Epic helps big huge games

[king-mark]

*Note this doesnt have anything to do with gears, but I still thought it merited a post and since this is the most active part of the forum, it's here.



As you may or may not be aware 38 Studios and its subsidiary Big Huge Games had all their staff laid off and subsequently closed. But on Wednesday the ex-BHG leadership team contacted Epic saying they wanted to start a new company and keep together some of the key talent displaced by the layoff, and hoped that they could use an Epic IP as a starting point for a new game. Coincidentally Epic had spent the morning discussing how they wanted to build even more successful projects with their growing team, but they would need an infusion of talent to do it.

So Epic is starting a new studio built from the old team of BHG and as soon as they can, are going to try to get people working down here at Epic headquarters in Cary, NC as contractors. Obviously there are still many points to work out, but hey we could be seeing another "EPIC" game sometime soon.

http://epicgames.com/community/2012/...uge-solutions/

[Onyx Scott]

Absolutely fantastic story. Epic are the best gaming studio out there and this further cements it. Amazing.

[Cut In Reverse]

The title is a little misleading. Sure, they helped them, but just because their goals happened to align right now.

No doubt if Epic wasn't looking into that, the answer would've been different.

[III HOOP III]

Read that, absolutely fantastic story. Epic are the best gaming studio out there and this further cements it. Amazing.

I agree. EPIC is the best.

[Crush Master]

That's awesome. Played and loved KoA and was sad to see them shut down. I'm happy Epic is able to help them.

[Parasidian]

Thats just pure awesomeness on Epics part, just another reason why i love Epic!

[Time Victim]

Best news I read all day. Looking forward to what comes from this.

[tootybananas]

saw this on the community site,pretty dope!.
this is why epic is EPIC.

[X1UpMushroomzX]

Hopefully they repay them by making a gears RPG.

[CARMINE COG]

EPIC is epic.

[Crimson Ninja]

meh I still like valve more. But i have to admit this was a pretty cool move on Epic's part.

[>I Am Legend<]

Well it is nice seeing them help them out.

[CHEEZMO619]

That is truly EPIC in sooooo many ways

[Doctor Pie 7056]

Epic is awesome

[:-D]

I liked Big Huge Games to begin with, but now that they'll be working under Epic it makes them all thay much better.

[Jim Tuna]

Yay, go EPIC!

[Ms A Chievement]

Wow that's great of them. I love Epic.

[III HOOP III]

I liked Big Huge Games to begin with, but now that they'll be working under Epic it makes them all thay much better.

That makes 2 of us.

[LambentHammerburst]

"They wanted to start a new company and keep together some of the key talent displaced by the layoff, and hoped that they could use an Epic IP as a starting point for a new game. We loved that they all wanted to keep working together, but it was pretty clear they’d have trouble building a demo and securing funding before their personal savings ran out."

Big Huge made amazing RTS games (Rise of Nations, Age of Empires III) -- imagine a RTS using some of Epics big name IPs (Gears or Unreal for example)

[king-mark]

Big Huge made amazing RTS games (Rise of Nations, Age of Empires III) -- imagine a RTS using some of Epics big name IPs (Gears or Unreal for example)

Yeah those are definitely good games and I admit a gears RTS could be intriguing.

[Rage]

A Gears RTS? Sounds EPIC

[Omen Gear]

It is good to see something like this with all the studios out there closing down. Epic being Epic.

[HammerHead911]

You want an awesome way to start the week of E3 off right? Fine: Epic Games has decided to open a new studio in Baltimore, Maryland which will eventually employ a slew of ex-employees from Big Huge Games. Big Huge Games, of course, is the developer behind Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning and was recently shutdown, along with 38 Studios, in a financial mess originating in the state of Rhode Island.

As Epic Games’ President Dr. Michael Capps explained, all of this began this past Wednesday, when “the ex-BHG leadership team contacted” Epic Games. “They wanted to start a new company and keep together some of the key talent displaced by the layoff, and hoped that they could use an Epic IP as a starting point for a new game,” Capps said in a post on Epic’s website. “We loved that they all wanted to keep working together, but it was pretty clear they’d have trouble building a demo and securing funding before their personal savings ran out.”


Capps continued: “In one of life’s coincidences, Epic’s directors had spent the morning discussing how we’d love to build even more successful projects with our growing team, but that we’d need a dramatic infusion of top talent to do so. Which, we all knew, was impossible. So now we’re planning to start an impossible studio in Baltimore.”

Naturally, creating such a studio will take time, and Epic wants to get people down to Epic HQ in Cary, North Carolina to begin working in the meantime. The details are still no doubt being ironed out, and specifics are likely a ways off. But it’s still awesome to see that some of the talented folks at Big Huge Games will join with the respected and established developer Epic Games to keep cranking out the goods.

Before releasing Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning in 2012, Big Huge Games was responsible for the Rise of Nations franchise on PC. They also created Catan on Xbox Live Arcade and the expansion pack for Age of Empires III called The Asian Dynasties.

Epic Games has created a number of titles since its founding in 1991, though it is best-known for its work on the mega-popular Gears of War franchise. It’s also responsible for the workhorse Unreal Engine used throughout the industry.


http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06/...alur-developer
***********
Epic . - RESPECT - Epic games is officially now fav...developer.

[DarkAp89]

It's always nice to see other developers saved by other companies
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning was a really good product!

[Private Tux]

^^Kinda agree more with the article. More helpful for Epic by saving the Big Help Games members.

[staindgrey]

I love you, Epic. I know that this wasn't simply an act of charity (that would be stupid), but still, it seems fitting that you guys would be the ones helping out a very talented but unlucky studio. Without Schilling's misguided attempts at being an entrepreneur, I'm sure that BHG will thrive.

Great pickup, great story. Great for all parties involved.

[wikkid]

wow, good story, Great job Epic!

[Desert pengu1n]

awesomeness from EPIC

[darksin]

Yeah, makes a Gears or unreal RPG game.,TPS battle.........

[TwoMINIFamily]

The merits of this thread are why I continue and will continue to support Epic. Stepping up such as they did was huge and as has already been said it speaks volumes to Epics own leadership and commitment to the gaming industry.