In addition to sackings at Neversoft and Luxoflux, Kotaku has learned today that publisher Activision has also laid off employees at RedOctane and internal studio Underground Development.
https://lastchance.cc/activision-takes-axe-to-guitar-heros-neversoft-shuts-d-5469858%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Weâve heard that RedOctane, the publisher of the original Guitar Hero and creator of the franchiseâs plastic instruments, has been completely shut down. Those responsible directly for the seriesâ hardware will now report straight to Activision, while those remaining â around 30-40 people â have been shown the door.
The closure comes less than two weekâs after the Guitar Hero groupâs boss, Dan Rosensweig, walked away from the job, and his replacement was not given the COO title of his predecessor. Which was as sure a sign as any of todayâs actions.
https://lastchance.cc/meet-the-new-guitar-hero-boss-not-the-old-guitar-hero-5462684%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Weâve reached out to Activision for confirmation on these, and will update if we hear anything back.
UPDATE â Activision has confirmed both moves, telling us âAs part of our overall strategy to release fewer skus for Guitar Hero in 2010 we are closing the Underground studios and relocating RedOctane to our Santa Monica headquarters under the leadership of David Haddad.â
