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Hudson Entertainment To Close At The End Of The Month

Just think of all those poor, homeless bombermen.

Here’s some bummer news to begin your morning: Hudson Entertainment, probably most popular for its Bomberman projects and Deca Sports, is shutting down at the end of the month, says brand manager Morgan Haro in a recent and candid blog post. All of the studio’s future projects have been canned, as the studio’s services are no longer needed.

In the post, Haro offers no cut-and-dried reason as to why the studio is closing, but he does note a couple of factors that certainly contributed. Bad communication and collaboration with Japanese parent Hudson Soft, the shriveling audience for Japanese games, the lack of innovation from Hudson itself, and the growing indie movement all had a hand in this sad development, according to Haro. 
 

No Caption Provided

Metal Gear Solid publisher Konami completed a takeover of Hudson earlier in Jan. 2011, and while Hudson US is closing, the Hudson Japan will continue to operate, though its new focus is on social games.

69 Comments

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BradNicholson

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Edited By BradNicholson

Here’s some bummer news to begin your morning: Hudson Entertainment, probably most popular for its Bomberman projects and Deca Sports, is shutting down at the end of the month, says brand manager Morgan Haro in a recent and candid blog post. All of the studio’s future projects have been canned, as the studio’s services are no longer needed.

In the post, Haro offers no cut-and-dried reason as to why the studio is closing, but he does note a couple of factors that certainly contributed. Bad communication and collaboration with Japanese parent Hudson Soft, the shriveling audience for Japanese games, the lack of innovation from Hudson itself, and the growing indie movement all had a hand in this sad development, according to Haro. 
 

No Caption Provided

Metal Gear Solid publisher Konami completed a takeover of Hudson earlier in Jan. 2011, and while Hudson US is closing, the Hudson Japan will continue to operate, though its new focus is on social games.
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bassman2112

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Edited By bassman2112

Sad news...
 
I... Guess?
 
I mean, I really loved Bomberman and stuff back in the N64/Gamecube days, but since then it hasn't been super wonderful. So it's definitely sad but.... I'm not crushed....

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ajamafalous

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Edited By ajamafalous

That's a shame. I fondly remember some old Hudson games.

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guthwulf

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Edited By guthwulf
@Bassman2112 said:
" Sad news...  I... Guess?  I mean, I really loved Bomberman and stuff back in the N64/Gamecube days, but since then it hasn't been super wonderful. So it's definitely sad but.... I'm not crushed.... "
My sentiments are kinda like that. Although I'd have to get back as far as the Genesis Bomberman to feel any real nostalgia for Hudson games.
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dandead

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Edited By dandead

Wow that's sad. Konami persumably brought the company for their back catalog, closed down the american branch and are now making the japanese side make web browser games and mobile apps. These are sad times indeed, I shall play some Saturn Bomberman tonight in honur of this tragic news.

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Foggen

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Edited By Foggen

MASTER HIGGINS NOOOOOOOO

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02sfraser

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Edited By 02sfraser

Poor Hudson. I was hoping for some Bomberman 3D download or something.

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TheMartino

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Edited By TheMartino

Bummer. Many of my parties salute you, Hudson.

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Hailinel

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Edited By Hailinel

That's sad news.  It's good to know that Hudson Japan will live on in one form or another, but the people at the U.S. Hudson office will all be looking for new work soon.

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alwaysbeclothing

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Edited By alwaysbeclothing

I wonder if this means Natsumi is going through something similar?  I wonder how well Harvest Moon continues to do since they basically put out the same thing every year.

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Zaxex

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Edited By Zaxex

For what it's worth Bomberman Live! was probably my favourite ever XBLA game, that I played for a few hundred hours; great fun with friends and family. 

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Racian

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Edited By Racian

There goes my hope for Bloody Roar on a next gen console :(

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swamplord666

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Edited By swamplord666

although I can't remember the last hudson game i was anticipating, I hope all the best for the devs. layoffs suck and this seems to be a more common occurance these days in the games industry :/ 
I saw a dev recently and he was anticipating a close down. Hopefully nothing happens there.

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mrcellophane

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Edited By mrcellophane

The post has been taken down. Wth?

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fazzle

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Edited By fazzle

:( Now where will my next gen Adventure Island come from?

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MachoFantastico

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Edited By MachoFantastico

Never good to hear about studio closures. 

