Key Metroid Prime Staff Leave Retro Studios

April 23, 2008 3:28 PM

Shacknews has learned that several key employees from Metroid Prime series developer Retro Studios are no longer with the company.

Design director Mark Pacini, art director Todd Keller, and principal technology engineer Jack Mathews were escorted off the premises last Friday. The simultaneous departure of senior staff members is generally indicative of an intention to branch off and form a new development studio.

Contrary to other rumors, Shacknews has also learned that Retro Studios is not in danger of closing.

Founded in 1998 and purchased by Nintendo in 2001, Retro was responsible for the Metroid Prime trilogy, which concluded with the company's first Wii title last August. The studio's current project is unknown, though it has stated its intent to move away from the Metroid franchise.

Chris Faylor

Chris Faylor was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

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MrLobo

 reply
April 23, 2008 3:30 PM

were escorted off the premises last Friday.

So they were laid off or did they just quit ?
- [deleted] 328349105
  
   reply
  April 23, 2008 3:36 PM
  
  [deleted]
- Amadan
  
   reply
  April 23, 2008 3:36 PM
  
  At many companies when you give notice they walk you out right then. It's happened to me when I gave notice.
  - nudel
    
     reply
    April 23, 2008 4:35 PM
    
    Especially if they fear that you're going to try to take people with you, and talk people into stuff while you're still there.
    - -Panther-
      
       reply
      April 23, 2008 5:25 PM
      
      except for me who gave 6 weeks notice and they guilted me into staying 8.
      
      I suck at quitting apparently.
      - shinobidye7
        
         reply
        April 24, 2008 10:43 AM
        
        man I been there, I also suck at qutting :(
  - DinK
    
     reply
    April 23, 2008 7:33 PM
    
    So when they do that, would they either have to pay you for two weeks or you'd be eligible for unemployment?
    - heuristic
      
       reply
      April 23, 2008 8:08 PM
      
      At places like that you can get months of pay. It's not exactly "skilled office staff." They're people that make the company exist.
      - DinK
        
         reply
        April 23, 2008 8:22 PM
        
        Ah yeah, didn't think of that. Severance packages usually come with a "ok no unemployment claims" stipulation huh.
    - Amadan
      
       reply
      April 24, 2008 9:22 PM
      
      If they don't pay you for those two weeks then you aren't quitting, they are firing you. Then that would launch the whole firing process (possible wrongful termination suite etc).
      
      At my job I gave them 2 weeks notice and they actually just volunteered to pay me for 3. Then I actually got paid for 4. I think they were just glad I was changing industries and not going to a competitor.
      
      Like heuristic said, this kind of thing seems to only apply to people in critical roles.
  - IndigoAK
    
     reply
    April 24, 2008 10:38 PM
    
    Me as well. At one job, my boss told me to stay put while he called security to come show me the door.