Vivendi Universal Shuts Down Sierra(link/details inside).

[xrdanielalan]

SOURCE: http://www.gigex.com/general/article/?id=6956&game_id=&source=00001

GameDaily reports that parent company Vivendi Universal has shut down Seattle-based Sierra. Here is an excerpt from the article:

"More depressing news for the industry, Vivendi Universal Games has cut 350 staff and shut down Seattle-based Sierra. The venerable games company created some of the most popular action and adventure games in the 80's. The Sierra brand will live on in name only and projects tied to the Sierra pipeline, Half-Life 2, Ground Control II and Tribes: Vengeance are already being developed by other teams within Vivendi. Also affected by the restructuring, the Hoyle brand of card and board games have been canceled."

The affect this is going to have on the industry is unknown, but long-time fans will definitely take the hit first.

 

[Headwires]

how is that goin to effect HL2? none as far as i can see...

 

[xrdanielalan]

It won't affect VALVe Software or Half-Life 2 at all. VALVe is only expected to release HL2 under the Sierra action brand of games.

 

[Andy018]

they have only closed the development studio (sierra) the publishin is handled by Vivendi under the label "Sierra" .. yeh it is confusing

 

[63]

Old News.....

 

[x84D80Yx]

yeah i posted on this in the game forum :x

 

[Striker]

well all i can say for vivendi is... " You Win some, You Lose some".... As for HL2 it won't get affected.

 

[Chris D]

There are numerous threads on this.

Vivendi publishes Half-Life 2 under the Sierra label. It's just a brand name. Vivendi also publishes under well known brands such as Universal Pictures, and many other well known brands for music, TV, film and games.

Vivendi closing down Sierra does not necessarily mean the end of the publishing label, however if it does cause any problems then Vivendi will either have to provide another Vivendi publishing label to assist with the distribution of Half-Life 2 or if Valve so pleases to see it as the end of the contract then they could just shift to Activision who they recently signed a deal with to publish the DoD series.