Activision cans Ghostbusters and Brutal Legend?

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http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/activision-cans-ghostbusters-game

Activision cans Ghostbusters game

Activision Blizzard has submitted its latest release schedule with no mention of forthcoming title from Terminal Reality, Ghostbusters, or Double Fine's Brutal Legend.

Additionally the company plans to "realign" staff at High Moon Studios and Radical Entertainment, while Massive Entertainment and Swordfish Studios are both under consideration for sale or closure.

The future is similarly bleak for Vivendi Games Mobile and Sierra Online, both of which have been designated as "non-strategic business units", with Activision publishing CEO Mike Griffith extolling an efficiency drive.

"We are focused on improving efficiency across the combined organization and are concentrating on businesses where we have leadership positions that are aligned with Activision Publishing's long-term corporate objectives," he said in a statement.

"We have conducted a thorough review of Vivendi Games' brand portfolio and are retaining those franchises and titles that are a strong fit with our long-term product strategy. We are reviewing our options regarding those titles that we will not be publishing."

Currently Prototype, Crash Bandicoot and Ice Age have solid release dates following earlier rumoured cuts involved in the merger between Activision and Vivendi Games.
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http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/brutallegend/news.html?sid=6195113

Brutal Legend, Ghostbusters, more dropped by Activision
Publisher passes on a slew of Vivendi Games' in-development titles; 50 Cent, World in Conflict: Soviet Assault, Wet also affected.

By Brendan Sinclair, GameSpot
Posted Jul 28, 2008 7:42 pm PT

Earlier today, Activision Publishing announced a streamlining of its Vivendi Games operations, saying it would be bringing into the fold five of that company's franchises: Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon, Ice Age, Prototype, and one unannounced game.

An Activision representative later confirmed for GameSpot that those would be the only Vivendi Games franchises coming out of the publisher. That leaves a number of high-profile projects in limbo, including Double Fine Productions' Brutal Legend, as well as Wet, Ghostbusters, Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena, World at Conflict: Soviet Assault, 50 Cent Blood on the Sand, Zombie Wranglers, Leisure Suit Larry: Box Office Bust, as well as several Xbox Live Arcade titles.

"The only franchises that Activision Publishing will release are based on Crash Bandicoot, Ice Age and Spyro, as well as Prototype and one other game that has not yet been announced," the representative said. "We are reviewing our options regarding those titles that we will not be publishing."

Activision Blizzard has other publishing arms like Blizzard Entertainment and Activision Value that were not covered by the press release and could be among the options being reviewed. As of press time, representatives from those companies did not return requests for comment.

A scheduled Comic Con International panel on the Ghostbusters game was abruptly cancelled last week, with no explanation given to attendees. However, the game was on the show floor in playable form.
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If this is true that sucks. I was looking forward to ghostbusters and brutal legend.
 
http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/28/blizzavision-keeps-crash-spyro-ice-age-prototype-loses-bruta/

The newly-formed Activision Blizzard took a look over the Sierra's properties and these are the results:

Safe:
Crash Bandicoot franchise
Ice Age franchise
Spyro franchise
Prototype
An Unannounced Title

Not so safe:
Tim Schafer's Brutal Legend
Ghostbusters: The Video Game
WET
Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena
The Bourne license
50 Cent: Blood on the Sand
and others

Alongside that, they're realigning the staff at Radical Entertainment and High Moon Studios and exploring their options with Massive Entertainment and Swordfish Studios. They also may be selling off the Vivendi Games Mobile and Sierra Online branches, the latter of which makes a lot of XBLA games.

It'll be interesting to see what happens to the games not mentioned, whether they're outright cancelled or the developers of those games can look
 
I was wondering what happened with Brutal Legend and Riddick, I haven't seen anything about them in a while.

And don't cancel Blood on the Sand! It has potential (and is hilarious)
 
Damn, this sucks. While I could care less about most of those games Riddick and Ghostbusters had my interest.

*sigh* But I'm sure we'll continue to see more Tony Hawk.
 
I'm really wondering how valid it would be to cancel the 50 cent game. 50 cent is on Vivendi, and the first one sold over a million. It doesn't make any sense.
I think Brutal Legend and Ghost Busters would of sold well also...maybe the need to delay some of the release dates of these games.
 
wow. Activision should put a seal that says "certified bat-shit insane" on all their products now with how back asswards they've gone if this is all true.
 
Damn, Tim Schafer can not catch a break. First, Psychonauts sells terribly and now Brutal Legend is gone. Shame, because I was looking forward to it.
 
Most of those games were very close to being finished... It doesn't make sense. There's always a chance that they will sell the franchises or hand the responsibility to "other publishing arms like Blizzard Entertainment and Activision Value."

