2017"s Dead Rising 4 faced a mixed response from critics and fans of the series alike, due to uninteresting characters, bland story, and a myriad of other technical issues. The title was developed by Capcom Vancouver, which has been spearheading the Dead Rising series since 2010. Capcom has now announced that it is shutting down the studio.
In a statement to gamesindustry.biz, a Capcom representative had the following to say regarding the closure of the company"s Vancouver studio:
Capcom is currently reviewing the allocation of its development resources that support the production of world-class content. Capcom has been focused on increasing the efficiency and growth of its game development operations. To support this objective, new R&D facilities and annual hiring have been underway at the Osaka headquarters. In consideration of this process, as a result of reviewing titles in development at Capcom Vancouver, Capcom has decided to cancel the development projects at this studio and will concentrate development of major titles in Japan.
As part of this overall direction, the CV studio will suspend operations, effective today, so the current staff will be laid off and the office will be closed.
The move will affect 158 employees, who will all receive severance packages. A small team will remain in the studio until January to handle the transitioning and shuttering process.
The restructuring and cancelation of Vancouver"s projects will cost the firm ¥4.5 billion ($40.2 million). While Capcom has thanked the developed studio for its "hard work and contributions ... in creating unforgettable gameplay experiences for the Dead Rising series and Puzzle Fighter", it"s unclear what the future holds for the former, more popular, franchise.
Source: GamesIndustry.biz