Zipper Interactive Shutting Down?

[River_Rat_459]

Say it ain't so! IF this is true, then it's a sad day for those of us who were here from the early days. MAG was the first game the majority of us played together as the USMG clan.


The writing could be on the wall for Socom and MAG developer, Zipper Interactive.

According to sources at Kotaku, the developer is being hit with layoffs and project cancellations and may even face studio shutdown. Zipper’s last game was the PSone Vita title Unit 13.

We’ve reached out to Sony for confirmation, but the publisher declined to comment.

SOURCE: http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2012/03/23/sony-planning-on-shutting-down-zipper-interactive.aspx

EDIT: More information here: http://kotaku.com/5894692/rumor-socom-creators-being-shut-down-by-sony?

http://playstationlifestyle.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/mag-logo-685x293.jpg

[saviger]

well that SUCKS!

[Chet The Jet]

my first game ever was socom 2. made by zipper :(

[tracker_usmc]

Well so much for gamers like me that was hoping for a MAG 2!

[River_Rat_459]

Well so much for gamers like me that was hoping for a MAG 2!

^ this!

[jack]

It's a shame but if they could've gotten their shit together with MAG... then they would've been around for many years to come. Studios like Zipper are made/broken with titles like MAG, unfortunately they went the way of Team Bondi on this one.

[MaximusR3]

what happens to the MAG servers, they go offline and the game ceases to exist? major downside to an online only game

anyways, here's Zipper's farewell twitter post


After 17 years it’s time to head off into the sunset. A sincere thank you to all our fans for everything you've done for us. Farewell.

[Ironhide400]

what happens to the MAG servers, they go offline and the game ceases to exist? major downside to an online only game

anyways, here's Zipper's farewell twitter post

YEAH...what about their servers? No more MAG??

[River_Rat_459]

YEAH...what about their servers? No more MAG??

I just happened to stumble across this today. From what it looks like, anyone should still be able to play Zipper titles online (note the text in bold).


Zipper Interactive, the Seattle-based developer behind the SOCOM series as well as MAG and the PS Vita launch window title Unit 13, has been officially shut down, Sony confirms in a statement delivered to Game Informer. The closing is "a result of a normal cycle of resource re-alignment," the statement reads.

The studio's most recent release is Unit 13, which came to the Vita on March 6, 2012, just a week after the handheld's U.S. release. Zipper created the SOCOM series, starting with the 2002 release for PlayStation 2 and culminating in 2011's SOCOM 4. MAG arrived a year earlier, in 2010, bringing grand-scale multiplayer action to the PlayStation 3 with its 256-player matches.

Hit the jump for the full text of Sony's official statement.


Sony Computer Entertainment can confirm the closure of Zipper Interactive, a Seattle-based internal game development studio that has been part of the global development operation of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios (SCE WWS).

The closure is a result of a normal cycle of resource re-alignment within SCE WWS. Zipper has completed all work associated with its most recent project, Unit 13 for PlayStation Vita. Zipper titles MAG, SOCOM 4 and Unit 13 will continue to be supported, including the new Daily Challenges in Unit 13.

Game Informer notes that Zipper housed approximately 80 employees. The mention of "resource realignment" suggests that at least some of those employees were reassigned to other projects/studios, though Sony offers no details on how the closure is being handled.

[jxspyder]

Oh, so Zipper is in an-house developer for Sony? I thought it was independant. Guess that's a silver lining.

[River_Rat_459]

Oh, so Zipper is in an-house developer for Sony? I thought it was independant. Guess that's a silver lining.

Yeah, I'm reading it that Sony is doing some realignment internally, which I guess is to be expected from time to time. I assume Zipper started off independent and then wound up being acquired for in-house work, kind of like how Sucker Punch was.

[River_Rat_459]

In a follow-up, Sony announced yesterday that the PS2 and PSP servers for SOCOM will be shut down effective August 31.


May 29, 2012 1:27 PM
Decommission of SOCOM servers
On August 31, 2012 Sony Computer Entertainment America will be terminating the on-line service for the following PlayStation®2 and PlayStation®Portable ("PSP") software titles:

PlayStation®2 system: SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs, SOCOM II: U.S. Navy SEALs, SOCOM 3: U.S. Navy SEALs, SOCOM Combined Assault.

SOURCE: http://community.us.playstation.com/thread/4699021?tstart=0

[Chet The Jet]

But whyyyyyyyy !


Sent from your sisters iPhone using your sisters Tapatalk.