Sat, Mar 24, 2012 | 18:07 GMT
Rumour: Sony set to close Zipper Interactive – details
Sony’s is in the process of laying off staff at SOCOM developer Zipper Interactive to the extent it could be considered a total shutdown of the studio, according to Kotaku.
Sony’s declined to comment.
Kotaku’s reporting layoffs and project cancellations have recently hit the studio, with the amount of layoffs indicating a closure. Nothing is confirmed at the moment, meaning it could carry on business as normal.
Zipper Interactive formed in 1996 by Jim Bosler and Brian Soderberg. It was brought into the Sony Worldwide Studios group in January 2006 after the developer was bought out.
The studio is well-known for its SOCOM franchise on PS2, PSP and PS3, as well as the release of online shooter MAG. Its latest – and possibly last game – was Unit 13 for PlayStation Vita.
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Posted in: PS3, Sony, Vita
Tags: Zipper Interactive
10 comments
#1
LOLshock94
24/03/12, 12:17 am
they have made some shitty games on the ps3
#2
Razor
24/03/12, 12:56 am
Sadly, this won’t be a surprise if it happens.
#3
El_MUERkO
24/03/12, 12:57 am
By all accounts Unit 13 is really good, but everything else they’ve done that I’ve played has been a bit ‘meh’.
#4
DeforMAKulizer
24/03/12, 1:29 am
I think the upcoming studio in danger will be Evolution, depends if they have something big for the PS4 or MS:RC was good in sales…
But i do think this opens up new possible acquisitions from:
- Quantic Dreams (They have been pouring insane money for their tech and R&D)
- Zindagi (Also working on next-gen projects and can be a properly casual studio for Move 2/ PS Kinect games)
- Sanazaru (If Sly 4 does well, i can see them taking the helm of Sony’s top platformer franchises like R&C – from insomniac- Jak and Daxter and continue on Sly)
#5
Cormac
24/03/12, 2:18 am
shite that’s pretty sad, i really liked socom on the ps2, I guess they didn’t catch up in terms of what people wanted in this generation though, I wouldn’t be at all suprised if it was true.
I hope any people there can find jobs afterwards..
#6
TD_Monstrous69
24/03/12, 4:04 am
Just nothing but a day of sad news and sad rumors. Prey 2 might be cancelled next week, Yoshinori Ono from Capcom gets rushed to the hospital, and now Sony might be closing Zipper. I wish nothing but the best for those lay offed, and hope they land on their feet. I’m a little suprised about this, seeing as how they always seemed like a studio with good tech, and solid ideas. Though I hope this does open up some acquisition opportunities with Sony (eyes Quantic Dream), and again, hope those affected by this potential closer land on their feet.
#7
anuekr
24/03/12, 10:14 am
Too bad, the studio did have some really good games such as the Socom series on the PS2, though I do understand Sony, Mag was a total disaster, same goes fro SOCOM 4 (it was basically a COD TPS)and I haven’t played Unit 13 but it looks like a SOCOM 4 port from the gameplay videos…
But in any case, I wish the people there good luck because they were on of the best in my opinion, they just got through a rough time I guess..
#8
Erthazus
24/03/12, 10:38 am
They had good games on the PS2.
But everything they made for PS3 is a shit product. From MAG to SOCOM 4. Everything is not better than mediocracy.
#9
misieque
24/03/12, 2:35 pm
MAG is awesome. I’m still playing it. So as many other people. Maybe some of you don’t like it, becuase it’s harder to master than CoD or BF.
#10
PEYJ
24/03/12, 7:00 pm
I’ve heard both good and bad things about MAG. As for Socom 4 I fully enjoyed it both singleplayer and online. Unit 13 I’ve almost only heard good things about. Only reviewers and gamers who didn’t appreciate that Zipper seem to have made specifically for a handheld adopts a negative approach.
Neither of them appear to have sold very well though, which is probably the big issue here. As for why Socom was so popular back in the day I believe that choices in the shooting genre were much more scarce.