[PS3] LightBox Interactive (Starhawk) Focusing on iOS Games [Updated]

[padman59]

There are rumblings that LightBox Interactive, the developer behind the PS3 exclusive Starhawk, will lay off most of its staff by Friday. 3D Realms founder (and previous layoff predictor) George Broussard tweets, "Good luck to my buddies at LightBox in Austin. Layoffs and rumors of near whole studio gone by Friday."

LightBox Interactive president Dylan Jobe sent out a now-ominous tweet yesterday, reading, "And yeah, its time for another drink...." LightBox artist Jonathan Lindblom also tweeted early this morning, "I feel like my brain has been taken out and passed around, I can't think straight, everything is muddled." Associate producer and community manager Pete MacKay tweeted his thoughts today as well: "And so another chapter closes on my life. Let's see where I go next! (taking suggestions)."

We've contacted LightBox Interactive for clarification.

http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/17/rumor-starhawk-dev-lightbox-interactive-closing-in-austin/?a_dgi=aolshare_twitter

I guess Starhawk didn't sell well.

[padman59]

Update:

Rumblings of trouble at Austin-based Starhawk developer LightBox Interactive have been confirmed.

24 members of LightBox were told Friday would be their last day at the company, Lightbox president Dylan Jobe told me over email this evening. All 24 employees will receive a severance package.

“Layoffs suck,” he said, “but we're just shrinking our development team here at LightBox Interactive so we can be very nimble as we self-fund our next game and bring it to iOS devices.”

The first indications something was up at LightBox came via a traditional source for vague news statements: Twitter.

“And yeah, its time for another drink...” said Jobe.

Other members of Lightbox chimed in, suggesting a major change. These days, it’s easy to assume it’s layoffs.

Lightbox had signed a multi-year, multi-game publishing agreement with Sony, but that deal appears dead, perhaps related to the tepid response to Starhawk. Lightbox was forged from the ashes of Incognito Entertainment, which was responsible for Twisted Metal Black and War of the Monsters. Both of those were excellent, by the way.

http://www.giantbomb.com/news/starhawk-developer-lays-off-24-employees-refocuses-to-ios/4418/

[Guest]

Guess they will sell the IP rights for anything related to Starhawk and Warhawk to fund their next game. Never got into Warhawk honestly, but I enjoyed what I did play. I wonder how well it would have done on the 360.

[Twigg4075]

That's a shame because Warhawk and Starhawk are pretty kick ass games.

[Swarley]

That's too bad. Always sucks to hear about things like this. I just downloaded Starhawk single-player the other day since it's now on PS+. Excited to play.

[Twigg4075]

So I guess any more DLC for Starhawk is also dead?

[IamMedellin]

That's a shame because Warhawk and Starhawk are pretty kick ass games.

Starhawk was pretty kick ass.... a Shame VSN abandoned online play after about a week

[Twigg4075]

Starhawk was pretty kick ass.... a Shame VSN abandoned online play after about a week

I can't disagree with that. The game was super daunting, for me at least. I still have it though and hope to play it more at some point.

[padman59]

So I guess any more DLC for Starhawk is also dead?

I would imagine so. Also, it looks like all of the current skins, maps, and OST are free for PS+ users.

[Twigg4075]

I would imagine so. Also, it looks like all of the current skins, maps, and OST are free for PS+ users.

Yeah, I downloaded those already. I was hoping for at least a few more co-op arenas.