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Slant Six Games rolls out 'temporary' layoffs again
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City developer Slant Six Games laid off some of its employees temporarily, intending to rehire all of the people once it secures new projects or funding, a representative told Games Industry today."This necessary measure has been taken to reduce the size of our team and to decrease interim operating costs while we continue to negotiate new business," Slant Six said. "Temporary layoffs provide us with a time period to keep everyone's employment position open with full benefits. The intention is to reinstate all of the people affected when new projects or funding has been secured."Slant Six has used this temporary layoff method before: Once in April 2010, coinciding with rumors that Star Wars Battlefront Online was canceled, though all of those employees were rehired. In June 2012, following Operation Raccoon City's launch, Slant Six offered one fourth of its team a severance package or the temporary layoff route. There were 96 employees at Slant Six at the time, and before today's layoffs, the studio had 60 employees.Under British Columbia law, the laid off employees retain benefits and collect employment insurance for 13 weeks, at which time the firing becomes permanent, unless they are rehired.
Rumor: Star Wars Battlefront Online concept art leaked out
Slant Six, developer of Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City, was rumored to be working on Star Wars: Battlefront Online before being hit with layoffs in April 2010 (not to be confused with the studio's layoffs from June of this year). The rumored project was canceled, and leaked concept art pieces supposedly from that game were recently found by Siliconera, such as the one seen above, which can be seen at the source link below.While it's nice to look at what could have been, Slant Six ultimately survived and launched free-to-play and Activision Mobile-published iOS game The Bowling Dead in late November this year.
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City, Street Fighter X Tekken are now Games on Demand
Xbox 360 users will find two new games available under the Games on Demand section of Xbox Live. Capcom has announced Slant Six's shooter Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City is available for download on Xbox Live alongside cross-over fighter Street Fighter X Tekken. Each will set you back $39.99 in the United States.Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City wasn't in the best shape when we reviewed it, but a patch issued back in June may have alleviated some of our issues. And as far as Street Fighter X Tekken goes, that thing's been patched up, down and sideways, and Capcom is promising a "hefty update" later on this year. There's also a new mobile version of Street Fighter X Tekken on iOS now, if you're more for fighting on the bus, train or – well, everywhere we guess since you won't stop staring at your iPhone.
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City gets patched
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City has received a patch, one that addresses issues with the game's online matchmaking system and AI, as well as various other fixes, according to a post at Capcom Unity. The post didn't elaborate on how exactly the matchmaking system has been changed, just that "matchmaking from invites" has been improved, as have ally and enemy AI behaviors.More fundamental gameplay changes have also been made: Players can now pick up items while dashing and take cover immediately after a dive, for instance, and "various elements of weaponry, including ammo count, knockdown distance, weapon respawn times" have been changed in undisclosed ways. Peep the full list of changes after the break.[Thanks, Gregory!]
Slant Six hit with layoffs post-Raccoon City
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City developer Slant Six has been hit by layoffs, cutting a quarter of its staff. GameSpot reports the Vancouver-based studio of 96 employees gave a fourth of the team the option to take a severance package or accept a temporary layoff, while it attempts to pick up projects. If the temporarily laid off aren't rehired in 13 weeks the unemployment becomes permanent."We must stress that these are temporary layoffs, which means we are working very hard on new business prospects so we can reinstate every single person affected," a company statement reads. "As an independent and close-knit studio it is a very difficult but necessary business measure due to the current project cycle demands."The developer is currently working on two projects, one of them is a contract with a "major publisher," and the other is its first self-published title, Strata Scavenger, a downloadable post-apocalyptic flight simulation for PC and consoles.
Slant Six outs first original IP, Strata Scavenger
The developer of Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City, Slant Six Games, isn't letting a few underwhelming reviews bring it down, boldly moving on with an announcement of its own original IP, Strata Scavenger. Strata is due out in 2013, according to its Slant Six product page, which features a single image, seen to the left, of a futuristic aerial device patrolling a fiery cityscape.Strata is Slant Six's first original IP, backed in part by the Canadian Media Fund, who handed over $1 million to see the title created "based on its creative and technical innovation," its description reads. Slant Six worked previously on Socom Confrontation, Fireteam Bravo 3 and Tactical Strike, before tackling Operation Raccoon City -- into the ground, some would say.There's a distinct berth between shooting zombies and participating in an interstellar, science-fictional universe, and perhaps Slant Six's new original title is the breakout we've all been waiting for.
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City review: Evacuation plan
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City assumes a lot about the player. It takes for granted that you already know the fiction going into the affair, that you already know about its character classes and that you already have people in mind for your squad. It thinks you know about the special abilities and unlockables of each class, and how to access that content, right from the start.Those who missed out on Resident Evil 2 and 3 may not appreciate the small bits of fanservice developer Slant 6 Games has tossed in, but that's minor compared to how much context is missing elsewhere.%Gallery-138014%
Watch one RCPD member's demise in the latest RE: Operation Raccoon City trailer [update]
After seeing two RCPD officers get chased through the streets, vulnerable and injured in previous Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City vids, we finally see them meet their ultimate end in today's super long addition. Update: This post originally stated that Resident Evil 4 star Leon S. Kennedy was killed during the clip, but apparently our eyesight is just really bad today. As it turns out, it's a RCPD officer -- not Leon -- taking a bullet to the head at 2:41. Please accept our apologies!
