Studios getting closed down is not something that happens infrequently in the video game industry. There’s at least a handful a year, and 2013 is no different. What is a little surprising, however, is the amount of time that the latest casualty got to exist. Epic Games has announced that they’re closing Impossible Games. For those following along, that’s the studio formed from the ashes of Big Huge Games last June. Yes, this is the second time they’ve been canned within a year.
Here’s the announcement, in full, from Epic Games’ Tim Sweeney:
We’re closing Impossible Studios.
When former members of Big Huge Games approached Epic last year, we saw the opportunity to help a great group of people while putting them to work on a project that needed a team. It was a bold initiative and the Impossible folks made a gallant effort, but ultimately it wasn’t working out for Epic.
In addition to providing Impossible Studios employees with 3 months of severance pay, we’ll be giving the team the opportunity to form a new company with the Impossible Studios name and the awesome Impossibear logo.
This means that Infinity Blade: Dungeons is now on hold as we figure out the future of the project.
“Sure, you’re out of a job, but you get to keep your logo! That’s something, right?”
This most likely means the Infinity Blade: Dungeons wasn’t shaping up the way Epic Games wanted it to. Rather than sending good money after bad money, it looks like they decided to throw in the towel. This also doesn’t exactly frame the talent at Big Huge Games/Epic Baltimore/Impossible Games in the best light.
On the other hand, it could also just be that Epic can’t afford to keep the lights on. If a project’s draining money with no end in sight, that’s when it’s time to pull the plug.
(Epic Games via Polygon)
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