Something went wrong. Try again later

Giant Bomb News

148 Comments

Crytek Scoops Up Ex-Vigil Staff for Austin Studio

The Darksiders franchise still hasn't gone up for auction yet, however.

No Caption Provided

The fate of Darksiders remains unclear, but core members of Vigil Games have been picked up by Crysis developer Crytek, and have formed the foundation of a new studio in Austin, Texas.

David Adams was one of the founding members of Vigil Games, and is the CEO of Crytek’s new location in Austin. It’s unclear what project this arm of Crytek might be working on--it’s very early days.

“Crytek has always enjoyed a special relationship with gamers and business partners in North America, so establishing a permanent presence in the US was a natural step,” said Crytek CEO Cevat Yerli in the press release announcing the move today.

“Great news for Vigil, at least the core team,” said former THQ president Jason Rubin on Twitter. “Thanks to Crytek for saving as much as they could of a fantastic team.”

The Darksiders property has yet to go up for auction. Technically, Crytek (or another company) could still pick it up.

Patrick Klepek on Google+

148 Comments

Avatar image for patrickklepek
patrickklepek

6835

Forum Posts

1300

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By patrickklepek
No Caption Provided

The fate of Darksiders remains unclear, but core members of Vigil Games have been picked up by Crysis developer Crytek, and have formed the foundation of a new studio in Austin, Texas.

David Adams was one of the founding members of Vigil Games, and is the CEO of Crytek’s new location in Austin. It’s unclear what project this arm of Crytek might be working on--it’s very early days.

“Crytek has always enjoyed a special relationship with gamers and business partners in North America, so establishing a permanent presence in the US was a natural step,” said Crytek CEO Cevat Yerli in the press release announcing the move today.

“Great news for Vigil, at least the core team,” said former THQ president Jason Rubin on Twitter. “Thanks to Crytek for saving as much as they could of a fantastic team.”

The Darksiders property has yet to go up for auction. Technically, Crytek (or another company) could still pick it up.

Avatar image for draxyle
Draxyle

2021

Forum Posts

2

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 0

Edited By Draxyle

Great to hear. Would have been terrible if any individual developer was left behind.

Avatar image for zipperface
zipperface

122

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By zipperface

Good news, hopefully it continues for the rest of the staff.

Avatar image for somedelicook
SomeDeliCook

2353

Forum Posts

61

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By SomeDeliCook

Don't expect much, they grabbed Free Radical yet aren't even doing a new or remake of Timesplitters. 
Instead they have them making Homefront 2

Avatar image for sasnipes
sasnipes

128

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 9

Edited By sasnipes

Good news for these guys, I'm sure it was tough for them to not get bought and saved during the previous sell-off.

Avatar image for animasta
Animasta

14948

Forum Posts

3563

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 4

User Lists: 5

Edited By Animasta

I hate that game companies usually just call offshoot studios "studio name - location", it's so boring.

good for the guys, of course, but this is an important issue dagnabbit

Avatar image for nightriff
nightriff

7248

Forum Posts

1467

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 4

User Lists: 7

Edited By nightriff

Better than them spreading to the 4 corners, keeps the team together and they could do great things, could

Avatar image for dallas_raines
Dallas_Raines

2269

Forum Posts

45

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By Dallas_Raines

I still want Platinum to pick up Darksiders.

Avatar image for themasterds
TheMasterDS

3018

Forum Posts

7716

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 31

Edited By TheMasterDS

They should try to buy Creeper or whatever their next project was as well. I want to know what that is!

Avatar image for meatsim
MeatSim

11201

Forum Posts

150

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 23

Edited By MeatSim

Hooray for keeping people working and getting paid.

Avatar image for yummylee
Yummylee

24646

Forum Posts

193025

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 88

User Lists: 24

Edited By Yummylee
Avatar image for spartanlolz92
spartanlolz92

520

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By spartanlolz92

For those complaining that they might not be able to make darksiders.

at least they have jobs and at a pretty good developer no less

Avatar image for rox360
rox360

1299

Forum Posts

154

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By rox360

Awesome. I just finished Darksiders (like two hours ago) and, god, that awesome cliffhanger ending made me so sad knowing where the IP is at right now... Glad the team is alright, at least. Hope the franchise finds a good home, as well. I still want to see that ending's promise become reality at some point!

