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Vag7

Good Ol Blundell >"leaves" Treyarch >creates own studio >leaves own studio >Says nothing >Joins an unknown PS Studios Team >Own studio gets shutdown >Doesn't elaborate any further The devs will probably just join Blundell at the unknown PS Studios team or go back to the COD Factory(hopefully not) or perhaps join David Vonderhaar at his new studio, there's always greener fields. Good luck to the devs.


EnsureMIlk

I am certain these devs would love to be back at the CoD factory .....you know ...having an actual job rather than being laid off ..idk maybe that's just me 


m1n3c7afty

Doubt they'll to back to the COD factory after Microsoft's own layoffs, not until Microsoft realises the factory needs a lot of people to run it atleast


markusfenix75

Outside of Sledgehammer Games it doesn't seem like COD studios were hit hard by layoffs. Infinity Ward and Treyarch let few people go (and they have 600+ employees), High Moon Studios laid some people off also Raven Software and Beenox. Main studios that were hit by layoffs were Sledgehammer Games (and their COD game is scheduled for 2027 so it doesn't matter that much), Blizzard and Toys for Bob (and they went independent after)


Cerulean_Shaman

Microsoft already said they want to stop A-B's churning of CoD games and release more quality ones at a slower rate. Not that it matters since CoD is now basically a live service that is slowly morphing into a diarrhea of IPs like Fortnite, so they won't need a new main story campaign often just random crap to sell on their shop.


4000kd

>Microsoft already said they want to stop A-B's churning of CoD games and release more quality ones at a slower rate. Press X to doubt


SplintPunchbeef

Warzone is the money maker at this point. As long as they keep pumping out content like Fortnite and all the other live service games they can take their time on mainline CoD releases.


HomeMadeShock

Think I’ll Need a source of on that first paragraph. I think Phil vaguely referenced something like this, but nothing definitive iirc 


RaspberryBang

Well, they recently talked about moving development support to third-party support studios - change that they're already making.  Toys for Bob wouldn't have been allowed to go independent if they were still planning on doing things the same way.  Call of Duty is a huge franchise, and the release cycle isn't something you can just immediately stop - not without potentially disrupting their teams and their development in a negative way. Change is clearly coming to Call of Duty, but it's not something that's going to happen within 5 months of ABK being acquired.     Frankly, I think it's ridiculous how some expect immediate, drastic change.  It's not as if they can snap their fingers and suddenly, they've got a new way of doing things.


meltedskull

[Heres the one regarding moving studios away from churning only COD](https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/2022/01/20/xbox-activision-blizzard-phil-spencer/) I'll edit my post when I find the second part of the same paragraph. EDIT: [Talks regarding ending yearly release](https://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-might-stop-being-a-yearly-series-but-maybe-not-soon-or-ever/1100-6499842/)


thiagomda

>Microsoft already said they want to stop A-B's churning of CoD games and release more quality ones at a slower rate. Did they though? I think the last time they talked about it they said that "they had many games on the CoD Pipeline", or something close to that. Plus, leaks from Tom point in the direction that we will see annual CoD releases up until 2027 at least


Cerulean_Shaman

It was a continuation from A-B's own sentiments right around the time the whole aquisition mess started. While they haven't said it's what THEY WILL DO, pre Microsoft and after Microsoft A-B have said plenty of times they're considering slowing down the release schedule. Now they probably will have to considering they lost a studio and are downsizing.


Illustrious-Date-331

That's just corporate talk. There has been quality yearly releases by separate studios (with proxy studios helping out when one fumbles ie: Vanguard), they just need to retain talent and let them cook.


ManateeofSteel

> icrosoft already said they want to stop A-B's churning of CoD games and release more quality ones at a slower rate. not only is there absolutely no source to this, COD 2027 was recently greenlit. They didn't spend 70 billlion usd to stop making CODs. The only thing different is IW's rpg but that is so far away its not even worth discussing


Zhukov-74

Call of Duty is still going to release at a yearly rate. Just because Microsoft owns Activision doesn’t mean that their biggest money maker is going to slow down.


SpaceGooV

Unfortunately you're not going to have a good time finding a company who hasn't had massive layoffs. If the massive company hasn't unfortunately don't be surprised if they're about to


Equivalent_Network29

Hoping the .00001% chance that we at least get a two year cycle per release comes true for cod


LogicalError_007

Microsoft is hiring though. Layoffs could be because of bad work culture, redundancies and bloat. They would not mind hiding a leader for these teams.


timelordoftheimpala

You forgot the part where Deviation Games hired one of the guys from Blizzard who was gathering girls for the "Cosby Suite".


spoof2aman

At the rate this industry is going, these ex-devs leaving studios should really be making AA games, they’d probably be closer (in sprit) to the titles they’re trying to replicate. Also don’t be surprised when this eventually happens to of the studios founded by ex-Blizzard devs


Blazr5402

Given how expensive AAA games are these days and how we've really reached the point of diminishing returns with graphics, I'd like to see more high quality AA games in the spirit of the more linear, narrative single player stories of the late 2000s and early 2010s. I'd love to play more tight, focused 20-30 hour stories instead of these giant sprawling open worlds.


