft team lead takes helm of Red 5 Studios
An MMO nerd logs into a bar and tells his online buddies, "Hey, did you hear Mark Kern was just appointed as the chairman and chief creative officer at Red 5 Studios?" To which they replied, "Who?" Mouth agape, the MMO nerd shoots his arms into the air and explodes with, "The dude who totally helped create World of Warcraft!" The friends look between each other, searching for a response to their fellows' immense piece of news. "Well, if he's so great, why isn't he still in charge of World of Warcraft?" they replied, satisfied with their obviously unbeatable intellectual retort.The nerd replied, "Well that's simple, he wanted a creative challenge and working on the world's most successful MMO simply wasn't enough for him." Smug with a sense of victory, the nerd logged out and prepared a post.But seriously, Mark Kern is taking lead point on development of Red 5 Studio's big secret MMO project. That means whatever game he's helping to create could be considered, in a way, as the spiritual successor to World of Warcraft.
Black Ops MMOs: Games in development under the radar
Our colleagues over at Big Download have listed several PC games in development that they call "Black Ops" projects. The idea is that these games are operating out of sight, under the radar; nobody knows what's going on. It's all very hush hush and mysterious. The game industry and secrecy go hand in hand, after all.We're bringing this up because there are a bunch of MMOs in the list. In fact, they pretty much dominate it. Titles mentioned include the KotOR MMO, the Red 5 Studios project, 38 Studios' Copernicus, ZeniMax Online Studios' MMO (which is possibly Elder Scrolls-based), and of course Blizzard's mysterious "Next-Gen MMO." Interesting stuff. Head over to Big Download to find out what's up on the down low.
