Raven Layoffs [Updated]

[Aug 26, 2009, 3:40 pm ET] - Share - Viewing Comments

A rumor of layoffs at Raven Software is being reported by Shacknews, where they attribute this to "multiple sources," with one of those sources saying some 30-40 employees have been offered severance and placement packages. Raven shipped X-Men Origins: Wolverine in May and the new Wolfenstein game earlier this month, and coincidentally, the team at Endrant Studios that coded Wolfenstein's multiplayer component has also been laid off. Raven is still developing their time-shifting shooter Singularity for release next year, though this report states the firings were not targeted at any specific team or project. Shack has attempted to contact Raven or their parent Activision for comment, as have we, but no official statement about this is available yet. Update: Shacknews has confirmed this, receiving the following official statement:

With the recent completion of both Wolverine, based on the summer blockbuster movie, and Wolfenstein, the next chapter of the famed franchise, Raven Software is slightly reducing its workforce to better reflect the studio's upcoming slate.

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15.	Re: Raven Layoffs	Aug 27, 2009, 04:46	StingingVelvet
	Well that sucks... Wolfenstein was pretty great actually, everyone I know who has played it loved the singleplayer. I heard Wolvering was good too, if you like that kind of game. I hope those let go find employment elsewhere soon.

14.	Re: Raven Layoffs	Aug 27, 2009, 01:54	Jerykk
	I want a new Heretic or Hexen game. The fantasy-first-person-shooter isn't visited too often. Dark Messiah was pretty solid.

13.	Re: Raven Layoffs	Aug 27, 2009, 01:36	Yifes
	That's gotta suck. "Congrats on shipping the game! Now get the fuck outta here."

12.	Re: Raven Layoffs	Aug 26, 2009, 23:39	mag
	I want a new Heretic or Hexen game. The fantasy-first-person-shooter isn't visited too often.

11.	Re: Raven Layoffs	Aug 26, 2009, 21:57	Kosumo
	I'm so with those prasing SOF2 mp, played it for years.

10.	Re: Raven Layoffs	Aug 26, 2009, 21:14	space captain
	SOF2 mp was like my bread and butter for about 2 years.. so solid, total classic in fact, id say its still much preferable rather than CS or CSS - which has seriously wonky ballistics imo




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9.	Re: Raven Layoffs	Aug 26, 2009, 20:47	ColoradoHoudini
	I always liked the SoF2 MP.. seemed very, very well done. I wish they'd take that team and make a future'ish FPS.

8.	Re: Raven Layoffs	Aug 26, 2009, 20:03	LightAssassin
	Space captain funny enough I always get in trouble from people at work or the missus about rounding up. When I see "$4.95" I say "5 dollars", not because I want the extra money but because in my mind the 5 cents isn't of issue. Plus I like round numbers not 4.83 or some weird crap. On topic, I am rather interested to know their terms of agreement, contractors can expect such things, full time employees shouldn't get the boot so the company can post a better profit, but the contractors do expect this. I previously contracted drafting, it was extended from 3 months to 2 years, but when their major project completed they offered me a choice to go full time or move on. Plus alot of these dev companies appear to follow the Ion Storm mantra of "moar people does it fasta!", it's a nasty trap. I could go into business studies or growing and expanding and how it leads to that useless guy who comes in and does enough to not get fired (because the laws don't make that easy here in Aust.) but the point is, bigger isn't always better especially when it can lead to real workers getting the door.

7.	Re: Raven Layoffs	Aug 26, 2009, 19:02	space captain
	must everything cost $4.99 and not $5? the answer is: yes because people are that fucking stupid




	music from space captain: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=95514&content=music

6.	Re: Raven Layoffs	Aug 26, 2009, 18:30	Paketep
	Raven Software is slightly reducing its workforce to better reflect the studio's upcoming slate Must every press release these days come with every single fucking sentence being in this kind of PR bullshit?. Yeah, honey, I wasn't fired, I'm reduced and waiting until the studio upcoming slate revs up a bit.

5.	Re: Raven Layoff Rumor	Aug 26, 2009, 18:11	Wildone
	Now is this just QA/Testers or actual production team employee's??

4.	Re: Raven Layoff Rumor	Aug 26, 2009, 17:59	Fion
	Raven has made some great games over the years. Their last few haven't been fantastic (though I must say the 'may' Wolverine game was perhaps the best movie tie-in game I've ever played. It wasn't a great game, but compared to the masses of movie tie-ins with reviews of 25% and under, it was fantastic.) I went to high school with a guy who works as a software engineer for Raven (he was part of the team that did F.E.A.R.) I cant say he was a friend but still I hope he isn't amongst those let go. This comment was edited on Aug 26, 2009, 18:00.

3.	Re: Raven Layoff Rumor	Aug 26, 2009, 17:19	ASJD
	Too many companies making the same thing too many times. If you're not the best at what you do, especially with information tech like video games, in an economically stressed information age, people don't have money for you.

2.	Re: Raven Layoff Rumor	Aug 26, 2009, 16:57	Darks
	I know what you mean, It seems like a lot of talents bene lost there. But Singularity does look pretty kewl. And the Super Hero games they released were not totaly terrible.

1.	Re: Raven Layoff Rumor	Aug 26, 2009, 16:52	the_culture
	Man, what's happening to Raven? Didn't they used to make some cool games? Now they're just releasing mediocre crap... I missed the days of Elite Force and Soldier of Fortune. This comment was edited on Aug 26, 2009, 16:53.




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