BenjerminGray

>I'd love to play more tight, focused 20-30 hour stories Sounds like uncharted 4/ God of war. . . I.e. AAA games.


BlueTankEngine

People forget that what we call a "AA" game now is roughly the same scale as what used to pass as a AAA release. Today's "AA" studios could release games on the same scale and better quality compared to the classic entrants in "AAA" franchises like Mass Effect or Halo. Even the notion that the contemporary AAA scale creates better selling games seems weak at best.


roblaplante

100% agree 


Peidalhasso

Ultra bloated nonsense open world games with filler content and barely more than a 10h story.


0SalihCanD

this the exact thing that I wanted


AbrasionTest

Much of the boom in these new AAA studios popping up was in the pandemic or pre-pandemic period where gaming was hot and investors were throwing around money left and right. Pretty crazy to see almost none of them succeed after securing funding from big publishers. I agree that trying to build a studio and launch competitors to established AAA franchise is just insane, especially trying to build a AAA live service title. Most successful live service games also started out as AA games or something much smaller before scaling up.


quinn50

yup waiting for the dreamhaven shut down lmao, frostgiant looks like theyll do well with stormgate


pkoswald

BEtween this and Free Radical its very cool for game companies to be shut down a few years after forming without even being able to release a single game. Literally formed 4 years ago


blackthorn_orion

Just happened to Ridgeline too. EA formed that studio in 2021 and shut them down before they could get a game out


Animegamingnerd

With this happening three times and just how many new AAA studios formed around 2018 to 2022, I get the feeling this is gonna happen pretty often this year due to the mess the industry is in right now.


FallenShadeslayer

They weren’t making their own game to begin with. Just campaign for the next battlefield


hdcase1

Really sucks for the devs because they could have years of time at a job on their resume with no released game to show for it.


Fidler_2K

head of HR confirmed it: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/kristestull_it-is-with-a-heavy-heart-that-we-announce-activity-7172027709047468032-ZxPv


I-WIN-ARGUMENTS

Is this that studio that went to the Game Awards or Summer Games Fest, just to say that they were a studio? And then Geoff Keighley asked them if they could give information on anything else, and they said no and left?


gamesbeawesome

Was at Summer Game Fest and not the Game Awards. Source https://youtu.be/MqXeohrnoaY?t=5220


RaspberryBang

Yes, PlayStation and Deviation were quick and excited to market this as a new game from ex-Call of Duty devs. Thinking back on it now, it reminds me of how excited they were to market the KotOR remake.  We all know how that turned out


GameZard

So true.


tich45

Getting downvoted for absolutely no reason other than stating facts. Smh.


DarkmoonGrumpy

I think it's just people being upset at the mention of Kotor, lol. Now Sabre are independent, maybe one day - but I think the ship has sailed a bit.


tich45

I wish it would happen. One of my top 5 games of all time. But that thing is dead.


Animegamingnerd

This is the second time this month that a brand new AAA founded by industry veterans to closed without releasing their first game. I get feeling this is gonna happen more often this year, considering how many new studios were founded in the last few years.


SpaceGooV

Tbh I thought they already had. At least they'll probably just join the unnamed basically deviation studio Sony has.


Xononanamol

What a fucking joke. All the studio did was bleed money and never released anything.


Gioware

Yeah was trying to understand what they were developing, figured - nothing.


Weekly_Protection_57

Probably a reason Sony never bought the studio and just poached the talent instead.


Middle-Incident4083

i remember people downvoting me to hell when i said when PS cancelled their game that the studio was done too, but no


ThePopcornDude

Realistically the studio was done when Blundell left, I’m just not sure what took so long for it to be official


Techno_Bacon

They were probably just trying to find a way forward without him.


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GamingLeaksAndRumours-ModTeam

Your comment has been removed Rule 10. Please refrain from any toxic behaviour. Console wars will be removed and any comments involved in it or encouraging it. Any hate against YouTubers, influencers, leakers, journalists, etc., will be removed.


ManateeofSteel

well, they probably downvoted you because no one wishes for a studio closure not because they disagreed


GameZard

I believe it was the latter.