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City chasing down Leon on March 20, 2012
Grab your vial of T-Virus antidote and a swath of bullets, as Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City is set to launch just five short months from now on March 20, 2012. Unfortunately for PC owners, the wait will be a bit longer, as the game will initially launch on just Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, with the PC version launching at an unnamed date after that. Beyond revealing the launch date, Capcom also ran down the contents of the game's "Special Edition," which contains a "Steelbook with exclusive art," an "Umbrella Security Service" patch, a "stylized foil sleeve" (what?), a "Spec Ops Field Unit" patch, and eight bonus weapons. And hey, if you pre-order at GameStop, BestBuy, or Amazon, you'll snag yourself a bonus outfit for each of the game's playable characters. Maybe it'll make Bertha look less creepy, eh?
Metapreview: Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City
That's right, folks, a roundup of previews. We're gonna be straight with you and outright say it -- we burn too easily! Our skin is delicate and important to us, and as such, we couldn't make it to Capcom's Miami-based press event last week to play, among other things, Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City. But these folks all did and they ... well, they sorta like it: GamesRadar: "The focus on shooting, special abilities and co-op interaction is decidedly atypical for the RE universe; there's no conserving ammo, no turning with your tail between your legs, just balls-out violence against a sea of shambling undead. Yes, that does mean you can move and shoot at the same time, something even the action-heavy RE5 didn't support." Eurogamer: "Capcom's idea was to create a dark, gritty shooter with smooth controls and a focus on multiplayer. It's not about fear any more ... The result is a fast-paced co-operative and competitive shooter ... It's impossible to overstate how different REORC feels compared to other Resident Evil games, even Resi 5. That is to say it feels like a third-person shooter, a SOCOM game. Your targeting reticule darts about the screen like a bee disturbed from its hive. Your character covers ground quickly with a simple click of the left thumb stick. Turning, the simple act of changing direction, feels responsive. From cover you can blind fire, lob grenades or pop in and out for deadly accurate shooting. And, shock horror, you can move and shoot." IGN: "The game revisits one of the most iconic eras of the franchise, taking place entirely during Resident Evils 2 and 3, and specifically focusing on events in Raccoon City itself. While we've seen prequels (Resident Evil Zero) before, this time around players can actually change the storylines of previous games, even killing some of the series' biggest icons like Leon Kennedy. That immediately places Raccoon City in a bit of an 'alternate timeline' territory, though the game's producer told us new details about the Resident Evil world would be revealed. " MTV Multiplayer blog: "I came away from Raccoon City with the impression that there was still a lot of work to be done. At present, it doesn't feel like much more than a reskinned SOCOM with zombies. If you're not a big fan of SOCOM, you're probably going to experience the same problems in RE:RC, namely the stilted controls and loose aiming mechanics."%Gallery-120990%
First Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City screens deployed
It doesn't look like the Umbrella Security Service team got much training before embarking on Operation Raccoon City. Taking a zombie hostage? Really? That's how you plan to negotiate with Mr. Leon S. Kennedy? Good luck with that.
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City teaser trailer leaves Leon bemused
Print media enthusiasts are already poring over exclusive details of Capcom's upcoming squad-based affair, Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City, in PlayStation: The Official Magazine and Official Xbox Magazine, while the digerati have had to settle for ... well, getting all the details early online anyways. And now, the internet wins again as Capcom's released a teaser trailer for RE:ORC. Some napkin math – 29.97 frames per second and 70 seconds of video – shows we're looking at about 2098 images in the below trailer. If each one of those is worth a thousand words, things aren't looking so good in Printlandia. Another place things aren't looking so good: Raccoon City.
Report: Squad-based 'Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City' detailed in new OXM
As we first heard late last year, Capcom is apparently putting a new twist on the Resident Evil franchise with the help of SOCOM: Confrontation dev Slant Six Games. Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City, a squad based shooter, is reportedly the cover story of Official Xbox Magazine's May 2011 issue. The issue, which StickSkills claims to have obtained from an unnamed newsstand (pictured above) that routinely sells issues early, supposedly details a game in which players take on the role of Umbrella Corporation special forces on a mission to clean up Raccoon City following the events of Resident Evil 2. According to the site, the team will have access to "big guns" and employ a number of tricks to fool and manipulate enemies -- human or otherwise. Trying to kill series hero Leon Kennedy is said to factor into the game, with the possibility of friendly forces being deployed to protect him. Operation Raccoon City is reportedly in development for Xbox 360 and PS3, and is scheduled for release this winter. When contacted, neither Capcom nor OXM could comment on this report. You can see the full cover image, provided by StickSkills, after the break. The issue is scheduled to hit newsstands, officially, on April 5.
