F2P Command & Conquer cancelled, studio faces closure

Victory Studios announced today that its in-development, free-to-play Command & Conquer title has been shut down by parent company Electronic Arts. The studio itself is also facing closure. In a statement posted to the game's official website, Victory Studios said the cancellation was due to poor reception to the game's alpha. "Your feedback from the alpha trial is clear: we are not making the game you want to play. That is why, after much difficult deliberation, we have decided to cease production of this version of the game," said the studio. The company said that it would be processing refunds for those who paid into the alpha, and added that although development had been scrapped on this particular version, "we have already begun looking at a number of alternatives to get the game back on track." Meanwhile, an Electronic Arts representative has been quoted by Polygon saying that the studio faces layoffs and possible closure, with some or all of its staff moved to other positions within the company. "The team at Victory Games will be disbanded," the spokesperson is quoted as saying. "Wherever possible, we are working to help these talented people find other opportunities within EA." Gamasutra has also received reports from a trusted source that engineers at Victory's Austin, Texas-based studio are facing layoffs. We are currently seeking confirmation from EA whether today's announcement also affects Victory's Los Angeles location. [Update: According to an additional source close to Victory, "almost all employees" at Victory's EA LA location were sent home today.]