Layoffs at Crystal Dynamics studio
Square Enix has confirmed with Kotaku that they have cut roughly 12 positions from Tomb Raider developer, Crystal Dynamics.
Square Enix has confirmed with Kotaku that they have cut roughly 12 positions from Tomb Raider developer, Crystal Dynamics.
It’s Friday, which can only mean one thing: it’s time for our Armed with Controllers feature!
In a post on the Square Enix blog, new CEO of Square Enix, Phil Rogers, has confirmed that they are indeed working on a sequel for Tomb Raider for the next gen consoles.
The concept of pre-orders was a solution to a problem, the problem being that shops could not keep up with demand for a product on release day due to its popularity. Thus Pre-orders came about, a practice which guaranteed the consumer a copy on launch day.
Everyone is familiar new triple-A blockbuster games. But how many people actually know the effort that goes into them? Games such as Tomb Raider, Mass Effect 3, Hitman: Absolution, Bioshock Infinite all require enormous time and effort before they are put on shelves. But more importantly, they require money. Lots of it. Because of the massive sum of money invested in these triple-A titles, the expected sales of these games naturally becomes inflated as well. Even if game developers managed to turn a profit, they only barely make it through. Take EA for example, Mass Effect had to sell 3.5 million copies for EA to turn a profit on their estimated $40 million investment. Or Ubisoft, who only managed a 3% profit margin. Even THQ, being unable to meet sales expectations and largely because of the uDraw was forced to shut down it’s operations. It is an unsettling trend that is costing many developers their jobs simply because games are becoming too expensive to make. New IPs would crumble under
Creative director Noah Hughes told TrueGaming that the Wii U’s unique interface did not match the company’s goal to deliver the same experience for all platforms. In other words, Crystal Dynamics wants the game to feel and play the same on all platforms.
In a Twitter post, Crystal Dynamics’ Karl Stewart confirmed that Tomb Raider will not have a Season or Online Pass. However, players should note that the latest installation of Tomb Raider will have a multiplayer component to it. Season Passes like those of Call of Duty games are an upfront payment for future content such as map packs for Call of Duty. Online Passes like those in Mass Effect 3, blocks online gaming content to players who purchased a second hand copy of the game unless they fork out additional cash to unlock online content. Also, in another tweet, Karl Stewart also confirmed that Tomb Raider will not have a demo before the game’s release as they do want wish to spoil the story for players. Tomb Raider is set for release on March 5th 2013 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. [signoff1]
Happy New Year! With a whole year of gaming ahead of us, I thought that maybe we should take a look at some of the upcoming games that are coming out. So here they are, the 8 games to watch out for in 2013.
Fresh from NY Comic Con, check out this video of a new look at some pre-beta, demo game-play from the intro to Crystal Dynamic’s upcoming title Tomb Raider. (Apologies for the ad; such is what happens when you borrow from commercialized sites!) The game is showing some true visual polish and seems very promising in that regard; the environment, lighting, and usage of water are suggesting brilliant levels of immersion for the gamer. As for the gameplay, it’s easy to note the Assassin’s-Creed-esque nature of this specific cut. Here’s to hoping, however, that action and interaction with the environment are not overly cumbersome, repetitive, or heavyhanded; Croft’s movements did seem remarkably fluid, and the pacing of her trip just long enough to let the player enjoy the scenery before jumping back into an attention-filing task. My worries are, temporarily, quelled. Really, I’ve found very little to pick at with what I’ve seen of the game thus far. It’s promising to be a new take on a successful franchise, but rather
It has been revealed that the voice behind Crystal Dynamics’ Lara Croft is none other than Camilla Anne Luddington, best known for her performance as royal Kate Middleton in 2011 film William & Kate.
Following the publication of several online articles criticising Crystal Dynamics’ handling of the forthcoming Tomb Raider reboot, the developer has released a formal statement in attempt to calm the outraged, offended and disgusted.
Square-Enix and Crystal Dynamics have just released a fresh trailer for their Tomb Raider reboot. The visuals and setting are very striking and I like Lara Croft’s new, much more human design. Although, if she really hates Tombs that much, she should stop raiding them before it becomes a habit. Just saying. httpv://youtu.be/N3HfmcDRbn8