MotorStorm boss feared Apocalypse failure "might be the end" of Evolution

By Johnny Minkley Published 30 November, 2011

But Sony "defended and protected us", says Matt Southern.

Matt Southern, Evolution Studios group game director, has revealed his fear that the troubled launch and subsequent commercial failure of MotorStorm Apocalypse "might be the end" of the Sony-owned developer.

However, with the Runcorn-based outfit now making a new entry in the highly-regarded racing series for the European Vita launch, Southern hailed Sony for backing his team, telling Eurogamer TV: "[It has] defended us and protected us and allowed us to experiment".

Originally due for release on 18th March, PS3 racer MotorStorm Apocalypse was delayed by Sony due to "parallels" between its setting and the earthquake that devastated Japan earlier that month.

So, despite being praised as "the best MotorStorm yet" in its Eurogamer eight-out-of-ten review, major retailers cancelled pre-orders, its rescheduled release debuted at a disappointing 17 in the UK charts, and the game was eventually canned outright in Japan.

"It's been quite a tough year for us, especially early on in the year," said Southern. "We made a game we're really proud of and for some really heartbreaking reasons things didn't go so well. In perspective we've got nothing to complain about.

"I was worried it might be the end of Evolution," he added. "Racing has had a very tough time, even without extraordinary circumstances like the ones we went through."

Two major UK racing game studios, Black Rock and Bizarre Creations, were closed by Disney and Activision respectively in 2011 due to poor sales.

With MotorStorm RC announced last week for Vita and PS3, Southern spoke of his "absolute joy to have been part of Sony", owing to the support Evolution has received.

"We split the company up into three teams, one making RC, one supporting MotorStorm Apocalypse post-launch with DLC and multiplayer, and another bunch of guys just brainstorming new ideas. In a climate like the one we've had this year, that is rare."

Once RC was given the green light, Southern revealed, "we all started to pick ourselves up and get excited about it. We're not out of it yet, [but] things are turning round, I think. The studio's really, really buzzing now."

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About Johnny Minkley

Johnny Minkley is a veteran games writer and broadcaster, former editor of Eurogamer TV, VP of gaming charity SpecialEffect, and hopeless social media addict.

Read more articles from Johnny by visiting the Johnny Minkley archive page.

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Comments (55) Latest comment 5 months ago

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  • anthonypappa #1 6 months ago

    "the best motorstorm yet"

    it was the worst!

  • J0rdan_KZ #2 6 months ago

    I have to admit, I wasn't a huge fan of Apocalypse. It didn't feel like a motorstorm game. Pacific Rift is easily the best in the series.

  • coolbritannia #3 6 months ago

    Motorstorm is a great title for Sony though, and one of the games I most easily identify with the PS3. They'd be mad to can the series after one weaker installment.

  • streetmagix #4 6 months ago

    Great news about Evolution surviving, one of the best racing game developers around. Motorstorm's always struck me as ideal portable game, most races are over in about 8 minutes.

  • carlosdfn #5 6 months ago

    Kudos to sony for doing this. They look at the quality of the games and not the sales when it comes to deciding a developer's future. Not many publishers do that these days.

  • The-Jack-Burton #6 6 months ago

    Not as good as Pacific Rift, but it was still a lot of fun to play. Way better than The Run.

  • HarryMasonHerpderp #7 6 months ago

    I think motorstorm is realy underrated.
    Such a great game and a nice alternative to gran turismo.

  • coolbritannia #8 6 months ago

    @carlosdfn If the next game fails to sell, they'll can it. Repeated low sales guarantee a loss.