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mannalive

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Edited By mannalive

In all fairness to Hudson, they've put out a lot of horrible, horrible crap recently.

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Nictel

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Edited By Nictel

Is this the end of mario party?... 

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zitosilva

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Edited By zitosilva

I feel bad for the all the people that lost their jobs, of course, but I can't say that losing Hudson Entertainment is indeed a great loss. They have their share of good games, sure, but those seem to be mostly in the past. All they've been doing in recent years has been, at most, mediocre and irrelevant.

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DrSnaqrite

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Edited By DrSnaqrite

No Calling 2.

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Getz

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Edited By Getz

So there's not going to be a Milon's Secret Castle sequel?!

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I_smell

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Edited By I_smell

BLOODY ROAR NNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOO

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Afroman269

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Edited By Afroman269

I think Mario Party 4 was the last game by them that I enjoyed quite a lot.

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deactivated-5a1d45de5ef23

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Does that mean that there is no possiblity for a new bloody roar? 
 
no....no....NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

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MormonWarrior

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Edited By MormonWarrior

Does this mean no more Mario Party? Then THANK YOU FOR CLOSING!! But really, it sucks that people lose their jobs. But seriously, I have no sad feelings about this at all.

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mordukai

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Edited By mordukai

Another one bites the dust.

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FourWude

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Edited By FourWude

GAMING IS DYING!!!

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DarkbeatDK

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Edited By DarkbeatDK

No more Star Soldier?

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RobertOrri

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Edited By RobertOrri

I'd guess that the Japanese parent company wasn't willing to give them much room to do their own things. Hudson has completely and utterly failed to adapt to the modern market, and they're destined for bankruptcy as well if they keep this up.

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SlightConfuse

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Edited By SlightConfuse

no more mario party
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Solh0und

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Edited By Solh0und

R.I.P Bloody Roar. You WON'T be missed.....

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MisterMouse

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Edited By MisterMouse

hmmm another bummer... a bummer week all together.

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toowalrus

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Edited By toowalrus

Shame, I was hoping they'd make another good Mario party game, to make up for the last 4, which were pretty crappy. Maybe it coulda been for 3ds, I'd probably have... Well maybe I wouldnt have played of.

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Mechwing

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Edited By Mechwing

Not my Mario party games! damnnit! i loved them so much.

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yinstarrunner

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Edited By yinstarrunner

Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn

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AuthenticM

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Edited By AuthenticM

lol

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2HeadedNinja

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Edited By 2HeadedNinja

I have no connection to any of their franchises ... but it's always sad to see a developer get closed. 

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MrKlorox

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Edited By MrKlorox

There go my hopes for another Adventure Island game.

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deactivated-5e49e9175da37

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Maybe they'll sell the Adventure Island IP to Bethesda, and they make that after Skyrim.

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endless_void

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Edited By endless_void

Buck Bumble

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Clinkz

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Edited By Clinkz

Mario Party?! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
 
(I'm not being sarcastic. This seriously sucks.)

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BBQBram

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Edited By BBQBram

Don't care that much really.

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goulash_enjoyer

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Edited By goulash_enjoyer

:( 
 
Bomberman 64 is still the best party game ever made.

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ypfox

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Edited By ypfox

Man, the industry is taking one hell of a beating this year.  
My condolences to everyone this affects. 

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Jayross

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Edited By Jayross

Wait, so no Mario Party? Nooooooo.....

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Kyreo

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Edited By Kyreo

Poor Mario Party.

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Mechanized

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Edited By Mechanized

I never wanted a new Adventure Island or Bloody Roar game more than this very moment.

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Dizzyhippos

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Edited By Dizzyhippos

Well that's what happens when all you do is release different versions of bomber man none of which are the one you want. Makes me wonder if the same is coming down the road for natsume

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cspiffo

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Edited By cspiffo

But bomberman...Mario Party...The creator of Adventure Island!?  Noooooooooooooooooooo!!!!  My youth is being destroyed piece by piece.

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Xeiphyer

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Edited By Xeiphyer

Goddamn indie developers! All they care about is money!! >=(
 
 
 
Lack of innovation was definitely the killer here. People love bomberman but they just butchered it and rehashed old shit. Did Konami aquire the licenses for the games in the takeover? Or does the Japanese branch own those as well? Hopefully either way we can see something done with bomberman in the same vien as Pacman recently.