Activision Considers Sale Of Blur Dev Bizarre Creations, Puts Staff On Notice

Activision confirmed to Gamasutra on Tuesday that it is considering selling off Bizarre Creations, the UK-based developer that the megapublisher acquired in 2007. "Over the past three years since our purchase of Bizarre Creations, the fundamentals of the racing genre have changed significantly," an Activision rep said in a statement. "Although we made a substantial investment in creating a new IP, Blur, it did not find a commercial audience." The statement continued, "Bizarre is a very talented team of developers, however, because of the broader economic factors impacting the market, we are exploring our options regarding the future of the studio, including a potential sale of the business." The statement from Activision comes as rumors hit the web that 200 workers were let go from the Liverpool, England-based studio. But the rep told Gamasutra that all Bizarre staff thus far have only received a 90-day notice that some type of restructuring or closure could take place, in accordance with UK labor laws. It's possible that parent Activision could sell off Bizarre as a whole, shut it down, reduce the headcount or sell off its assets, among numerous other possibilities. Activision has yet to make public any firm decision. Bizarre released the combat racing game Blur in May this year, and the console versions of action title James Bond 007: Blood Stone just this month. The company is also behind the Project Gotham Racing and Geometry Wars series. The Liverpool-based developer formed as Bizarre Creations in 1994, although the studio's roots go back into the 1980s.