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Gazillion press release clarifies Netdevil layoff rumors

by Jef Reahard on Feb 24th 2011 3:30PM

Business Models, MMO Industry, News Items, Free-to-Play, Browser, LEGO Universe, Kids, Miscellaneous

The NetDevil/LEGO Universe brouhaha that unfolded earlier this morning is officially official thanks to a press release just published by Gazillion Entertainment. Gazillion has formally agreed to sell its development stake in the LEGO Universe MMO to the LEGO Group (the game's publisher and custodian of the world-famous toy brand).

Most of the LEGO devs, formerly employed by NetDevil (a Gazillion subsidiary), have received employment offers from the LEGO Group and will continue iterating on the game from the company's Louisville, Colorado studio.

Gazillion is re-focusing its ongoing development efforts into browser games, according to President and COO David Brevik. "The transition of members of our team to the LEGO Group enables us to focus completely on internally-published, free-to-play game businesses," he said.

Tags: acquisitions, breaking, browser-based, david-brevik, f2p, free-to-play, gazillion, gazillion-entertainment, lego, lego-group, lego-universe, mmo-industry, netdevil, press-release

Reader Comments (20)

I know it's more of NCsoft's fault, but I'm still sad that NetDevil had to can Auto Assault just over a year after the release. It was and will remain the best MMO I've ever played.

@SpencerRuler

Yah, AA was something else, I miss it too. :(

@SpencerRuler

Yep, it was a really fun game. Just lacked content.

I still have found memories of speeding into towns with a friend and the two of us just leveling the place. Ramp jump in, high speed donuts into pedestrians, rockets and chaingun fire blasting through the buildings.

These are the guys in charge of the Marvel MMO and the Marvel F2P MMO. Will someone take the super hero genre seriously and stop clowning around?

@Yellowdancer

Gazillion yes, Netdevil no, the Marvel MMO is being handled by Gazillions Secret Identity Studio headed by Jeff Lind.

@Yellowdancer So long as they don't make the Marvel MMO a console-oriented button masher. Oh, who am I kidding? Of course they're going to make it a console-oriented button masher. You don't know what it's like to be the sad man behind blue eyes! *runs away to pout under the bed*

There's still no word on the fate of Jumpgate Evolution. And Massively, I couldn't find a link to the source of the press release. And I didn't see it on the Gazillion site.

@Taawa It came straight to our inbox from Gazillion's public relations manager. :D

Man I feel terrible for netdevil. Is lego universe doing well? My 6 year old loves this game!

Marvel Universe Online is being developed by Gargantuan Studios, still - a bit odd they can sell of the development stake after so short a time, was this always the plan do you think?. I remember AutoAssault being canned and now they are willing to jump ship on Lego - I'd be wary of investing too much in a NetDevil MMO in the future tbh.

Gargantuan Studios is also a Gazillion subsidiary isn't it?, I doubt they'd be able to jump ship on the 10-year-long Marvel deal.

@SiML

yes it is

http://gazillion.com/gargantuan/

@Protoavis Gargantuan is the old name of Secret Identity Studios.

I think that sums it all up...

If JGE still ives, it will be free to play.

If Marvel MMO comes out it, it will be free to play.

When Marvel teen whatever the hell it is comes out, it will be free to play.

The 1996 Diablo clone in a browser comes out, it will be free to play.

Is there anything else they're working on? It will be free to play.

Meh, this was pretty much obvious when Codemasters started suing NetDevil/Gazillion for like 1.4 millions buck.

Now, suing for break of contract isn't uncommon, but the bad thing for NetDevil is that there is evidence that the company showed lack of professionalism/will, that they were aware of the contract issues and they just didn't give a shit.

If you put all your resources on completing a contract project but it can't be done by the date because of things that were not mentioned by the contractor, you're generally golden and they won't bother suing or they'll lose money more than anything.

In this case, NetDevil took over another contract and diverted all resources on completing Lego Universe while JGE was stalled, then they somehow forgot that they were under contract and Codemasters got pissed off. So basically, in court, this shows they didn't "faithfully" try to complete the contract and as such are liable and they'll probably have to bite bullet on this one.

Also, the JGE director leaving shortly after the lawsuit didn't help things lol.

@Icemasta This would entirely depend on the agreement between Netdevil and Codemasters at the time.

JGE started as a 2 man project to update jumpegate and evolved into its own game after a bit. The team on JGE has and always was small (under 10 people). If codemasters and the agreement was setup as such then theres not really much there.

All the problems really started after Gazillion bought the company. Netdevil was its best when it was a small company of 20 people or so. Once they expanded and grew for Lego Universe problems started happening. Thats also around the time Gazillion bought the company. From there on its been down hill and thats also the time JGE all but died. The game changed designs 3-4 times and now its nothing like what JGE was going to be.

Ahhh Finally LEGO has reclaimed what is theirs now Maybe LEGO Universe won't be a train wreck of boredom anymore

What a lie, almost everyone from Lego Dev were fired, even the 3 Founders, HR who hired everyone, and told everyone in the studio a LIE (told them maintennce) of why they wanted everyone out of the studio at 5PM, at 4 PM, 1 Hour; and once everyone was out, shut down the building, locked everyone out and fired everyone late that night

Oh btw, they gave annual pay raises to Gazillion, instead of Netdevil ( Lego Dev ) employees for the work done on Lego Universe, just so the TRUTH is clarified

Jumpgate was cancelled, everyone was fired to in the middle of the night

Gazillion press release clarifies Netdevil layoff rumors

Reader Comments (20)

Posted: Feb 24th 2011 3:39PM SpencerRuler said

Posted: Feb 24th 2011 4:35PM pcgneurotic said

Posted: Feb 25th 2011 9:46AM Dracones said

Posted: Feb 24th 2011 3:54PM Yellowdancer said

Posted: Feb 24th 2011 4:07PM Protoavis said

Posted: Feb 25th 2011 11:44AM Daemodand said

Posted: Feb 24th 2011 4:05PM Taawa said

Posted: Feb 24th 2011 4:24PM Brianna Royce said

Posted: Feb 24th 2011 4:13PM Lateris said

Posted: Feb 24th 2011 4:31PM SiML said

Posted: Feb 24th 2011 4:34PM SiML said

Posted: Feb 24th 2011 4:52PM Protoavis said

Posted: Feb 25th 2011 12:23PM UnSub said

Posted: Feb 24th 2011 4:34PM bobfish said

Posted: Feb 25th 2011 11:02AM Icemasta said

Posted: Feb 25th 2011 7:58PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Feb 25th 2011 3:20PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Apr 20th 2011 8:36PM Malevolent King said

Posted: Apr 20th 2011 8:38PM Malevolent King said

Posted: Apr 20th 2011 8:40PM Malevolent King said

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