38 Studios & Big Huge Games’ staff were rocked last week when the companies closed down amid financial and political turmoil after being unable to pay back various loans. It was also revealed that staff had gone unpaid and money they had been promised didn’t exist.
Epic Games President, Dr Michael Capps, released a letter which states the company will look to hire former members of staff, after the former staff contacted Epic Games. You can read an excerpt below.
On Wednesday, the ex-BHG leadership team contacted us. They wanted to start a new company and keep together some of the key talent displaced by the layoff, and hoped that they could use an Epic IP as a starting point for a new game. We loved that they all wanted to keep working together, but it was pretty clear they’d have trouble building a demo and securing funding before their personal savings ran out.
In one of life’s coincidences, Epic’s directors had spent the morning discussing how we’d love to build even more successful projects with our growing team, but that we’d need a dramatic infusion of top talent to do so. Which, we all knew, was impossible.
So now we’re planning to start an impossible studio in Baltimore. :)
It’ll take a while to find space, set up desks and PCs, purchase sufficient Nerf weaponry and Dr. Pepper, etc. But some of these folks have been going too long without a paycheck to wait for that. So, as soon as we can, we’re going to try to get people working down here at Epic headquarters in Cary, NC as contractors.
There’s a million things to work out. How many of the team can we hire? What will it be called? What will they be working on? We don’t know all the answers yet. Please give us some time to figure it out; we hope to have more to share soon.”
As well Epic Games, Zenimax Online, Zynga East and other development studios will also look to hire former 38 Studios and Big Huge Games staff. It’s great to see the industry rallying around those who were affected and it’ll be interesting to see what new ideas these relationships will produce.
Source: All Games Beta
OneDown
This is great news for those guys and for everyone else so that great talent can keep making great games. Good luck to everyone involved!
TSBonyman
Nice to read a story like this with all the closures and layoffs recently.
hazelam
let’s hope it all works out and they can keep working and we can get some great games.
KeRaSh
Great news. The games industry has to stick toghether. Where would we be if we only had companies like EA and Activision, constantly going for each other’s throat?
IAmJacksMedullaOblongata
“As well Epic …”
“will lalso ook”
I love you guys but you really need a better spellchecker/proof-reader.
colossalblue
You’re right, I’ll just see what’s left in the budget to hire a sub editor… oh.
The Lone Steven
I told you that we shouldn’t have spent the E3 emergency editior in case Kris finally snaps and kills everyone budget on a brand new kettle for the staff as well as a ton of nerf guns and a 90 beanbags for the staff to use in the staff room. Why do we need 90 beanbags anyway? :p
@jack Kris and Peter are probably trying not to kill everyone atm so mistakes will happen plus, poor Peter is all out of tea. :O
hazelam
NO TEA?
how are you even still alive? O_O
SH Number 7/Mini-Lipscombe
That’s awesome! Wish the shops here would of done that for us when Gamestation shut.
It’s nice to hear some of these people will be alot better of. And Epic sound awesome.
The Lone Steven
I like how Nerf weapons and Dr Pepper are on their list of things to get to help set up a place for a new development studio.
Wonder if Epic are actually allowing them to do a sequel to Bulletstorm seeing as they have said that they can’t do one as the publisher that they were with at the time didn’t like the sales.