  • YobRenoops #9 6 months ago

    Remove rubberbanding

  • Osahi #10 6 months ago

    @anthonypappa No it wasn't. It was different yes, but I enjoyed it nontheless and it was the first one I finished. There were some bad decisions (the Story was awfull and unnecessary, rubberbanding and you could get an unfair loss when you crashed into rubble) but it was by far the most spectacular arcade racer I ever played and it truly captured the tention I relate with MotorStorm. It might not be better then Pacific Rift (but it is, in it's own way, as good imho) but it's deffenitaly better then the first
    Edited by Osahi at 30/11/11 @ 13:19

  • lcmnick #11 6 months ago

    Post deleted at 12:48:44 14-04-2012

  • MattEdWithCheese #12 6 months ago

    Too bad the same couldn't be said for Studio Liverpool...

  • carlosdfn #13 6 months ago

    @coolbritannia Yeah but they were willing to give them another chance. There are lots of examples of first party games that failed at first but grew because sony supported them, ICO and the first Uncharted are good examples.
    They created a ton of new IPs this gen, some of them with huge financial risk like Heavy Rain, let's give them credit for that.

  • Tusken77 #14 6 months ago

    Pacific Rift is the best Motorstorm thus far. Superb game. Evolution, if you're reading this, leave the cartoon nonsense out next time please.

  • SpartanGR #15 6 months ago

    A lesson to be learned to other developers. SONY CARES.

  • cheeky-sod #16 6 months ago

    Blame the natural disasters in the world for your failure. Good one

  • Beano #17 6 months ago

    Game play in MS:A was a blast but career mode is over way to soon since it's to story centric. Online is great though.
    Edited by Beano at 30/11/11 @ 13:32

  • fanto #18 6 months ago

    Relly good to hear that Sony is protecting and defending their first-party stidios when the sales fail. Never heard Microsoft doing something like that.

  • NotSoSlim #19 6 months ago

    @cheeky-sod They are not blaming the Tsunami but it certainly didnt help.

    Its a fun game but who would play a game about a crumbling city when a country has just had a Tsunami?

  • SeesThroughAll #20 6 months ago

    @fanto

    Relly good to hear that Sony is protecting and defending their first-party stidios when the sales fail. Never heard Microsoft doing something like that.

    Really? Why didn't they get rid of Lionhead Studios yet then? ;)

  • SpartanGR #21 6 months ago

    @lollage

    Good point but it is also a matter of WHEN to give up on others. I bet Sony closed those studios as you say but i'm pretty sure they fought till the end.

  • jablonski #22 6 months ago

    "So, despite being praised as "the best MotorStorm yet" in its Eurogamer eight-out-of-ten review"

    That's ok, we assumed the score

  • chris_ace #23 6 months ago

    Post deleted at 11:55:13 13-12-2011

  • hosedoctor69 #24 6 months ago

    I agree with the general consensus, Apocalypse was the worst and Pacific Rift was the best...not sure I like the look of the new one though!

  • chris_ace #25 6 months ago

    Post deleted at 11:55:13 13-12-2011

  • Boomalla #26 6 months ago

    I'm still enjoying Pacific Rift, Once i'm done with that i'll definitely get Motorstorm apocalypse.

  • Darren #27 6 months ago

    I never bought Apocalypse because, quite frankly, I was fed up of the MotorStorm games after the previous two of which the second was the best. I played the demo of the last game but didn't find it offered anything I hadn't seen before in other similar games. You can have too much of a good thing IMO but I'd say that if Apocalypse failed to sell then perhaps that should be taken as a sign that the public are bored with the series and that the developers should begin work on something NEW? ;)

  • MattEdWithCheese #28 6 months ago

    @chris_ace Don't remember exactly what it was but I seem to remember hearing that they merged Liverpool and Evolution or something of that effect, sacking a lot of staff, it was around the time that GT5 came out, I remember because everyone in the comments was pointing out that the two studios were some of Sony's best and that they were being racist by damaging them over Polyphony

    I also remember someone pointing out that the last thing Studio Liverpool did was patching Bayonetta to make it run a bit better... but then if they're making that new WipEout game, I've no clue what the hell it was about :/

  • MattEdWithCheese #29 6 months ago

    @Darren The First was based in the American Desert, the Second was set on a tropical island, the Third was took place in the Arctic, the Forth in a city falling apart after the apocalypse and the new one uses RC Cars...

