Another one bites the dust...

[schild]

UK development studio Blue 52 has closed its doors after failing to secure enough cash to pay for company overheads, MCV can reveal. The forthcoming release of Stolen, Blue 52’s highly-regarded stealth sim, to be published by Hip Interactive at the beginning of April, has not been affected.

“Blue 52 has been liquidated because it was unable to continue to support the overheads necessary for several development teams and a separate technology and tools department,” revealed Jaid Mindang, co-director at Blue 52.

Sources close to the London-based developer indicate that a small team has relocated to alternative premises to complete work on Stolen, and that the company is set to rise from the ashes as a new business initiative, Curve Games Studios, with the same core staff later this year.

“We are continuing to pursue new development contracts with other publishing partners,” said Mindang. It is not known what will happen with previously announced project Deadlight.

Stolen is due for release on April 1st for PC, Xbox and PlayStation 2.

I for one am looking forward to Stolen and am glad to see that at the very least, the developers doors are shut at the tail end of the gaming cycle. Still though, this is a sad death as they didn't even get a chance to fuck up.

[Furiously]

Stolen holds some promise, but I'll wait for a demo.

[schild]

Stolen holds some promise, but I'll wait for a demo.

I agree. On the inside I'm hoping it's Splinter Cell mixed with Entrapment/Thomas Crown Affair (the new one, duh?). But I always worry when it's a new studio making a game. And even more so when the studio shuts down 2 weeks before that game is released.

[HaemishM]

I gotta lay this one at the hands of their publisher. If the development studios you contract with can't make it through fucking release without having to shut its doors, you either aren't paying them enough (likely), aren't managing the relationship well enough that you are getting some oversight, or are too stupid to handle the dev/pub relationship.

I'd put my bets on "Not paying enough."

[Furiously]

Bets if you finish the game and say, "Uhmm - that's it? There is nothing more? Only 5 levels?"

[Alkiera]

So, who's gonna write the day-1 'fix all the game-breaking bugs' patch?

That would bother me, if I was at all interested in Stolen.

Alkiera

[schild]

So, who's gonna write the day-1 'fix all the game-breaking bugs' patch?

We're still waiting on the one for Bloodlines.

[sinij]

Stolen is due for release on April 1st for PC, Xbox ...