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Blizzard Acquires Swingin' Ape Studios

Posted by Zonk on from the more-monkeys-are-always-welcome dept.

Gamasutra.com has the news that well known development house Blizzard has acquired Swingin' Ape Studios, the company currently working on the StarCraft:Ghost console title. From the article: "The acquisition of Swingin' Ape Studios takes us one step closer to realizing our goal of becoming a top-tier console developer...With Swingin' Ape's talented designers, programmers, and artists, we're confident we'll be able to create console games that meet the quality standards we've established for every Blizzard title."

22 comments

  1. and perhaps by FidelCatsro · · Score: 3, Funny

    Star craft ghost may actualy get released some time this centuary .
    I may be mistaken but hasn't this been expected since 2001.
    I understand it switched developers last year , i just hope it dosn't go daikatana on us

    --
    The only things certain in war are Propaganda and Death. You can never be sure which is which though
    1. Re:and perhaps by pyrrhonist · · Score: 3, Funny
      I understand it switched developers last year , i just hope it dosn't go daikatana on us

      Don't worry, it won't be like that. It's going to be really good, and will be released at the same time as DNF. I'm looking forward to it.

      --
      Show me on the doll where his noodly appendage touched you.
    2. Re:and perhaps by theclam159 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Blizzard games always get delayed heavily.

    3. Re:and perhaps by Sebadude · · Score: 1

      Do you mean that development switched to an entirely new team/studio? What happened? Could someone elaborate?

      --
      Eh.
    4. Re:and perhaps by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      RTFA!

  2. WoW subscribers. by JVert · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Will the WoW subscribers get a free copy of starcraft: ghost? Seems fitting as they are the ones paying for it instead of better customer service or servers. Is it ttuesday yet?

    1. Re:WoW subscribers. by Solikawa · · Score: 1

      I wonder whats going to be borked tommorow =/

    2. Re:WoW subscribers. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      You may not be aware, but Blizzard runs an entire forum dedicated to trolling about World of Warcraft.

    3. Re:WoW subscribers. by JVert · · Score: 1
      IBTL

  3. High quality? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So that's why my computer has started spewing grits since I installed WoW...

  4. who cares any more? by boomerny · · Score: 4, Informative

    I lost interest in this title long ago. When I first read that Blizzard was doing a console game I thought Great! Finally a developer is going to do RTS proper for my Xbox. Then I found out it was going to be some 3rd or 1st person, stealth-action type thing and they started to lose me. I wish they would have stuck to their bread-and-butter and figured out a way to bring the original Starcraft experience to the consoles. Maybe Bungie will do us all a favor and reimagine Myth for Xbox.

    1. Re:who cares any more? by bobgoatcheese · · Score: 3, Informative

      Maybe Bungie will do us all a favor and reimagine Myth for Xbox.

      Sorry, but Bungie lost the rights to the Myth franchise to Take 2 when they were bought by Microsoft, and good luck getting those guys to do anything worthwhile. View Myth III for evidence.

      --
      How's my typing? Call 1-800-eta-shut
    2. Re:who cares any more? by Joel+from+Sydney · · Score: 1

      Yeah, but is a good RTS game really possible on a console? Having played the Godawful ports of Command & Conquer to the PS1 back in the day, I'm not convinced that RTS can even be done with any degree of finesse. Any game that requires a point-and-click style functionality just doesn't work well on a console. That includes real-time strategy, first-person shooters, RPGs and Sims-type games as well. Analog console controllers lag far behind what's possible with a mouse and keyboard. IMHO, consoles are for sports, fighting, driving and Grand Theft Auto.

    3. Re:who cares any more? by NinjaFarmer · · Score: 1

      Did you ever play Battlezone? That was a type of RTS game that could easily be ported over to a console and have an easy to use and responsive interface.

    4. Re:who cares any more? by DavidD_CA · · Score: 1

      I thought the same thing.. but in reading more about Ghost and the way it plays, I think you'll discover it's much more strategy than shooter.

      --
      -David
    5. Re:who cares any more? by JVert · · Score: 1

      http://www.nintendo.com/gamemini?gameid=m-Game-000 0-241&

  5. Blizzard making sure the job's done right? by UltimaL337Star · · Score: 2, Funny

    Now that's quality control...

  6. metal arms: glitch in the system by cycledance · · Score: 3, Informative

    metal arms is swingin apes first game and its really good. it came out on gamecube, xbox and ps2 in 2003. a sleeper hit. i suggest u check it out. cheap and easy to find. the companys aquisition is proof for the studios talent to make great games.

    1. Re:metal arms: glitch in the system by KrisW · · Score: 1

      That sure is one heck of a game. It'll kick your ass on the higher difficulty settings too...

      --


      "Think you can take me? Go ahead on. It's your move." --Joe Don Baker in Final Justice
  7. It's the new marketing scheam! by Irashtar · · Score: -1, Redundant

    1. Hire Sub-contractors for project A 2. Wait 3. Wait 4. Wait 5. Wait 6. Make huge profits from project B 7. Pipe said funds into project A 8. Buy out Sub-contractors ??? 10. BIGGER PROFIT!

  8. The reason for Swinging Apes. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Since most of the Blizzard's talant left a while ago, and with Ghost being in the public works since 2001 E3, with no show -it seems like their desire to plunge into this is almost desparet. To be true, they first started talking about it in '98!!

    The next game from Blizzard will be a big test for the company. Is it one hit wonder with WarCraft/StarCraft or they can produce new and fresh concepts?

    StarCraft
    StarCraft Brood Wars
    StarCraft Battle Chess
    WarCraft
    WarCraft II
    WarCraft III
    WarCraft III :Frozen Throne
    WarCraft Adventures.
    World Of WarCraft (MMO)

    Yes, they made other games, but can you name them without looking up their website? Most of them were a bust, but a lot has been forgiven since Blizzard was cranking out their own Star Wars Multi Mini Series in between.

    A big test...if they make it, most people will see it as vindications for Blizzards great contribution to the gaming. If not, the good faith, that Blizzard been eroding away after so many years, will turn it into just another company that floods the market with gimmicks.

    I guess though there are always going to be dans who will love to get more tripe from Blizz like because it is Blizzard.

    NExt:
    StarCraft: World of Swinging Ape

    1. Re:The reason for Swinging Apes. by zeno_2 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Diablo 1
      Diablo 1: Hellfire
      Diablo 2
      Diablo 2: Lords of Destruction