It looks like the free release of the MMORPG, Shadowbane, was a precursor to the development team being closed up and disbanded. Clearly making a former subscription-based game go free was an indication of troubled times, but this happened sooner than many thought. This was posted by a developer:
I wasn’t going to post this initially but I figure the word is already out (I’ve already seen it on a few webzines as well as a multitude of forums). Yes, the rumor is true: I am looking for a new job. No, I did not get fired. Nor am I the only one looking for a job. We were recently informed that as of mid-May 2006, the doors of Wolfpack Studios will be closing. Ubisoft, our parent company, will be refocusing their efforts on the console market with the new fiscal year, what with the new systems coming to market such as the X-box 360, PS3, and the Nintendo GO! (or so the rumors call it lately). This is not an unheard of practice; many game publishing companies tend to put a majority of their efforts into development of games for new systems. It is best to strike when the iron is hot, as the saying goes.
What does this mean for Shadowbane? Truth be told, I really don’t know. I wish I did because I don’t only work on the game, I play it too. Once I do know something and can officially state as much, I’ll let you all know.
It is a shame that another one bites the dust. Shadowbane was marred by bugs when it was first released, but it was still an ambitious game, and it had a good idea at the time (let players control towns, the economy, and such.)
With Ubisoft taking a hit financially, and scared of the competition on the MMORPG front, they decided to go the easy way out and focus on the console market because it’s easy to sucker people into buying sub-par games on the console since it is a larger market and usually has a lot of younger people buying those games.
Matt on 03 29th, 2006