Report: Layoffs Hit Raven Software, Focusing on DLC
Raven had layoffs in August 2009 after the completion of X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Wolftenstein, explaining that the studio had "slightly [reduced] its workforce to better reflect the studio's upcoming slate."
Activision has issued the following statement: "With the recent completion of Singularity, Raven Software is realigning its workforce to better reflect the studio’s upcoming slate." Raven Software does not currently have a game announced, but it was rumored in May that the studio was being tasked with working on Call of Duty: Black Ops map packs for DLC.
Kotaku's source claims that the studio will be focusing on downloadable content and has been reduced to a single team. It's doubtful that Raven will be making DLC for any of its previous titles at this point.
It is easy to speculate what is going on within Activision's Call of Duty division, but there are just too many possibilities following the collapse of Infinity Ward. Presumably, Modern Warfare 3 would have been released in fall 2011, but the status of that project is unclear.
Looking at the information here, it is possible that Treyarch would be tasked with assisting on the completion of Modern Warfare 3 with what remains of Infinity Ward, while Raven Software handles post-release DLC for Black Ops. Activision probably doesn't want to miss a holiday season without a new Call of Duty on store shelves.
-
About time, not to be rude but seriously the last three games they have put out have been so so. They ruined Quake 4, Wolfenstein, and Singularity was just ok. 2 cents deposited...
-
-
-
Loved the Quake 4 SP, good old style FPS gameplay but wish they had more Q2 look a like weapons. The rifle in Q4 just looked crap.
The MP was poorly executed, they made it much better in later patches but too little too late. IMO they should have recreated Q2 DM/CTF instead as Q3 was never going to be replaced with that.
Wolfenstein SP was good but the MP was pure and epic fail on a unprecedented scale.-
Wolfenstein's MP was the product of Endrant Studios, who laid off a number of staff once Wolfenstein released: http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/60047
I think they closed down sometime after that; their website as linked from GiantBomb and MobyGames goes to a GoDaddy domain squatting search page.
-
-