Disney will be closing its LucasArts game publishing subsidiary.
The official statement from Disney reads as follows:
[alert type=”blue”]”After evaluating our position in the games market, we’ve decided to shift LucasArts from an internal development to a licensing model, minimizing the company’s risk while achieving a broader portfolio of quality Star Wars games. As a result of this change, we’ve had layoffs across the organization. We are incredibly appreciative and proud of the talented teams who have been developing our new titles.”[/alert]
This move by Disney will be shifting the company into a licensing entity, to develop future games based off Lucasfilm’s properties to other publishers. The developed Star Wars 1313 that LucasArts showed in E3 2012 might be saved as a representative said that the company is evaluating its options regarding it projects currently in development, which could be licensed out to other publishers.
[alert type=”blue”]“It is worth noting that we are looking for proven external partners who can help us provide video games to our fans. We still believe in the video game industry, we still will provide Star Wars games, we’re just looking at different models rather than internal production… They’re evaluating everything. There’s always a possibility that it [Star Wars 1313] can still come out via licensing.”[/alert]
The representative also remarked on the studio’s fate today:
[alert type=”blue”]”It’s super sad. It’s a terrible day. I want to make sure everyone realizes that there still will be Star Wars games out there.”[/alert]
Our sympathies here in Stagger’d.com go out to those who have lost their jobs today. =(