Avatar image for mooseymcman
MooseyMcMan

12781

Forum Posts

5577

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 13

Edited By MooseyMcMan

Good news! Those are some talented people, I'm glad they've got jobs again.

Avatar image for mildmolasses
MildMolasses

3200

Forum Posts

386

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 9

User Lists: 16

Edited By MildMolasses

Where does Crytek get the money to run all these studios? Crysis has done well, but not that well

Avatar image for tourgen
tourgen

4568

Forum Posts

645

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 4

User Lists: 11

Edited By tourgen

idiot MBA suits at THQ get the axe, the talented people still get paid. just from somewhere else. all is right with the world.

Avatar image for chilibean_3
chilibean_3

2406

Forum Posts

324

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

Edited By chilibean_3

Do they bring along the new, unannounced project they were working on? Or do they just take the knowledge and work from that and create something different with whatever mechanics/hook they were psyched about?

Avatar image for immortalsaiyan
ImmortalSaiyan

4788

Forum Posts

26

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 9

Edited By ImmortalSaiyan

@SomeDeliCook said:

Don't expect much, they grabbed Free Radical yet aren't even doing a new or remake of Timesplitters. Instead they have them making Homefront 2

So that is what happened to them. Were they not supposed to be working on a new Timesplitters at some point a few years back?

Avatar image for animasta
Animasta

14948

Forum Posts

3563

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 4

User Lists: 5

Edited By Animasta

@MildMolasses said:

Where does Crytek get the money to run all these studios? Crysis has done well, but not that well

I assumed they were also a central european publisher (like CDProjekt) but nope, they just made crysis and they have 6 studios for some reason?

Avatar image for arjann
ArjanN

354

Forum Posts

45

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 4

Edited By ArjanN

@MildMolasses said:

Where does Crytek get the money to run all these studios? Crysis has done well, but not that well

They license out their engine, and they do a lot simulation stuff for the government.

Avatar image for rjaylee
rjaylee

3804

Forum Posts

529

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 3

User Lists: 2

Edited By rjaylee
Avatar image for zaxex
Zaxex

629

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 17

Edited By Zaxex

This is great news - it's not the entire team, but it's better than nothing. I like Darksiders, but if I had to choose between the two, I'd have Vigil's staff being employed over the license.

I started playing Darksiders today - seeing the old THQ logo and Vigil Games' was pretty brutal. I appreciate their legacy, but I'd love for these people to stay in the industry.

Avatar image for buhssuht
buhssuht

477

Forum Posts

3994

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 4

Edited By buhssuht

phew. so crisis averted?

Avatar image for triumvir
triumvir

644

Forum Posts

103

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

Edited By triumvir

Actually, this is really positive news, not only because those folks have jobs again, but because the engine was probably the least impressive part the Darksiders series. Now they have easy access to some of the best tech and technical expertise in the industry.

It'd be a real frigging shame if those guys can't work on another Darksiders.

Avatar image for fallen_rock2
fallen_rock2

50

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By fallen_rock2

@buhssuht said:

phew. so crisis averted?

If that was meant as a pun, I tip my hat to you sir.

Avatar image for donoram
Donoram

78

Forum Posts

45

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 2

Edited By Donoram

@heatDrive88 said:

This made me giggle cough to death. Kudos.

Avatar image for sgtsphynx
sgtsphynx

2681

Forum Posts

682

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 32

Edited By sgtsphynx  Moderator
@jmic75 said:

Come on Crytek....buy the IP...do it....dooo it.

I second this.
Avatar image for coldwolven
Cold_Wolven

2583

Forum Posts

3

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By Cold_Wolven

Don't know what's going to happen to the Darksiders IP but at least the core of the Vigil team have jobs now working together.

Avatar image for warlordpayne
WarlordPayne

823

Forum Posts

1

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By WarlordPayne

I'm glad someone recognized the talent that these guys have. I may have been disappointed with Darksiders 2 but it's still a hell of a lot better than most of the crap out there.

Avatar image for lurkero
Lurkero

628

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By Lurkero

I'm glad the developers may be able to find a new place of work. It seems like Crytek may have wanted to avoid employing the studio through THQ and will be able to be more selective this way.

That is a surprisingly coincidental time to be starting up a studio right after one closes.

