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Lair developer Factor 5 closes down

Deal with Brash sank studio.

Factor 5, the California studio responsible for the Star Wars: Rogue Squadron games and Sony's ill-fated Lair, has closed down.

The studio signed with publisher Brash Entertainment last year. Brash's closure due to bankruptcy at the end of last year, leaving unpaid developer bills, was too much for Factor 5 to survive.

That's according to a statement by Achim Moller, boss of the studio's German parent company, on the developer's website.

"We are sorry to announce the closure of the San Rafael-based Factor 5, Inc. studio, but the obstacles created by the sudden bankruptcy of Brash Entertainment for the continuation of operations have turned out to be too great to overcome in the current economic climate," he said.

Factor 5's last game was 2007's disappointing PS3 dragon combat game Lair, but the studio is more fondly remembered for the Star Wars: Rogue Squadron space shooters it made for the Nintendo64 and GameCube.

Variety suggested that Factor 5 was working on a Superman game for Brash.

The German company, Factor 5 GmbH, remains unaffected by the closure.