• Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.

Rodjer

Self-requested ban.
Member
Jan 28, 2018
4,808
Overkill's The Walking Dead is doing really bad and the whole company is filing for reconstruction
STOCKHOLM (3 December 2018) – Starbreeze AB (publ) ("Starbreeze" or the "Company") announces that the board of Starbreeze AB (publ) and the boards of the Company's Swedish subsidiaries Starbreeze Publishing, Starbreeze Production, Starbreeze Studios, Enterspace and Enterspace International, have today filed for reconstruction with the Stockholm District Court. The decision is based on a shortage of liquidity and deemed to be a necessary step to give the Company the time needed to negotiate a long-term financial solution and implement changes in the organization and operations. The financial targets for Q4 2018 and 2020 no longer applies.

As communicated on 23 November 2018, the board of directors has mandated executive management to review operation and the company has initiated a program to lower costs and focus on its core business.However, with the latest statistics from Overkill's The Walking Dead (including effects from latest marketing efforts) affecting the forecasted sales, it has reduced the short term forecasted revenue resulting in an expected shortfall of cash in January 2019.
The reconstruction framework will include salaries to employees of Starbreeze and operations will continue as usual. During the reconstruction period, no payments can be made to suppliers for services or goods relating to the period prior to the date of filing for reconstruction. Suppliers will be paid for services and goods provided during the reconstruction period. As also announced today, Bo Andersson will leave his position as CEO. Bo Andersson and Kristofer Arwin have further resigned from Starbreeze Board of Directors effective immediately. Reconstruction would not entail any other changes to the management or the Board of the company of the Company who will continue to be responsible for its operation.
Nozon, Parallaxter, Starbreeze LA Inc, Starbreeze USA Inc, Starbreeze Paris, Starbreeze Barcelona, Starbreeze IP LUX, Starbreeze IP Lux II Sarl and Dhruva Infotech Ltd could be indirectly affected by the reconstruction since they are partly funded by the Company. Other companies within the group are not affected by today's decision.
The Company has suggested Mr. Lars Söderqvist from WSA Law firm as Administrator.
##

Source

Snap-Crab-No-Name-2018-12-3-11-32-33-No-00.png
 

Loadout

Member
Oct 26, 2017
857
Israel
Sad to hear. I wonder what System Shock 3's team is going to do now, hopefully some other publisher will pick it up.
 

Com_Raven

Brand Manager
Verified
Oct 27, 2017
1,103
Europa
Damn, that was fast. It is always fascinating to see these things happen in real-time (from the initial statement two weeks ago, to the 50% cheaper Starter Edition of OTWD last week, to this news today...

From an external perspective, it seems that they spread themselves way too thin off of the success of Payday- publishing of external games, several internal games (including one with a pricey license) and of course their ill-fated own VR headset. That always seemed crazy to me for a smaller independent company.

I hope they can recover to focus on just internal development with as few lay-offs as possible. Fingers crossed for everyone involved...
 

Agent 47

Banned
Jun 24, 2018
1,840
It's wild they had so much riding on that Walking Dead game, you think they'd put some effort in and not release a complete turd if this was the result.

Also, I hate the arrogance of putting "Overkill" in the games title, they must think they're pretty hot shit to do that.
 

Lukar

Unshakable Resolve - Prophet of Truth
Member
Oct 27, 2017
23,349
I really hope things work out for them. Still weird to me that they went from being very successful with Payday 2 to having this happen.

Also, OTWD is actually pretty fun in co-op (and solo, but much, much more difficult to do without people). The game gets a thumbs-up from me. Hopefully when the console versions are released, they add an offline option, as well as friendly bots.
 

Deleted member 2254

user requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
21,467
Hopefully everybody lands on their feet. Looking from the outside the studio definitely didn't seem to be managed in the best way.
 
Oct 29, 2017
458
Really sad to see them go.

Any chance that any of the developers from Machine Games will pick tnem up? They're old alumni, are they not?
 

FreDre

Member
Apr 10, 2018
275
Argentina
It was bound to happen;
The original Payday crew went to create their own studio & Starbreeze started spending money on StarVR, which was a very risky bet that was also slow to market (and we don't even know if they'll manage to deliver them to developers before going bankrupt, or Acer leaving the partnership).
Also their Walking Dead game was poorly received, so yeah.

Lets hope they bounce back with their restructuring.
 

Paul

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
2,603
The series of decisions they made has been absolutely bizzare so this is no surprise.
 

justiceiro

Banned
Oct 30, 2017
6,664
from the initial statement two weeks ago
which statement?
of course their ill-fated own VR headset.
what!?!?!?
The original Payday crew went to create their own studio
really? Which one?
Damm, I really out of the loop on this one.
Also, I hate the arrogance of putting "Overkill" in the games title, they must think they're pretty hot shit to do that.
Why arrogance? So many walking dead games, they needed something to identify themselves.
 

Com_Raven

Brand Manager
Verified
Oct 27, 2017
1,103
Europa
which statement?
what!?!?!?
really? Which one?
Damm, I really out of the loop on this one.

This was the regulatory statement I was referring to from 2 weeks ago:

https://www.starbreeze.com/2018/11/starbreeze-is-reviewing-costs-and-focusing-on-core-business/


I need a name for that game, i don't remember the details.

i would assume that they are talking about HUNT Showdown, which was originally supposed to be 4-player coop.
 

Serene

Community Resettler
Member
Oct 25, 2017
52,515
That's what happens when you acquire a hot IP when it's at its peak and then take four years to put out something and miss the boat.

Also it's bad, which doesn't help.
 

Zukkoyaki

Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,257
Can't be said enough, too much expansion far too quickly. And staking their hopes on a licensed IP was always risky.

Hopefully by reigning things in they can find their footing and some success again. Make sure Payday 3 is a good product at a good price point would be an excellent start.
 

Trisc

Member
Oct 27, 2017
6,485
Damn now I wish it was Stardock that was going bankrupt and not Starbreeze.
Hah, pretty much.
That's what happens when you acquire a hot IP when it's at its peak and then take four years to put out something and miss the boat.

Also it's bad, which doesn't help.
It's hilarious to me that after four years of development, the best they could come up with is something that most would see fit to be thrown into an existing game as a bonus mode. Except it's not even as good as many of those modes, like Horde 4.0 in Gears of War 4. Not even close.
 

Ganado

▲ Legend ▲
Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,176
Seems like the swedish economic crime authority did a round-up(?) At Starbreeze today due to suspicion of insider crimes or something.