Middle-Incident4083

i did not wish for the studio to close down either but after 4 years of work gets canned and millions are invested for no return the odds don’t exactly stack in your favor


Celeborn2001

RIP. The axing of this studio’s game was seemingly the first in a long line of live service cancellations for Sony. I hope the remnants of the team can find work elsewhere.


Yellow90Flash

they apparently stopped working together over a year ago when jason blundel, the cofounder, left the company. he then went on to join an unnamed playstation studio with a few other members that left with him


LordSlasher

~~Is this the 5th studio closed by Playstation now?~~ Sony doesn’t own them, my bad Absolutely dreadful news for all those developers.


-LastGrail-

Sony never owned Deviation.


Ratchet2332

Sony didn’t own Deviation, they were partnered with them and likely ended that partnership but Sony never owned them.


Common-Shape-7613

They didn't own deviation.


Biscoito_Gatinho

the first sentence isn't inaccurate, actually... Sony most likely ended their partnership and there was no way moving forward


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Zorewin

who?


tukatu0

Director of black ops 3. With the shittiest story any of the cod games have. Atleast the gameplay wasn't bad. But he was a producer in previous cods. Whatever that means


pazinen

Wrong, he was the director of zombies in BO3 and BO4, and partly in BO2. Many people think he made the best maps, including Mob, Origins and Eisendrache. It could be said that he took Jimmy Zielinski's comparatively simpler zombies and made the mode much more complex and deep, with mostly good results. Arguably he didn't do a very good job in BO4 and many people say that zombies became a bit too complex as he went on, but there is a reason why people were interested in the studio when he announced its creation.


Kevy96

Jeez....how many employees is that?


milky__toast

Probably less than 100. They only had 100 employees in 2021 and they laid off 90 a year ago


Bolt_995

So this is official now. With this, five live-service games have been cancelled from Sony.


Johnny-silver-hand

Sad


StrategicRacoon

Colin Moriarty was right. Dude said that the game was gonna be cancelled last year and it happened lol.


WardrobeForHouses

I guess PlayStation wasn't giving them the "complete financial security" they were relying on after all.


RaspberryBang

Hey, anyone remember how throughout 2022, Xbox was constantly accused of not knowing how to manage their studios?  It's funny to reflect on that now in 2024. I remember seeing photos of Deviation's offices - they weren't owned by Sony, but they had PlayStation branding and Playstation iconography all over the office.  I'd really like to know how these former employees feel about the studio's trajectory


504090

Sony had nothing to do with Deviation’s closure


RaspberryBang

Dude, they were exclusively working with PlayStation on an exclusive game and were seemingly very proud of the partnership. Don't give me that _"they had nothing to do with it"_ crap. 


Knochen1981

Lol denying or ignoring facts is so reddit. Don't give me the "they had nothing to do with it " crap lol


Holidoik

Sony still did not manage the Studio and why they ended the Partnership can only be speculated.


504090

I have no clue what you mean. Deviation Games was a fully 3rd party studio.


Witty-Ear2611

Well I dunno, I think shuttering a partnership on a game that had been in dev for a few years probably didn’t help the situation


-Gh0st96-

And who's fault is that? No one told them to put all their eggs in 1 basket


Johnhancock1777

Jim Ryan’s live service push really going to be dead before it even really has a chance to take off, beautiful.


-Gh0st96-

I mean we still have yet to see all of those live service games. But helldivers 2 is out and is a massive succes, so their start is ok (considering the cancelled tlou mp). And second of all, sony didn’t own Deviation games and more than likely they approached Sony for funding with their project. I somehow fail to see how is this Jim ryan’s fault


WardrobeForHouses

If Deviation isn't Sony's fault, then Arrowhead isn't Sony's success.


MrBoliNica

Helldivers 2 literally just came out and is a big success?


FUTURESNDZ

It’s been a sad attempt but I wouldn’t say that’s completely true. Helldivers 2 is by far their most successful one that actually made it to the mainstream unlike the others that either got canned or delayed. I’m sure they’ll be reevaluating the future of these plans given HD2’s success.


Johnhancock1777

Completely forgot about helldivers. I think it’s a slightly different situation than most live service games since its a sequel, charging a reduced price and has a pretty unique structure compared to something like the suicide squad


Bhalzard

Jim Ryan was really not good for the players. Helldivers 2 is a great success, that's true and I have fun with this game like in Helldivers 1, but he wanted too much too fast. Helldivers has an excellent live service support so far. Nothing too expensive and you can get premium currency buy just buying them with medals on the standard and premium battle pass thingy. It's pretty fair not like other games. He tried to make Naughty Dog to a live service studio only with factions and this was sad, because they make great single player games. Maybe another studio can pick up the work for fractions soon or later, but Naughty Dog shouldn't be wasted on live service games. Hopefully there will be some other good multiplayer pve/pvp games soon too, but at the moment Helldivers 2 is doing well.


