Toronto-based Bedlam Games, the development studio behind action role-playing title Dungeons & Dragons Daggerdale, has "effectively shuttered", according to media reports.
Games site Joystiq has since received confirmation from an anonymous source, who explained that around 90 percent of employees at the studio are on "temporary layoffs" with no severance pay.
The source also said that many of those affected have now gone on to find other jobs.
Greg Tchjen, previously a character artist at the studio, has also posted on the Polycount forums noting the layoffs, and has altered his LinkedIn profile to show that he no longer works at Bedlam.
Gamasutra has contacted Tchjen to confirm the layoffs, and left multiple messages at Bedlam's offices that were not returned as of press time.
Bedlam Games only released one game overall, Dungeons & Dragons Daggerdale for PC and Xbox Live Arcade in May of this year.
One after the other. Total bedlam for the people affected, and probably a portentous toll of the bell for the rest of us. I know how it feels like to be in limbo.
You have to love the cognitive dissonance between this article and the one next door on the front page:
"Alongside the releases of Dungeons and Dragons: Daggerdale and The Witcher 2, though, the company's planned transition to digital might be showing signs of promise. Two of its newest executive hires, digital publishing SVP Owais Farooqui and mobile VP Maria Pacheco, believe that's the case."
I'd say Atari's transition to digital is on track for the "use and abuse" of developers so typical of corporate money-grubbers.
Atari and Hasbro should have thrown these guys a bone in the D&D settlement.
"Alongside the releases of Dungeons and Dragons: Daggerdale and The Witcher 2, though, the company's planned transition to digital might be showing signs of promise. Two of its newest executive hires, digital publishing SVP Owais Farooqui and mobile VP Maria Pacheco, believe that's the case."
I'd say Atari's transition to digital is on track for the "use and abuse" of developers so typical of corporate money-grubbers.
Atari and Hasbro should have thrown these guys a bone in the D&D settlement.