    How can you possibly be bored of the series? the only similarities between them are that they are all multiple-route arcade racers with pseudo-sim physics and numerous vehicle types in the same race...

  • chris_ace #30 6 months ago

    Post deleted at 11:55:13 13-12-2011

  • MARKIV #31 6 months ago

    I thought MS Apocalypse was the best of the three and the 3D was stunning/ground breaking even. The only negative was in the campaign two thirds through there was one level that was way overly too hard. Beat it eventually though!

  • ToAks #32 6 months ago

    @MattEdWithCheese

    UH? Studio.Liverpool was given many chances really,that is before they made one branch redundant, everyone know that,both developers and outsiders, or maybe you're just trolling?

    @all

    The worst port with MS:A was the cartoony story shit, i hated that part and it ruined a awesome game, also it was simply too short.
    The Online still roxx! and i still play singleplayer from time to time even though i have all the trophies....

    MS:pR is the best of the 4 MS games released so far, really great online community and great party system too.

    I would recomend people to grab Motorstorm:Apocalypse at AMAZON.CO.Uk right now, its only 12.99GBP for the platinum edition, awesome game.
    Edited by ToAks at 30/11/11 @ 15:04

  • HisDudness #33 6 months ago

    I just played through Apocolypse recently and it has some really great races in the campaign. The story is goofy, but doesn't get in the way at all, and it's very easy to skip the cutscenes even on the first playthrough. If anything the campaign was too easy, but many of the races were satisfying to win.

    Wish I could try the 3D, but not sure if my heart could take it :)

    It was my first motorstorm experience, and definitely turned my head to the series. I'll definitely be on the lookout for Pacific Rift and whatever Evolution do next.

  • Arwin #34 6 months ago

    Thank god. I'm a big Motorstorm fan, glad Evolution sticks around!

  • ToAks #35 6 months ago

    @madedwithcheese

    From the wiki and also the ps blog:

    On 29 January 2010 Sony made the following public statement: "It has been decided that production on a number of projects within Studio Liverpool will cease immediately due to project prioritisation. Our North West Studio Group has been and will continue to be a vital cog in the WWS family, with a history of producing genre defining games such as MotorStorm, WipEout, Formula 1 and WRC and this decision will have no impact of the role that the North West Studio Group will play in the future of all PlayStation platforms".[5]

  • MattEdWithCheese #36 6 months ago

    @ToAks ah kk ta, well it was nearly 2 years ago...

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #37 6 months ago

    I find it strange to see that the arcade racing genre seems to have utterly died (with the sole exception of Mario Kart).

    It's almost as mystifying as the total death of the 3D cartoon platform game (apart from Mario galaxy... odd pattern forming here) in the current generation of consoles.

  • knightmt #38 6 months ago

    The 3D in was amazing, but I did not find it very challenging, which may just be because I did not look hard enough.

  • ToAks #39 6 months ago

    @menta1st

    There was 2 arcade racers released for PS3 just last week (Dreamworks kart racing and ben10 racing..) and i'm not saying theyre awesome or anything :), anyway Sega Allstars racing and Modnation Racing are 2 great contenders...

    actually i want more Crash Bandicoot and spyro games even though theyre "not as good as they used to be" anymore.

    3D Platformers... Generator X , came 2 weeks ago. Ratchet And Clank All4One a month ago , Penguins Of Madagascar 2 months ago,Lord Of The Rings-Aragorns Quest, Alice Madness Returns, DeBlob2, Sly Collection :) and early next year the Jak And Daxter collection O_o.

    so there are some games left but the problem is that most are extremly low budget or generic titles which go straight to the bargin bin.

  • username84 #40 6 months ago

    I found apocalypse relied too much on scripted drama. Rather than letting it happen naturally like it did in Pacific Rift. I don't want to see the same thing happen again and again. I like the chaotic bone crunching mayhem and mud of the jungle.