Lets hope that this is a case of corporate miscommunication.
 
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[quote name='evyrew']Most of those games were very close to being finished... It doesn't make sense. There's always a chance that they will sell the franchises or hand the responsibility to "other publishing arms like Blizzard Entertainment and Activision Value."

Lets hope that this is a case of corporate miscommunication.[/quote]
I don't think they'd whore out Blizzard like that. You think Blizzard would publish anything they didn't make?
Why are they keeping Spryo and Crash?? That's insane...they already have Shrek...
 
I had my doubts that Brutal Legend would survive the Activision merger, but Ghostbusters? It's also sad to see Massive Entertainment may be closed, World in Conflict is one of the greatest RTS games I've ever played.

I have a feeling we haven't heard everything there is to know about this story, and we'll be getting more information tomorrow.
 
Ghostbusters looked cool but too Gears-ish (I didn't care much for Gears).. I was really looking forward to Wet and the remake of Chronicles of Riddick.

And Leisure Suit Larry :oops:
 
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I normally don't get that emotional in regards to video games, but--considering Brutal Legend was the sole MUST BUY title coming out this year for me--I think I've earned a pass. With that: fuck YOU, ACTIVISION!!!! ---->http://www.gamespot.com/news/6195113.html

I know they're not canceled, just "in limbo", but dammit...I had a bad feeling about Brutal Legend after all that time and no news.
 
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[quote name='Kendal']I hope this means they are working on Starcraft Ghost.[/quote]

don't kid yourself, no one's working on starcraft ghost
 
Let us not forget that we have yet to see Ghostbusters for Wii, and this might be the one being referenced.
 
[quote name='KingBroly']Let us not forget that we have yet to see Ghostbusters for Wii, and this might be the one being referenced.[/quote]

they're talking about titles altogether, regardless of system
 
[quote name='bardockkun']The title of this topic almost had me believe that there was going to be a women's self defense video game...[/quote]

I was hoping it was about:

darth_vader_nooo1.jpg
 
There were a few games in there (Brutal, Ghostbusters, Riddick) that i was looking forward to. At least we are getting new Spyro and Crash Bandicoot games to go with our yearly Tony Hawk.
 
I have a hard time seeing Ghostbusters canceled only a week after showing it off at Comic con. Also, Sierra PR have stated the game was not canceled.
 
You won't see me complaining about one less product involving Jack Black. I can't stand the guy.

Can we have a new Grim Fandango, pleeease?
 
I just finished reading the Ghostbusters article in Game Informer last night. I'm excited for that game, so it had better be on track :roll:
 
[quote name='niceguyshawne']There were a few games in there (Brutal, Ghostbusters, Riddick) that i was looking forward to. At least we are getting new Spyro and Crash Bandicoot games to go with our yearly Tony Hawk.[/QUOTE]

Isn't that the most ass-backward line of thinking? :lol: Cancel three potentially great games to give us more shit. Sounds like business as usual. I have zero doubts that someone will swoop in to pick up producing duties. Hello, Microsoft?
 
Don't worry, with Brutal Legend out of the way that's lots more development power that can be used to further run the Guitar Hero brand into the ground!
 
[quote name='Liquid 2']Brutal Legend looked terrible. :whistle2:|[/quote]
QFT

Too bad about Riddick and Ghostbusters though. They did show Ghostbusters at Comic Con, so hopefully it isn't as screwed at brutal legend.
 
So basically they just picked all the crap games to save (Ice Age WTF??) and canned everything decent including the game I was most looking forward to buying this year, Ghostbusters.

Nice job morons.:bomb:
 
I wouldn't be surprised if they sell the ghostbusters game/rights. It has gotten a lot of good press lately so now would be the time if they needed some money. Still would be smarter to finish it, but it appears Activision wants to copy everything that made people hate EA.
 
Well the article *did* say that Activision has at least three different publishing divisions. So while "Activision Publishing" may not be releasing these titles, "Blizzard Entertainment" (less likely) or "Activision Value" (more likely) could be publishing any or all of the 'high profile projects'.

I see no reason whatsoever for Ghostbusters in particular to not be published by *somebody*.
 
[quote name='mrcheapo11']QFT

Too bad about Riddick and Ghostbusters though. They did show Ghostbusters at Comic Con, so hopefully it isn't as screwed at brutal legend.[/quote]
Gotta agree, I wasn't so much looking forward to Ghostbusters, but Riddick was up at the top of my wanted list. Thank God we'll be getting a few more Crash Bandicoot and Spyro games, those were the SHIT :roll::roll:
 
As others have said, there is definitely some hype about the Ghostbusters game. If they don't want to publish it, I'm sure someone will come along and want to purchase the rights.
 
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