High Voltage Layoffs

[bapenguin]

Just got a tip from someone that High Voltage Software (http://www.high-voltage.com/) laid off 40 of its employees.

High Voltage Software laid off nearly half of their work force this past Friday the 13th. HVS is known for Leisure Suit Larry : Magna Cum Laude, Hunter games, NBA Inside Drive and a few others. There are close to 40 people now looking for work. Everyone from managers to artists.

Sad thing is, Vivendi Universal failed to pay HVS for one of their projects since September 2005 which killed the company financially. HVS continued to work on the game while Vivendi promised payment.
Just to clarify, High Voltage is still working on a few games, but there were numerous layoffs involved at HVS.

UPDATE - Just saw this over at Next Generation (http://www.next-gen.biz) - VU Considering Withdrawing from NYSE (http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2060&Itemid=2).

The company released a statement earlier today saying, "The majority of shares held by US domiciled investors are ordinary shares acquired through Eurolist-Euronext Paris, and during the last two years, the percentage of ordinary shares held by US investors has increased significantly."
Not cool. Not cool at all.

[fitbabits]

Shit! Hate to see people losing their jobs - especially in such a seemingly underhand manner.

I must say, though, LSL: Magna Cum Laude - just what were they thinking?

[Nite_Moogle]

Ouch. That sounds like an impending lawsuit.

fit: A friend of mine bought that game and the dialogue was absolutely hilarious. He was playing it at a LAN party and we were all in stitches. The game's concept is totally tasteless but that's sort of the point. :)

[Cool AN]

It is rather unfortunate for the people who were laided of, but Vivendi Universal isn't exaclty known to be a good publisher.

[Cha-Ka]

While I'm glad to see the company that made LSL fail, I'd prefer they failed due to out-and-out shitiness rather than Vivendi not paying them promised fees.

[Donut11]

Ouch. That sounds like an impending lawsuit.

Believe me when I tell you that publishers have crack teams of accountant/lawyers that continually calculate the risk/reward ratio for farking developers.

If a big company breaches a contract that directly involves the financial well being of a little company - then the little company has almost no chance it winning a lawsuit. The lawsuit will consume all remaining resources of the little company, and the big company's lawyers will delay, delay, and delay until the money is gone. When the money is gone, the lawyers disappear.

Everyone knows this. So, most of the time the little company just fires everyone, splits the remaining cash among the partners, and they all go looking for jobs.

And people still play the game - the drive by developers to develop outweighs their business sense, and the publishers use them like kleenex.

Maybe XBox Live can provide a new way.

[AniAko]

I've hated Vivendi's business tactics ever since the time they acquired Sierra and discontinued all of Sierra's projects. Leisure suit Larry 1-7 and Space Quest were comprised of cheeky humor, involving some thought on the user's behalf. I remember laughing my ass off on many accounts (not to mention the super serious and incredible story of LSL 3), as well as being entertained by making "progress" in the game. Quest for Glory??? Up to a couple of years ago, I still had the Hero I built on a floppy disk and took through all the games of QFG. Of course there's also Sierra's claims to fame King's Quest and Police Quest.

Vivendi is definately in the business of making business. Since it's early days it's been apparent to me that Vivendi acquires resources only to suck them dry, or to trounce the competition. Hell it killed the adventure story genre in it's entirety. Bless Gabriel Knight for trying to keep the genre alive, even if the last installment wasn't well accepted.

[AniAko]

...Maybe XBox Live can provide a new way.
My hopes are with yours. If you check out my gamer card. I've spent way more time checking out the "Live-y" titles than 360 titles. It's mainly because I don't have 3 hours to dedicate to playing 360 titles, but I do have half an hour to get a couple of levels of Wik in ;). With any luck, publishers will start scouting incredibly talented groups of developers from the Live Marketplace

[KNOTE]

My heart goes out to the recently laid off. I have lost a job because of Vivendi before as well. I'm sure many developers have. I was recently laid off from a developer that just shipped 2 successful titles within 3 months of each other. Just know that in this industry you are never safe.

[danhoo]

Arhg, I hate when publishers pull this crap. It amazes me how some of the lower tier publishers do "business" -- they know full well they're screwing the developer, and they really don't see anything wrong with this. I experienced a case where a publisher wouldn't pay us for agreed-upon milestones, and blatently challenged us to sue them for the money. Ridiculous.

[AniAko]

My heart truly goes out to anyone that has lost their job. As I write this, the guy that has been sitting next to me for the past few months was just axed after he went to lunch and we exchanged "Chuck Norris" quotes. I wrenches my heart.

[fitbabits]

My heart truly goes out to anyone that has lost their job. As I write this, the guy that has been sitting next to me for the past few months was just axed after he went to lunch and we exchanged "Chuck Norris" quotes. I wrenches my heart.
Wait, he got fired for the Chuck Norris quips?

[AniAko]

No, I don't know why he was fired, but that's the last thing we said to each other. We both really appreciated the Chuck Norris facts humor, so we exchanged new ones all the time.

[fitbabits]

No, I don't know why he was fired, but that's the last thing we said to each other. We both really appreciated the Chuck Norris facts humor, so we exchanged new ones all the time.
Ah, gotcha!

[DeadPixel]

http://www.fantasfilm.com/image/d-chuck-norris-x.jpg

I remember seeing Chuck Norris use 2 UZIs and gun down a dozen of snipers standing miles away trying to kill him. At that point I realized I will never stop making fun of him. He is truly a classic idiot. Oh get this, he gives autographs on his web site if you mail in $100. LOL

[Deadend]

Ugh, Vivendi.

I'd be glad to see them gone, except they would take good people with them.

There really is nothing to be done when there is a breach of contract like this?

[CrysDark]

Ugh, Vivendi.

I'd be glad to see them gone, except they would take good people with them.

There really is nothing to be done when there is a breach of contract like this?


Vivendi owns blizzard, as long as WoW makes money, they will never be gone.

[Montgomery_Python]

As long as Vivendi owns Blizzard, there will be a great disturbance in the force.

[Eon]

I, too, have lost a job to Vivendi through incompetent or outright shady business practices. It sucks, man, and I hope anyone reading this who just lost their job gets an offer soon.

[SubSane]

It's also possible that the developer did not deliver per the contract.

[fitbabits]

It's also possible that the developer did not deliver per the contract.
True, but some sort of official word from VU or HV would clear things up. Besides, you know how these things go - it's always the publishers who are at fault. ;)