Avatar image for murdersmash
MURDERSMASH

267

Forum Posts

1

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 9

Edited By MURDERSMASH

That would be awesome if they get the Darksiders IP back as well. Regardless, though, i'm glad to see they still have jobs! Grats, Vigil peeps!

Avatar image for project343
project343

2897

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 16

Edited By project343

@Dallas_Raines said:

I still want Platinum to pick up Darksiders.

What. The. Fuck.

You just blew my mind.

Avatar image for efesell
Efesell

7498

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By Efesell

Good for them. Still not a lot of hope for Darksiders, but at least some of these people still have jobs.

Avatar image for nicktorious_big
nicktorious_big

304

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 5

User Lists: 2

Edited By nicktorious_big

Well that sucks, I was hoping this would say Darksiders has also found a new home. Oh well, at least some of the core-members of Vigil Games won't be losing their jobs!

Avatar image for abendlaender
abendlaender

3100

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By abendlaender

Wow, I had no idea Crytek are doing so well.

But that's the second studio they bought and they didn't really do anything with the first. Where do they get all their money from?

Avatar image for galenblade
galenblade

27

Forum Posts

32

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By galenblade
Avatar image for amaru25
Amaru25

150

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 0

Edited By Amaru25

For some reason, I hella wanted Nintendo to buy them.

Avatar image for somedelicook
SomeDeliCook

2353

Forum Posts

61

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By SomeDeliCook
@ImmortalSaiyan said:

@SomeDeliCook said:

Don't expect much, they grabbed Free Radical yet aren't even doing a new or remake of Timesplitters. Instead they have them making Homefront 2

So that is what happened to them. Were they not supposed to be working on a new Timesplitters at some point a few years back?

They were about the time they got shutdown and their Battlefront 3 was cancelled. Crytek doesn't believe making a new Timesplitters would make a profit so they're just sitting on that IP while they make a new Homefront. 
If they released Timesplitters 1-3 as a combined HD remake for XBLA and PSN for 20 bucks, they could take a chance and if it turns out profitable then make a new entry.
Avatar image for shaanyboi
Shaanyboi

1804

Forum Posts

3224

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 5

Edited By Shaanyboi

@Amaru25 said:

For some reason, I hella wanted Nintendo to buy them.

Retro picked up afew people. As well as some ex-Bioware/Junction Point guys. Don't know why Crytek specifically is mentioned in the article, but... yeah.

Avatar image for mjhealy
MjHealy

2009

Forum Posts

17432

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 10

User Lists: 15

Edited By MjHealy

Glad to see everyone has landed on their feet, it seems.

Avatar image for marz
Marz

6097

Forum Posts

755

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 5

User Lists: 11

Edited By Marz

well at least these guys have a job, still sucks Darksiders wasn't bought by anyone.  Hopefully they do something cool with CryEngine.

Avatar image for kanerobot
KaneRobot

2802

Forum Posts

2656

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 5

User Lists: 9

Edited By KaneRobot

@MjHealy said:

Glad to see everyone has landed on their feet, it seems.

Say that to the people who were not members of the "core team," whatever that means.

Avatar image for beachthunder
BeachThunder

15269

Forum Posts

318676

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 30

Edited By BeachThunder

Forget buying the IP; they're clearly going to be making Darkcryders.

Also, Crysis have said they're going to only make free-to-play games in the future...so...I hope they change their mind =/

Avatar image for tofin
Tofin

184

Forum Posts

56

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 7

User Lists: 2

Edited By Tofin

I've been hoping everyone put out by this whole mess finds work, and this is an excellent sign. Way to go, Crytek!

Avatar image for godzilla_sushi
godzilla_sushi

1353

Forum Posts

402

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 25

User Lists: 19

Edited By godzilla_sushi

A studio that made two good games and couldn't survive. I really hate that.

Avatar image for deactivated-5e60061752a57
deactivated-5e60061752a57

752

Forum Posts

96

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

And now they get to make shooters.

Forever.

Well, probably (hopefully) not, since they're making a new studio out of them.

Avatar image for roycampbell
RoyCampbell

1092

Forum Posts

545

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By RoyCampbell
@Bistromath said:

And now they get to make shooters.

Forever.

No Caption Provided
Avatar image for sharkman
SharkMan

1117

Forum Posts

26

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 3

Edited By SharkMan

darksiders was kind of boring anyway, imho