Aliens: Colonial Marines Not Cancelled
Despite that the video game industry is deemed ‘recession proof’ it’s not quite a universal protection. Some smaller studios have felt the crunch of a slowing economy and many have announced closures, mergers and layoffs. This often leads to delays or even outright cancellation of projects in development. Gearbox studios is one of the most recent studios to announce a cutback in staff, laying off anywhere from 15-26 employees.
With a reduction in workforce many have been worried about the continued development of Aliens: Colonial Marines. Word spread that development on the title had been halted. Of course this has led to rumors that the title has been canned, but Gearbox president Randy Pitchford has assured fans that they’re hoping for the title to still be released.
“The true relevance of the story will actually be irrelevant until we release our next game, at which time I hope there will be a lot of interest in what we’ve done that can produce such results,” said Pitchford. From what you can infer from his statement, the title is being shelved until they’ve freed up development staff by releasing their next game, presumably one closer to completion or something that they hope to be a bigger commercial success.