R.I.P Neversoft? VV takes over GH

[goh]

"I have always felt bad for Neversoft. Their Spider-Man game on the PlayStation is a forgotten classic and a precursor to the free-roaming Spider-Man games on PS2 and beyond. Gun was a critical and financial success that was set in the wild west. Apocalypse(starring Bruce Willis) is a highly underrated third-person shooter that more-than-hints at Robotron. Rather than being known for these titles, Neversoft is known today for their work on the Guitar Hero series.

After Guitar Hero 6, they won’t even have that.

According to sources at both Activision and Neversoft, after the developer completes work on technically-unannounced-but-we-all-know-its-coming Guitar Hero 6, the publisher will hand the groundbreaking franchise over to Vicarious Visions. Vicarious Visions has some history with the Guitar Hero franchise, having worked on the Wii ports of every GH console game since Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. The studio works on the Nintendo DS Guitar Hero: On Tour series as well.

For a little additional creepiness, it was Vicarious Visions whom Activision awarded the Spider-Man license to create Spider-Man 2: Enter Electro. This spells trouble for the developer. According to the same source, several members of the Guitar Hero team have been laid off (specifically several “note trackers”) and there are currently no official projects post-GH6.

UPDATE:Though there have been many layoffs at Neversoft, those who are currently working on the aforementioned Guitar Hero 6are being kept until their jobs are complete at which time they’ll be let go. In layman’s terms — April. They’re being told today that they’ll be fired in April.

UPDATE 2:No more need to call this a rumor…"

http://www.bingegamer.net/2010/rumor-layoffs-loss-of-guitar-hero-at-neversoft/

Bit more here: http://www.vg247.com/2010/02/11/rumo...lose-luxoflux/

[luv_mist]

Re: R.I.P Neversoft? VV takes over GH

Why??

[dickey1331]

Re: R.I.P Neversoft? VV takes over GH

That sucks. Knowing your gonna be fired in April.

[JohnDoe8865]

Re: R.I.P Neversoft? VV takes over GH

Activision has flooded the market with too many music games. It's not the developers fault though, and I hate to see them suffer the consequences of Activision over-milking the genre.

[Bellsprout]

Re: R.I.P Neversoft? VV takes over GH

Did the Tony Hawk series just officially die? I mean, Ride killed it anyways, but still.

[bkfount]

Re: R.I.P Neversoft? VV takes over GH

Activision has flooded the market with too many music games. It's not the developers fault though, and I hate to see them suffer the consequences of Activision over-milking the genre.

well it's probably more accurate that the peripheral market is flooded, as both companies continue to shove out bundled hardware for the holidays. Retailers don't like that, and it makes the genre look in worse shape than it is.

It's a niche, so focus more on the cheaper to produce track packs and DLC. People already have their peripherals. Rock Band Network is going to allow MTV to get content for cheaper, less work, and charge the same price. Activison even shut down RedOctane.

[jmood88]

Re: R.I.P Neversoft? VV takes over GH

Did the Tony Hawk series just officially die? I mean, Ride killed it anyways, but still.

Neversoft had stopped doing the Tony Hawk games already.

[luv_mist]

Re: R.I.P Neversoft? VV takes over GH

I hope that those people land on their feet. Maybe they will open up a new studio and blow our minds. I hope they find something. On another note, Activision has become what EA use to be. It's almost disgusting because they have the money train that is Blizzard.