Scottish based game-developer Realtime Worlds enters administration

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Scottish based game-developer Realtime Worlds entered administration today following low sales of their online shooter game, All-Points Bulletin (APB).

Between 60 and 170 jobs will be lost, and a total closure of their US office has been announced. APB will stay online to gamers who have already purchased the game. The company's administrators are Begbies Traynor

A former employee heavily criticised the company's business plans, saying "[t]he problem was that management looked at the revenue they wanted to generate and priced accordingly, failing to realise (or care) that there are literally a dozen top quality, subscription free team based shooters. Many of which, now, have progression and persistence of some sort – for free... The sheer time spent and money it took to make APB is really a product of fairly directionless creative leadership."

The game's early announcement, over-reliance on one product and "letting the details emerge along the way, rather than being planned out beyond even a rudimentary form," were also blamed. The company now seeks to restructure, with an aim to provide support for the new game and to work on their next release, Project: My World. This social networking game is still intended to be released, although The Courier reports that every member of the development team is now jobless.

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Sources

Realtime Worlds enters administration with 170 jobs lost — The Drum, August 17, 2010
Stefan Morkis. Realtime Worlds announces 60 redundancies — The Courier, August 17, 2010
The Future of APB — Realtime Worlds, August 17, 2010

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