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Oh no! Yaris 2 release in jeopardy! photo

Folks, brace yourself. The future of one of the finest racing videogame franchises is now in question.

Castaway, the co-developers of the Toyota-branded Xbox Live Arcade racing shooter Yaris, are now closing their doors. Develop says that the group has recently suffered the loss of a couple of projects, and they've since cut their staff from 25 down to six senior staff.

"If somebody came in tomorrow and said, 'Here's a whole bunch of money. Can you get back up and running,' then Monday we could be back up and running," said president Michael Scandizzo.

"It would have to be soon, but if anyone wanted to come in and save us, we'd give the whole kitchen sink to them on the extremely cheap," he added. "Otherwise after almost 10 years of this group working together, we're going to have to dissolve."

The studio was founded in 2003 by a group of ex-Blizzard Entertainment staff, and it seems that Yaris was their only release since then.

Who will make our terrible, advert-gaming racing titles now? 

[Thanks, JR] 


Continue: More Xbox Live Arcade stories





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27 comments | showing # 1 to 27

teach4food's Avatar
teach4food at 04/07/2008 11:03
One of my students loves this game. Ronnie, I'm looking at you! He will be sad.
Chocobo Knight's Avatar
Chocobo Knight at 04/07/2008 11:07
What the hell happened to Djinn? That had promise.
BluDesign's Avatar
BluDesign at 04/07/2008 11:10
OH NO!!!!
amalgamut00's Avatar
amalgamut00 at 04/07/2008 11:14
I got (looks in wallet) 3 dollars. Wait never mind I better hold on to that.
Jim Sterling's Avatar
Jim Sterling at 04/07/2008 11:19
Post of the day.
NotAZombie's Avatar
NotAZombie at 04/07/2008 11:20
Nooooooooooo!
brad drac's Avatar
brad drac at 04/07/2008 11:23
YAAAAAAAARIIIIIIIIIIIIS!!!!! WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY?!?!?
Boolean's Avatar
Boolean at 04/07/2008 11:24
5 years and they only release Yaris? What have they been doing all this time?
HarassmentPanda's Avatar
HarassmentPanda at 04/07/2008 11:43
Really? They left Blizzard and only made Yaris? I'm not surprised they're shutting down. I hate to see anyone lose their jobs, but Yaris was painful.
ScottyG's Avatar
ScottyG at 04/07/2008 11:54
"Otherwise after almost 10 years of this group working together, we're going to have to dissolve."

But they've only been together for five years... If they're that bad with numbers it's no wonder they're going out of business. :p
AgentMOO's Avatar
AgentMOO at 04/07/2008 12:06
Personally, I'd like to see a sequel to system update.
protoknuckles's Avatar
protoknuckles at 04/07/2008 12:32
Well, as happy as I am to see the Yaris team disgraced, it's sad to see ex-Blizzard members fall so far.
F Whipple's Avatar
F Whipple at 04/07/2008 12:38
All the talent from ex-Blizzard staff and all they do is Yaris?? My mind can't comprehend the ludicrousocity (yeah i just made that up) of this
Rifter01's Avatar
Rifter01 at 04/07/2008 12:47
@Boolean Agreed. 5 years is along time on just 1 cruddy game.

Y'know, this is a topic for another day, perhaps, but has anyone else noticed how many tiny dev studios seemingly pop up out of nowhere and make a one's-ie or two'sie game, then just disappear? Actually, this is probably the main reason that although I like retro games, I don't usually pickup or play anything made in the last several since the names of these popup companies are so ridonkulously geeky or weird, and it just reeks of someone watching some sci-fi and going, "Oh! I'll make a great game company called, Thrusters at Max Power!, Inc." I mean, I encourage good indy game ideas to be made, but please don't pick your game company name whilst drunk. Thank you.
Cheeburga's Avatar
Cheeburga at 04/07/2008 13:55
Oh no...
Holyetheline's Avatar
Holyetheline at 04/07/2008 14:03
Do you think they'll allow control inversion this time?
TrailerParkJesus's Avatar
TrailerParkJesus at 04/07/2008 14:09
Why god why!!! Take me instead!
brainderailment's Avatar
brainderailment at 04/07/2008 14:25
I will push broken beer bottles into my ass out of lamentations.
deiga-the-semivaliant's Avatar
deiga-the-semivaliant at 04/07/2008 14:41
HOW WILL WE EVER SURVIVE.
Necros's Avatar
Necros at 04/07/2008 14:53
FUCK YARIS AND FUCK THEM. They deserve to be jobless after that abomination.
BigPerm692123's Avatar
BigPerm692123 at 04/07/2008 15:11
UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hammburglar's Avatar
hammburglar at 04/07/2008 15:11
the earth just stopped rotating. it was 60 degrees only moments ago and now its snowing. i hear children crying off in the distance. the sky is turning red. its the end of the world. how am i ever going to get my free 10 achievement points because i quit playing after the second level. a world without yaris is a world of pain and suffering.
Knives's Avatar
Knives at 04/07/2008 15:44
Ex- Blizzard? Holy shit, didn't knew or even imagined that.
nanowerx's Avatar
nanowerx at 04/07/2008 16:13
Learn something new everyday. Apparently I learned that just because you come from a company that makes great titles, doesn't mean that will transfer. Sure it looks good on the resume, but God forbid they see Yaris on that same sheet of paper...
Defybass's Avatar
Defybass at 04/08/2008 01:13
Oh Noes! The absolutely best game ever on XBLA might not have a sequel! How will I pass my time now????
Burnt Meatloaf's Avatar
Burnt Meatloaf at 04/08/2008 03:39
I'll see their kitchen sink and raise them a garbage disposal.
Topher Cantler's Avatar
Topher Cantler at 04/08/2008 07:38
Just tell me that everyone is okay, and that they'll all find jobs elsewhere so they don't starve.

After that, it will be safe for me to LUL like a madman.
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