Rumor: SOCOM's Slant Six working on multiplayer Resident Evil
Known best for its work on the SOCOM franchise, Vancouver-based Slant Six Games is rumored be working on a forthcoming Resident Evil title for Capcom. The game is said to be named "Resident Evil: Raccoon City." According to a document handed to Kotaku, the unannounced RE title is team-based, with various Slant Six employees' LinkedIn profiles indicating the studio is working on an unannounced "multiplayer action game." The Slant Six official website indicates that "an amazing new project" is in development in conjunction with a "new publishing partner on a world class franchise." For its part, Capcom maintains that it "does not respond to rumors and/or speculation," and Slant Six had yet to respond to request for comment as of publishing. Sharing one of its biggest franchises with a Western developer wouldn't be a new strategy for Capcom -- Dead Rising 2 was developed by Vancouver-based Blue Castle Games (which Capcom subsequently purchased), and Devil May Cry is now in the hands of Enslaved developer Ninja Theory.
Slant Six enacts 'temporary' layoffs; Star Wars Battlefront Online rumored to be canceled
SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo and Confrontation developer Slant Six has instituted layoffs, according to statements given to GameSpot by managing director Brian Thalken. Thalken called the dismissals "temporary," with the goal to bring back as many of the affected staff as possible at a later date. He did not specify just how many employees had been laid off, but said the company will continue to offer benefits to those affected. "Our current project needs do not align with our current staffing levels," Thalken told GameSpot. The studio's last release was SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 3 in February. Additionally, Kotaku reports that, according to its sources, the rumored Star Wars Battlefront Online, which Slant Six was reportedly developing, has been canceled by publisher LucasArts. The game was never announced, and its existence was only suggested by an earlier rumor. As such, its possible relationship to the recent studio layoffs is unconfirmed. We've contacted Slant Six to clear up the issue.
SOCOM Fireteam Bravo 3 requires PSN activation for online play
Sony's taking a fairly unconventional approach to putting a stop to piracy on the PSP platform. The recently released handheld shooter, SOCOM Fireteam Bravo 3, comes bundled with a code which, once redeemed through the PlayStation Network, allows the player to access the game's online modes. Folks who purchase the game directly through the PSN are automatically online-enabled -- but those who nab the game illicitly won't have access to the code, and will have to shell out $20 to unlock a license which lets them play online. Sony's John Koller recently spoke to IGN about the activation procedure, saying it's "a trial run for a new initiative we are exploring for the platform." Obviously, it's going to be very effective at sticking it to software pirates worldwide. Oh, and people who rent games over GameFly, and people who buy used games, and people who borrow games from their friends. That'll teach you, everyone!
Review: SOCOM Fireteam Bravo 3 (PSP)
The SOCOM series traditionally focuses on tactical decision-making rather than big action; large set piece battles become few and far between when players utilize the correct tactics to mechanically disable the opposition. In SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 3, the careful execution of enemy forces still exists, but in the end, most missions boil down to the same tactic found in other shooters: survival. In Fireteam Bravo 3, the SEALs have infiltrated an action movie and there's no turning back. %Gallery-50260%
SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 3 demo deploys Feb. 11
Gear up and get ready to roll out, soldiers. We've got a SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 3 black-ops mission that needs the expertise of veteran men and women -- those who have played through not one SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo game, but folks who have also survived its sequel, SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 2. This isn't some kind of joke or theme in some blog post; you better be ready to put some foot-mobiles down. Intel comes courtesy of PlayStation.Blog, which reports enemy units are on the move and should enter the DMZ any minute now. By Thursday, February 11, PSN will be crawling with hostiles, so safeties off, PSPs plugged in to charge and have your screen wipes at the ready. We're going to need maximum visibility for all our troops in the field.
Rumor: Star Wars Battlefront: Online in the works
The development of Star Wars Battlefront III has been rocky, to say the least. Work began at Free Radical before Crytek snapped up the company, then the game was rumored to be in Rebellion's care before it eventually dropped from the face of the earth. Meanwhile Pandemic, the recently shuttered studio behind the first two games, apparently had nothing to do with the title at all. The latest rumor, courtesy of Kotaku, puts development of a brand new Battlefront project, entitled Star Wars Battlefront: Online, in the hands of Slant Six Games and LucasArts. Slant Six is the studio behind several games in the SOCOM tactical-shooter series, making it a reasonable candidate for a Battlefront developer. The game will reportedly arrive in 2011 on PS3 and Xbox 360. It will focus on online play and, presumably, Star Wars. According to Kotaku, Star Wars Battlefront: Online is also the source of the Star Wars Battlefront III casting rumors that popped up last December.
SOCOM Fireteam Bravo 3 deployed February 16
Hopefully, the third time is the charm for SOCOM Fireteam Bravo. After two delays, the Slant Six-developed co-op shooter is finally making its way to PSP on February 16 on both UMD and PlayStation Network. As per usual, online multiplayer is central to the upcoming SOCOM sequel. Fireteam Bravo 3 will not only support sixteen player Infrastructure play, it also features four-player co-op -- a first for the franchise. Considering Slant Six's track record, it'll either play like the brilliant SOCOM Tactical Strike ... or like SOCOM Confrontation.
