games  anime  |  toys
Destructoid is gaming news, community, videos, and sometimes love. Take the tour or jump in with Facebook:

 


What? LucasArts lays off key members of Force Unleashed team photo

A few weeks ago, LucasArts announced that it was laying off some internal staff as part of its restructuring plans. Yesterday, however, we were shocked to learn that those cuts included key staff that's been working on The Force Unleashed.

Most surprising of all is that some of the employees who were let go aren't exactly new to the company, and have worked on such games as Grim Fandango, X-Wing, and Full Throttle. Just why LucasArts decided to trim down this particular team remains unclear, but as on ex-employee pointed out to Joystiq, should fans of The Force Unleashed demand a sequel, there just aren't enough people left on the team to make it happen at the moment.

While LucasArts could easily go on a hiring spree and make it happen, we have to wonder what it secretly says about the game. Is this a sign that George isn't feeling as psyched about The Force Unleashed as we are, or is this simply business as usual in our troubled economy?

[Via NextGen]


Continue: More Xbox 360 stories





prev next

28 comments | showing # 1 to 28

Scrixx's Avatar
Scrixx at 06/27/2008 11:43
Everyone make sure to buy this game. It'd be a shame if we lose the sequel to what seems to be shaping up to a great title.
Scientist tz's Avatar
Scientist tz at 06/27/2008 11:46
There could still be a sequel.

It could be developed by a different team and completely suck but it would be a cash cow anyway.
Scrixx's Avatar
Scrixx at 06/27/2008 11:48
Scientist tz:

LOL One word: Treyarch.
nintendoll's Avatar
nintendoll at 06/27/2008 11:49
"there just aren't enough people enough people left on the team"

Fixed :)
c0dek's Avatar
c0dek at 06/27/2008 11:56
Scrixx - don't you want to wait and see if the first one is any good before clamoring about a sequel? Of course the stuff you're seeing publicly looks great, that's what it's intended to do...but wait for the actual game, wouldya?
Gameboi's Avatar
Gameboi at 06/27/2008 12:00
@Nintendoll

Good catch!
Toneman's Avatar
Toneman at 06/27/2008 12:01
To quote Darth Vader:
NNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
mrberns's Avatar
mrberns at 06/27/2008 12:06
Well George was pretty psyched about the prequels and we all know how those turned out. So maybe it would be a good thing if he didn't like this game.
Scrixx's Avatar
Scrixx at 06/27/2008 12:10
c0dek: read my first post.

"what seems to be shaping up to a great title."

GG
DaedHead8's Avatar
DaedHead8 at 06/27/2008 12:13
I hate when shit like this happens. I never know what to make of it. Good luck to those that got fired though.
king3vbo's Avatar
king3vbo at 06/27/2008 12:17
Professor Pew's Avatar
Professor Pew at 06/27/2008 12:21
All the fired people should make a new TIE Fighter game and make MILLIONS.
loki d20's Avatar
loki d20 at 06/27/2008 12:27
I think Lucas is just waiting to sell all its licensed material to a big hitter (EA or Activision, possibly) and make money only off of the licensing of said games.
Unicorn's Avatar
Unicorn at 06/27/2008 12:35
king3vbo said it all.


and here i thought anyone with Grim Fandango with their resume was at the safest spot ever when dealing with job security. my world is crumbling.
ArrestedDeveloper's Avatar
ArrestedDeveloper at 06/27/2008 12:36
Let's hope all these layoffs are so they can afford to hire Ron Gilbert and Tim Schaffer to make another Monkey Island.
DinnertimeNinja's Avatar
DinnertimeNinja at 06/27/2008 12:42
Monkey Island?

Nobody likes that stupid, hilarious, game...


Anyway, less money wasted on Star Wars is ALWAYS a good thing. The game will be balls no matter how many people are working on it. Might as well trim the fat.

Though I am sorry that some genuinely talented people got stuck working on another boring installment of a long dead series.
cchance's Avatar
cchance at 06/27/2008 12:45
hmmm maybe the guys from Force Unleashed and the guys from Ninja Gaiden that got laid off should join forces to become a superteam!
The-Excel's Avatar
The-Excel at 06/27/2008 12:53
They're being let go because they worked on the old adventure games. LucasArts is trying to distance itself from its highly successful past in adventure games because nobody likes them anymore or something.
ace of knaves's Avatar
ace of knaves at 06/27/2008 13:11
What the hell is going on over there?
Yashoki's Avatar
Yashoki at 06/27/2008 13:13
Smartest choice ever :)
AngelsDontBurn's Avatar
AngelsDontBurn at 06/27/2008 13:16
I would really like to know what's going on there. ESPECIALLY now, considering they laid off key members. I don't understand why they wouldn't have the money to continue, I mean, it's Lucasarts. I wonder if they're actually going to shut down. :O

