Namco explains BottleRocket ousting

By Oli Welsh Published 16 March, 2009

Splatterhouse dev had "performance issue".

Namco Bandai Games America exec Makoto Iwai has explained that the publisher pulled its Splatterhouse remake from developer BottleRocket last month due to "a performance issue".

"So, basically, the only reason why publishers pull the project out from the developer is when the developer isn't really meeting the requirements. So, unfortunately, this was the case," Iwai told Gamasutra.

"I have to be very careful so we don't make any direct comment on it because whatever we say, people will try to be on the developer side. You know, 'The developer is an independent developer trying hard, and evil publishers are trying to get rid of the business by doing whatever they feel like,'" he continued.

"That's not the case. I just want to be 100 per cent clear. There was a performance issue."

Iwai's comments back up speculation that BottleRocket was not meeting its deadlines on the project. Splatterhouse had been due for release this spring.

Elsewhere in the interview, Iwai speaks about Namco's recent in-house US development, Afro Samurai. The Afro Samurai team is rumoured to have taken over work on Splatterhouse.

"The team did a great job with the limited amount of time," Iwai said. "And, so, the result is that it's not really a 100 per cent achievement, but it's still receiving repeat orders. I was not really happy to see some brutal reviews."

You can't have it both ways, Iwai-san. Time may be money, but it's also quality.

Picture of Oli.

About Oli Welsh

Oli is Eurogamer's acting deputy editor and reviews editor and likes to take things one word at a time. He is among the best dressed people in South London.

Read more articles from Oli by visiting the Oli Welsh archive page.

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Comments (15) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • JohnnyWashnGo #1 3 years ago

    Woooah - odd page layout on this empty article

  • Oli Verified Reviews Editor, Eurogamer.net #2 3 years ago

    Apologies. I blame Mondays.

  • DFawkes #3 3 years ago

    Maybe the developer blamed Mondays too.

    Shame, but if the publisher had to take action to that extend it must've been really, really bad.

  • jglover4 #4 3 years ago

    DFawkes - Or the publisher set unrealistic targets that were impossible to meet. So far we've only heard from one side...

  • photoboy #5 3 years ago

    Or more likely the Afto Samurai team finished their game and rather than have their in-house developers sat around doing nothing Namco dumped Bottle Rocket on "performance" grounds so they could save money finishing the game in-house.

  • Cappy #6 3 years ago

    'Performance issue' is probably Namco trying to soften the blow somewhat. Anybody who has seen the preview shots BottleRocket released would be pretty worried about the direction the game had been taken in. It looked bad, really bad. Golden Axe Beast Riders bad. Actually it looked even worse than that.

  • BBIAJ #7 3 years ago

    From Joystiq.com:

    When approached for comment on the situation, Bottlerocket told us that, "Last Friday, Namco showed up with a U-Haul truck, took all their assets (dev kits, etc.) and informed management that the title was being pulled from Bottlerocket."

  • RobotRocker #8 3 years ago

    It didnt look too bad. Rick's animation was pretty impressive, looking like a more frightingly agile and animalistic Hulk and the limb removal gameplay seemed interesting enough to seperate it from the litany of God of War clones. Bottlerocket were behind the rather magnificent Mark of Kri (Which was a God of War predecessor and woefully ignored by the masses due to its Disney/Don Bluth style art. Its still one of the most vicious and brutal video games you can get a hold of today though so try pick it up cheap in CeX or somewhere) and less impressive but still rather worthy Rise of the Kasai so it had pedigree behind it. Shame they were booted off, interested what Namco's internal team can do though. Afro Samurai got the best ever 5/10 review in EDGE so its gonna be something.

    Edit: @BBIAJ

    Wow, thats a massive dick move on Namco's part. I wonder what happened there.
    Edited by 1 at 16/03/09 @ 11:13

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #9 3 years ago

    There's saying in software development. Out of

    Good Quality
    Fast performance
    Delivered on time

    you can only pick 2.


    Which is why many big games suffer delays.

  • menage #10 3 years ago

    ""The team did a great job with the limited amount of time," Iwai said. "And, so, the result is that it's not really a 100 per cent achievement, but it's still receiving repeat orders. I was not really happy to see some brutal reviews."

    Jezus, look in the mirror and say that again without bursting out in laughter Iwa. Delaying a game isn't a crime.
    Edited by 1 at 16/03/09 @ 13:33

  • kangarootoo #11 3 years ago

    I don't know anything about the specific case in hand, so all my comments are general.


    "There's saying in software development. Out of
    Good Quality
    Fast performance
    Delivered on time
    you can only pick 2"

    That sort of thing always makes me kind of cringe, 'cos we bloody well should be able to pick all 3. The reason we can't is because the games industry is still learning how to run after all these years.

    Its not "creative" to not be able to finish a game on time, to the spec that was initially laid out, and within budget. It is simply poor project management.


    "Jezus, look in the mirror and say that again without bursting out in laughter Iwa. Delaying a game isn't a crime."

    Well its not a crim,e but neither should it be viewed as "ok". Making games shouldn't be some random art form. If a dev agrees a budget, timeframe and series of quality milestones with a publisher there is no good reason why they shouldn't be able to stick to them.

    I am NOT saying that slippage is automatically the devs fault, as publishers can cock things up just as easily as anyone, but if the initial plan a decent one (and that includes a factor of safety to cover the unexpected) it is simply NOT ok if a game is delayed for no proper reason (lack of planning doesn't count as a proper reason).
    Edited by 1 at 16/03/09 @ 13:41

  • Pickster #12 3 years ago

    "Once again, Kangaroo hits the nail on the head."

    Only he slightly missed the point Mentalist(air) was makeing.

    The issue isn't limited to games development, its all software development. Furthermore its not limited to the software industry. How many times do you hear about a building development run way over time / budget.

    Other industries are far more mature than the Software one and because of this, in general, they are better meeting all their targets, the sofware industry is still catching up.

    Unfortunatly there are lessons that can be learnt which the industry seems a little stubborn (as a whole) to take on board, but things seem to be getting better.

  • Pickster #13 3 years ago

    "But then, you are ignoring all the developers out there who CAN get games out on time and on budget."

    No I wasn't. I was just pointing out that blasting game developers for running overtime and or budget is wrong in comparison to not only the software industry as a whole but also other industries that are far better established.

    I am by no means saying Namco were wrong (none of us can really make reliable comments since we don't know the facts). If they feel they had good grounds to shift development teams then thats fair play.

    Certainly not every development team that 'requests' an extended budget and/or development period should be granted it, but I also believe that Microsofts rigidity (as one example) has left us with some games that would have been a more pleasant experience.

  • kangarootoo #14 3 years ago

    @CountFapula and Pickster

    I think you two are pretty much in agreement :)

    I know of small studios who are well regarded by publishers because they are consistently able to turn in quality work, on time and to budget. They simply know how to do that, and demonstrate their knowledge time after time. Unfortunately, whilst they may be in a silent majority, they don't represent the whole industry.

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #15 3 years ago

    The reason we can't is because the games industry is still learning how to run after all these years.

    I'm not talking specifically about game development.

    Having seen both sides of the fence, modern games development doesn't do much worse, and in some cases is considerably better than 'regular' commercial software development.

    But something always has to give, and no developer of anything is immune to managing performance/quality/schedule tradeoffs.