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n 2012, while researching a similar article, we stopped counting about midway through the 20s.
Such is the nature of the games industry, or at least, life in the 2012 entertainment-tech economy. Of course, each company or studio is unique, and so is the sad nature of its departure. But there are trends worth noting, and this list aims to highlight those trends. This year, there has been a flushing out of the mobile, social and MMO markets, a general tightening of belts among large companies and, of course, the dismal spectacle of studios getting caught up in economic and even political turmoil. It’s worth remembering that, as well as these 20 companies, we counted a further 35 instances of smaller studio closures or significant lay-offs. The games industry was ever a maelstrom, but it perhaps serves some small comfort to consider that most companies, most of the time, are seeking to fill positions, and that, via innovations like Kickstarter and Greenlight, new projects new teams and new companies are always being born. We have placed the following list in order of company longevity, with the oldest developer founded in 1973, and the youngest in 2011. This list is a selection of notable closures, but does not represent every developer that ceased work in the last year. It's worth also noting that the end of a studio does not necessarily spell the end of the franchises that made its name. |
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