That means I'll never see a new Jedi Knight. :(
JonDarkwood's Avatar
JonDarkwood at 06/27/2008 13:31
Well, they must be done with their job on Force Unleashed... Looks like LucasArts might not be making anything after that.
Volomon's Avatar
Volomon at 06/27/2008 13:57
Seems like a case of really bad management, maybe it is true they plan on just stop making games and focus on licensing instead.
MechaMonkey's Avatar
MechaMonkey at 06/27/2008 13:59
Even if they did go on a hiring spree, the folks they pick up are going to know they're considered expendable. Doesn't really make for a high-morale working environment.
NihonTiger90's Avatar
NihonTiger90 at 06/27/2008 14:07
I just hope Force Unleashed is mostly done. I don't want that game to be wrecked by this.
Danmartigan's Avatar
Danmartigan at 06/27/2008 15:16
LucasArts is retarded. Just license out SW Galaxies 2 to BioWare, release it on the 360/PS3, and then kindly accept my subscription each month. Profit.
AngelsDontBurn's Avatar
AngelsDontBurn at 06/27/2008 15:36
Also I swear to god if Force Unleashed was canceled because of something like this I would be pissed. Which I doubt would happen, but still.

I feel bad for the people who were laid off, I mean I feel bad for anyone who was laid off. But, especially for the people that devoted so much time to this game, which is nearing it's release.

Sucks.
GOLD5's Avatar
GOLD5 at 06/27/2008 17:27
Its because they are replacing everyone with clone jedis. One jedi can do the work of many normal humans using telekinesis.
prev next

Comment with Facebook





Click connect and comment instantly!

Comment with Dtoid





New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds

Comments policy

Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just speak your mind. We respect differing opinions on the site, so have at it. Be smart, funny, insightful, clueless, or cute -- but back it up with substance. Keep your cool, keep it fun. We only ask that you act respectfully and above all: don't be a troll and ruin it for everyone else. Don't bring down gamers or we'll, you know, gently shoot you in the face and stuff you into a flaming mailbox. Each comment is your opportuntity to make this community awesomer. Is that even a word?

Avoiding the banhammer only requires common sense: spamming, trolling, racism, NSFW stuff, and other forms of sucking will not be tolerated. If anyone is griefing please report abuse. Be good. Don't suck!

 
New on Destructoid.TV play all videos

Loading
Loading Destructoid Videos



    Win this!
    Reminder: We're giving away six copies of Magnacarta 2!



    Dtoid Twitter    Got news?   tips@destructoid.com

    Reviews & Previews
    Mahjongg Artifacts 2 review
    Dragon Age: Origins review
    Lost Winds: The Winter of the Melodias review
    Osmos review
    Space Invaders Extreme 2 review
    Half-Minute Hero review
    JU-ON: The Grudge review
    Kenka Bancho: Badass Rumble review
    Thexder Neo review
    Domino Rally review
    more reviews
    PS3's 256-player MAG
    Rooms The Main Building
    Skate 3
    Hudson's bringing back the Bonk
    James Cameron's Avatar
    Bomberman Battlefest
    Calling
    Bad Company 2's multiplayer
    Partying like it's 1959 in BioShock 2's multiplayer
    BioShock 2 through the eyes of Big Daddy
    more previews


    - The Dtoid Army is 49569 strong -

    Showing Cblogs with 3+ faps   show all

    Call for entries: do the wrong thing
    New to Dtoid? Read the survival guide




     Originals
    Jim Sterling: How to respond to a videogame review





















    More Destructoid Originals



     Popular now more
























    Destructoid's editorial lovefest is:
    Nick Chester
    Editor-in-Chief    		 Jim Sterling
    Reviews Editor
    Dale North
    News Editor    		 Hamza Aziz
    Community Manager
    Anthony Burch
    Features Editor    		 Rey Gutierrez
    Video editor & director
    Niero
    Founder, publisher
    Letters to the editors
    tips@destructoid.com
    Associate Editors
    Ashley Davis Jonathan Holmes
    Brad Nicholson Jonathan Ross
    Brad Rice Jordan Devore
    Chad Concelmo Matthew Razak
    Colette Bennett Tom Fronczak
    Conrad Zimmerman Topher Cantler
    Dyson Samit Sarkar
    Contributors
    Adam Dork
    Ben Perlee
    Daniel Lingen
    Joseph Leray    		 Joe Burling
    Mikey
    Will Maddock
    Stella Wong





     

     
      get involved

    register or login
    post a blog
    post a forum
    enter a contest
    contribute a news tip
    suggest a feature
    be a guest editor
    		 support

    new member's guide
    login assistance
    tech support
    report abuse
    email our editors
    read our dev blog
    nuclear crisis?
    		 keep in touch

    RSS feed
    Twitter
    Facebook
    Myspace
    Flickr
    Game nights
    Meetup+play online     		seriously

    about Destructoid
    advertising
    terms of use
    privacy policy
    jobs at MM
    buy our crap     		our network

    Tomopop
    Japanator
    Despingation?



    Destructoid is an independently-run publication forged by our love of video games and the gaming community's need of accountable enthusiast press
    living the dream since March 16, 2006