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Once-Splatterhouse developer Bottlerocket closes photo

Bottlerocket Entertainment -- developer of Rise of the Kasai (2005) and Xialoin Showdown (2006) -- is no more. In a recent e-mail sent to industry folks, the founder of the studio, Jay Beard, announced that his studio has closed. Broken, but not defeated, Beard also announced plans to create a new studio in the same electronic letter.

"It is with deep regret that I have to inform you of the closure of Bottlerocket, the e-mail reads (via GI.biz). “After fighting to keep the doors open for the past six months we have decided to close and move on.”

The studio will be forever tied to Splatterhouse -- a 2010 revision of the 1988 classic. Bottlerocket was developing the title, but was pulled from the project for an unknown performance-based reason by publisher Namco-Bandai.

After the project was pulled, several employees of the studio left and joined Namco-Bandai’s Afro Samurai team, who is now currently developing the remake.

"We had the opportunity to meet and work with many talented and passionate individuals along the way, and I want to take the opportunity to thank you all for everything that you did for BottleRocket. Seven years wasn't long enough for our plans to bear fruit; but it was a decent run.

"I am now in the process of building a new development studio from the ground up and look forward to us crossing paths once more."

Studio closures are a bummer. We wish Beard and his remaining crew the best, and hope that the new studio will indeed bear better fruit.







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15 comments | showing # 1 to 15
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badbadleroybrown's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/04/2009 11:21
badbadleroybrown
I hate waking up every morning to find out which studio has closed or which seemingly highly profitable studio just let go of forty highly talented people. Somebody needs to take a good hard look at how this industry makes games and how stability can be achieved. You make one underachieving game or a deal goes bad and you can't make a certain game and you're done. Simple as that. I know "times are hard", but a company like Raven, who has put out two hugely successful games within three months of each other, shouldn't be having to get rid of a third of their staff.

This is only the beginning. Serious changes need to happen or the entire industry is going to eat its own tail into oblivion.
worm jerky's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/04/2009 11:39
worm jerky
Well said.
BenHaskett's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/04/2009 11:45
BenHaskett
Well, that sucks. As you said, hopefully the remaining members can get back on their feet and start making games again.
Everyday Legend's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/04/2009 12:27
Everyday Legend
This is normal in any booming industry, nut it carries massive risk of causing collapse - if publishers do not support the little guy developers consistently, then it stifles and stagnates the industry, and can cause a crash based solely on lack of innovation causing the customer base to become bored with the product and go looking elsewhere for their entertainment options.
MCChampaignMillionaire's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/04/2009 12:45
MCChampaignMillionaire
That sucks...for them...
theswitcher's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/04/2009 13:01
theswitcher
Another victim of the HD generation.
CrackerJackHill's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/04/2009 13:20
CrackerJackHill
They're working on a remake for Afro Samurai already? WTF?
-PL-'s Avatar - Comment posted on 09/04/2009 15:22
-PL-
I think he meant the Splatterhouse remake. The Afro Samurai team is working on it.
Kurzicide's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/04/2009 15:23
Kurzicide
@CrackerJackHill

I SERIOUSLY hope you're kidding. No where did it say they were making a AS remake. How you got that from the context, I have no clue.
Holyetheline's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/04/2009 16:49
Holyetheline
Aw, that's too bad... shit.
Occams electric toothbrush's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/04/2009 17:58
Occams electric toothbrush
Maybe if they had sucked less at their jobs they would still be in existence. Oh well, moving on.
tradewreddi58's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/14/2011 17:30
tradewreddi58
Miss Snowedid you ever hear anything like mamma's wit? She is a cheap altace
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