With racing domination in its sights, Codemasters looks to close the UK studio responsible for its latest shooter.
Codemasters Studio Guildford’s first game could officially be its last. The 66-person Bodycount developer will officially close its doors in October depending on the result of a 30-day bankruptcy consultation.
The troubled first-person shooter had seen more than its fair share of development problems since the start, not the least of which was its unscheduled delay and creative staff jumping ship last year.
The pending closure comes just two weeks after the game’s August 30th release date, as well as the negative reviews accompanying it. Officially, though, axing the studio is part of a newly proposed creative direction for Codemasters proper, which would shift development focus toward its real bread and butter: the racing genre. The terrific F1, Dirt and Grid series comprise the dev/publisher’s current successes.
“The output from the studios on the Warwickshire campus and in Birmingham is on the increase with multiple continuing game series, brand extensions and new racing IPs in production,” Codemasters said. The Guildford closure will ideally lead to stronger sequels to existing series, and the Guildford employees are encouraged to apply for employment at these studios. Chances are pretty high it’ll have cars in it.