  • seeafish #41 6 months ago

    Never been a fan of Motorstorm, but playing Apocalypse in 3D wowed me. I'm hooked now!
    Happy to see Sony supporting their 1st parties so well. Keeps the quality levels high.

    On a tangent, I can't wait to see what SuckerPunch will work on next.

  • woodyrulesok #42 6 months ago

    I absolutely loved the first Motorstorm, liked Pacific Rift but Apocalypse didn't interest me in the slightest.
    For me the city environment added nothing to the series, I thought Split Second was more fun.

  • djreplay #43 6 months ago

    @ToAks So they didn't close down but stopped working on a couple of unannounced games.

  • handsonhips101 #44 6 months ago

    WRC game please. they were the best.

  • holsty101 #45 6 months ago

    IIRC they don't have the WRC licence any longer, maybe Codemasters?

  • HermitArcader #46 6 months ago

    Post deleted at 09:17:39 22-12-2011

  • mrblonde #47 6 months ago

    Motorstorm is a decent game but the fact is the ps3 doesn't sell games as well as its main competitor.People rave about its so called superior exclusive library but everything from motorstorm to resistance to LBP are commercial failures,Lets face it, the 360 sellls games best has best online(massive purchasing factor for FPS or arcade racer)and its household names of gears and halo will make sure msoft win this generation.

  • bikmate #48 6 months ago

    Holy smokes, I'm buying this right now then. I wanted to wait because I've got a few games that I still need to play, but seeing as they are in trouble I might as well get it before the price falls even lower.

  • betrayerofhope #49 6 months ago

    that's why i love sony.

    the only IP they have wasted their money on this gen is resistance. Truly a horrible franchise.

    but the uncharteds, the motorstorms, the heavy rains, the killzones, the wipeouts and the LBPs i have really enjoyed them this generation.

    Ofourse not to mention the usual suspects Gran Turismo and god of war.


    that's why i will keep buying sony games

  • betrayerofhope #50 6 months ago

    @mrblonde

    so what microsoft arcade racer sold more than the motorstorm series this generation.

    Forza the great MS racing exclsuive bombed hard.

  • peterfll #51 6 months ago

    Well I loved all three, I thought they were all great arcade racers, each with their own merits. I still play them all and even dusted off Pacific Rift and the original Motorstorm recently. They still play (and look) the part.

    I'm terminally depressed at how bad some fantastic racing games have sold this past 18 month, Motorstorm Apocolypse and Split/Second especially.

  • ToAks #52 6 months ago

    @mrblonde

    i know you where just trolling but i'll bite...
    When you release 2 exclusive titles a year, of course they will sell better.
    When you release 20 exclusive titles a year , of course you will sell less per each game.

    the so called bombs as you call them..
    GT5 passed 6 million copies.
    LBP 1 passed 2,5 million
    LBP 2 passed 1,5 Million
    Heavy Rain passed 2 million
    God Of War 3 passed 4 million

    and so on...
    Yes sadly Motorstorm Pacific Rift and Apocalypse sold in pretty low numbers compared to what they should have but the series (totally) has still sold more than lets say Forza 3 and 4 ;)

  • riseer #53 5 months ago

    @anthonypappa Lol its a awesome game the amount of stuff going on on screen is nothing but awesome.I like the story mode and i love the online racing.

  • riseer #54 5 months ago

    @coolbritannia It's just ashame because at the time i really wanted it but the delay made me miss it.I just picked it up last week for 25 dollars''new'' and i love it.

  • riseer #55 5 months ago

    @ToAks I agree and a big reason MSA didn't sell well was because the delay.Alot of folks overlooked it and imo it's a mistake to not pick it up.It has nice visuals runs really good.Reminds me if you mix a arcade racing with Road Rash+2011 the movie ''the destruction'' parts of it.

    Nothing quite like watching a building fall down, just for you to race inside of it.Everything around you is crashing down.It's really fun and that's all that matters.