BHG For Sale... or Closure

[DanQ]

First it was disclosed that layoffs were coming, and now the word is that if game developer Big Huge Games is not sold in the near future, owner THQ will have to close it as part of $200US million in cost cutting measures. This was confirmed by their Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications, in correspondence to Crispy Gamer.

BHG was purchased by THQ just thirteen months ago and became a wholly owned subsidiary. Founded in 2000 by Civilization II and Alpha Centauri designer Brian Reynolds, while at MicroPROSE and Firaxis Games respectively, its first title was the real-time strategy game Rise of Nations released in 2003.

[Wiglaf]

Rise of Nations was a master class in bad game design.

[Grandpa Troll]

Dang

Sad Indeed!

[Adagio]

This is sad
Rise of Nations was great, it had some design flaws, but overall it was a great game

[DanQ]

Dang

Sad Indeed!

This is sad

QFT.

[MMC]

Is there someone around here with enough influence in 2K Games to convince them to buy BHG?

Firaxis and BHG working from the same offices would be an ideal outcome of this...

[Grandpa Troll]

Is there someone around here with enough influence in 2K Games to convince them to buy BHG?

Firaxis and BHG working from the same offices would be an ideal outcome of this...

I see positives and negatives in this.

Perhaps if Firaxis did buy them out, keep the BHG Title and help influence them in marketing while letting them maintain their integrity in games being produced.

im a die hard Civ fan, but a lot needs working on in this whole series...

Sorry that BHG has fallen on this sad state of affairs

[Alinestra Covelia]

Bad news indeed! RON was a great continuation of the historical RTS genre. It did well critically, but deserved to do better in sales.

I hope Brian Reynolds and his team can fetch up somewhere good and get back to making quality games.

[flash9286]

RON was great.

[DanQ]

Time will ultimately tell what becomes of BHG as a current studio of game development.

If it does close, I hope its employees are able to find work in this field in short order afterwards.

[Alinestra Covelia]

Well, if nothing else it means I'd better get the hell moving on those game mods, learning how to mod stuff and so forth. If BHG goes under, the modding community will only get smaller, and I better get that expertise before it completely disappears.

RON RIP

BHG RIP

[Grandpa Troll]

Man I hope this turns around

Would be sad if it didnt

we read about closings all the time, not just as a supplier of games we purchase but the familes behind the scens, what will become of them?

Time will tell, but perhaps they will be fine

[Jon Miller]

http://www.worldsinmotion.biz/2009/0...big_huge_g.php

Good news?

JM

[Alinestra Covelia]

Well, they're still alive at least. That's something to be thankful for.

[Grandpa Troll]

Well, they're still alive at least. That's something to be thankful for.

Quoted for Truth!

Would love to see 'em expound upon RON:TAP

[Jon Miller]

My worry is that 38studios might be ran by a fan with more money than sense.

He has been mostly successful so far, though.

JM

[Jon Miller]

I mean, if I was as wealthy as him I would probably be doing something similar. But still, you have to question how successful the projects will be.

JM

[HalfLotus]

Rise of Nations was second only to Brood War among all-time best RTS'. Made AoE and it's knockoffs look bad by comparison.

[Alinestra Covelia]

Anybody here fancy a game? Email me at

amazonian(underscore)mage(attythingy)yahoo(dottyth ingy)com.

Yes, that means you, Gramps! '