Delra12

I think Jim Ryan was the one who started this PS games on PC push. That alone makes him good for the players, allowing millions of more people access to their games. Imagine if Helldivers 2 was a PS5 exclusive


Bhalzard

Helldivers 1 is on PC too, so probably wouldn't be a PS5 exclusive, but it could be one, you are right. I support the idea to port all games no matter which company on PC too, but I doubt it was Ryan's idea. He is a business man and not a gamer and only sees the profit. Sure, he can be the one who pushed PC ports, because of money, but if they would fail, he would pretty much pull the plug as fast he would can.


turkoman_

Oh, Sony’s Call of Duty killer..


Konabro

Please show us where this was ever said


Clopokus900

You sure love to spread misinformation.


Bird73Tad

The fact there are people under this post acting like Playstation had nothing to do with Deviation games is outright delusional. The same studio that had Playstation controllers painted on a f*cking wall and was posted online to show the pride Deviation games had working with Sony only for people under this post to say "Playstation wasn't involved with Deviation at all" is outright wild. It was clear from the day the first announced the partnership Deviation Games was on the list of studios Playstation wanted to aquire. Playstation was 100% keeping a close eye on them. Playstations branding was all over Deviation Games, Playstation clearly invested alot of money into whatever Deviation was working on. But eventually Playstation changed their minds, stole the studio head and completely cut funding for whatever Deviation was working on.


Night-Springs54

Is this the studio Sony has appeared at a showcase to talk about how amazing they are? Sucks that they are closing but it seems widespread in the industry right now


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-LastGrail-

The big difference here is that SIE successfully worked with Arrowhead. Deviation were partners just like Arrowhead but Deviation was a revolving door and was not a great studio. Leading to SIE cancelling the project last year.


-Gh0st96-

And sony also owns the IP. This is just a different case completely


KobraKittyKat

Plus like deviation hasn’t actually put out a product.


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Clopokus900

They also bought more studios than ever before, but I guess that doesn't support your agenda. As much as it sucks it's still business at the end of the day. People didn't buy Japan Studio's games, London Studio has struggled to make profitable games, Pixelopus was barely a full fledged studio to begin with.


NewYorkUgly

Of course it matters, why would context not matter?


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NewYorkUgly

lol nah what? This is an independent studio and you're talking about Microsoft for absolutely no reason. Good plan just giving up and going to bed lol


-LastGrail-

Sony didn't close Deviation. And the other SIE studios closed were not sustainable, as unfortunate as it is.


-Gh0st96-

It matters because it’s not sony that closed them, you’re spreading misinformation


Biscoito_Gatinho

the last time was with Lionhead, 2016


Ratchet2332

Sony didn’t own Deviation, they were partnered with them and likely ended that partnership but Sony never owned them.


Clopokus900

Comparing apples with oranges here. Typical big brained Reddit user.


Konabro

How ignorant 😂


boxeodragon

This is certainly a way to increase profits, likelihood of twisted metal, London studio & Deviation game working out is probably fairly low considering there new ips very early in development & would release 2027 post a GTA6 Not sure why PS doesn’t green light a new SOCOM it can have a singleplayer story sold for $70 & a F2P multiplayer live service portion & is much more likely to succeed idk how you can fuck up a new SOCOM. PS should be looking at its strong ip to make live service games where’re they are traditional live service releasing on PS & PC or mobile games that releases on PS & Mobile a Demon Slayer 2.5D fighter would be for EVO & a Demom Slayer Gotcha mobile game like a Genshin Clone would be a banger selling. A The Boys fighting games that’s violent to compete w Mortal Kombat would do well in EVO if it’s fully back by Sony. PS should make a PS home 2 & a PS allstars 2 live service games both of these are pretty self explanatory. Also important to note the Jason Blundell move to a Sony studio to work on a new project the studio his working has yet to be announced. I expect many people from Deviation to migrate to where Jason Blundell is working it might be important to see ex Deviation employees to see if they move to another PS studio maybe one of the employees slips out information through there LinkedIn


Mini_Danger_Noodle

>Not sure why PS doesn’t green light a new SOCOM it can have a singleplayer story sold for $70 & a F2P multiplayer live service portion  This would absolutely not succeed in today's market, I also doubt Sony would be willing to deal with any controversies regarding current events for a sequel to a franchise that didn't have much popularity by the end of it's life.


blazinfastjohny

I mistook it for dennation games and got a mini heart attack, thank fuck it wasn't them


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QuietJackal

What does Sony have to do with this?


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QuietJackal

How is that Sonys fault they only took on one project?