News: Rumour: LucasArts Layoffs, Wii Lightsaber Game Page 1

Rumour: LucasArts Layoffs, Wii Lightsaber Game

Various reports circulating the net have suggested a large chunk of LucasArts employees have been laid off in development and production.

Kotaku reports that various previous employees from the company revealed that approximately 75-100 staff had been laid off, including the producer of LEGO Indiana Jones and LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga. Another source reveals that up to 80% have been dismissed from departments such as Production Services with key roles being outsourced overseas.

A fair few roles in development have been cut also, from programmers to producers, with again being licensed to smaller, cheaper teams.

Reports from those who are supposedly now ex-LucasArts employees have revealed a handful of unannounced projects that may or may not be in the pipline:

Kotor 3 � a joint MMO project with BioWare.

Battlefront 3

"The Official Indiana Jones" game.

"Another LEGO game based on the Indy universe."

"A lightsaber game for the Wii (no lightsaber peripherals)".

LucasArts have yet to comment on these rumours, but with the sudden influx of reports suggesting layoffs, it is likely that there has been a lot of change within the reputable company.

Comment on this article

Comments

«s previous1next »

Darkflame 06.06.2008#1

A lot sounds like guesswork with the games.

I would have thought layoffs this high would be officialy confirmed or denighed quite quickly, as it cant be hidden :-/

Shame if it is so, as LucasArts was investing in some decent use's for faster cpus. (eg, Euphora and DMM).
Id much rather the 360 and ps3 were used for inteligent dynamic charecter motion and distructable enviroments rather then graphics.
Guess developing those technologys have hit their wallet hard.

Still, its also their fault for constantly ignoreing the small stuff.
Simple ports of Point and Click games to the DS would have pleased owners, and earnt them a quick buck.

http://www.fanficmaker.com <-- Tells some truly terrible tales.
Last update; Mice,Plumbers,Animatronics and Airbenders. We also have the socials; Facebook & G+.

Phoenom 06.06.2008#2

Kotor 3 � a joint MMO project with BioWare.

Dammit, I really want Kotor 3, but an MMO?! Please, no. Smilie

Although...

A lightsaber game for the Wii (no lightsaber peripherals)

Providing it works well, that is. Smilie

Agul 06.06.2008#3

Interesting. I guess I can't say I'm surprised. LucasArts has been really shafting Nintendo these past few years. And perhaps even more surprising, the PC. It's been quite vexing for both fanbases. With Wii being an enormous worldwide success and LA practically neglecting it and focusing their quality/time on the PS3 and 360, they were gonna take a hit sooner or later.

I truly have a love/hate relationship with LA. Sometimes I want to scoop them up in my arms and say, "THANK YOU!" while other times I want to give them a violent kick to the groin and put them in a bonebreaking lock Steven Seagal style. lol Smilie

If any of the game rumors are true, it'd be interesting to see what they come up with. A KOTOR MMO is definately going to piss off a large portion of the fans, though. I know I won't be too happy.

Battlefront III is inevitable, I just hope it's competently (and for Pete's sake, faithfully & accurately) done. Free Radical, anyone? If they really are helming the project, I can almost guarantee it's going to be stellar. I just hope LA doesn't shaft Wii again by sticking it with yet another half-assed/low budget port, or worse, not do a Wii version at all. I've been playing the First Strike BF2142 mod for PC. And let me tell you, it is the game Battlefront 1 & 2 should've been. It's absolutely incredible. LA should be ashamed.

I'm pretty certain the Star Wars lightsaber game is the recently announced Clone Wars game for Wii.

I just want my epic NWFC/WC24 enabled Rogue Squadron game for Wii. Then I'll be truly happy. Come on LA & Factor 5, I'm still waiting! Smilie *slobbers on keyboard*

Chance favors the prepared mind.

TAG 06.06.2008#4

I'm not sure how well Knights of the Old Republic would work as an MMO. I just don't like MMO games in general. I may have to make an exception though....

How much of the games do Lucas Arts actually make? Or do they publish? I don't know. They've got some wonderful franchises to mess around with, though.