Confirmed: Wolfpack Studios Closes Doors

Just days after the company dropped subscription fees for Wolfpack's PC massively multiplayer online role-playing game Shadowbane, online reports are indicating that the Ubisoft's development studio, which is based in Austin, Texas, will be closing down in the near future. Although the developer’s website is still advertising new job positions, community manager “Ashen Temper” has appeared to confirm the news on the game’s official message boards, and on his personal weblog. Requests for official comment were referred by Wolfpack Studios staff to Ubisoft itself, which has not made an official statement as of press time. [UPDATE 10.20am PST, 03/29/06 - Gamasutra has received an official statement from Ubisoft on Wolfpack's closing, as follows: "Ubisoft will be closing its Wolfpack studio in Austin, Texas on May 15, 2006. Wolfpack created Ubisoft's massively multiplayer online game Shadowbane which launched in 2004. The decision to close Wolfpack is part of an overall strategy to concentrate Ubisoft's development in its larger studios where more resources are available. Ubisoft is looking for relocation opportunities for all of the very talented Wolfpack employees within Ubisoft. Shadowbane is currently free to play and will stay that way until at least May 15, 2006. Ubisoft will be sending customers more information as soon as it is available."] Originally purchased by Ubisoft in March 2004, the French publisher is reportedly looking to refocus efforts on the console market with the new fiscal year, in expectation of the launch of the PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Revolution. According to multiple reports, the staff of approximately twenty-five at Wolfpack were told that their jobs were being terminated, and that the last day for the company would be May 15th.