Silicon Knights cuts 26 jobs temporarily

By Robert Purchese Published 7 October, 2008

Hopes to reinstate them on new games.

Too Human developer Silicon Knights has temporarily laid off 26 employees while work on "several new and exciting games" gets under way.

This, assured a statement from developer (read by Joystiq), is usual practice after a big game such as Too Human is released. Apparently most losing their jobs were people hired in the immediate run-up to launch, when the headcount swelled to an impressive 180 people.

"Silicon Knights is currently working on several new and exciting games that will be announced to the public in the coming months," said Denis Dyack, owner of the largest office and best whiskey at Silicon Knights, probably.

"In addition to those projects, Silicon Knights continues to develop and promote other new and original ideas, which will become the innovative games of tomorrow.

"These 26 individuals are hard-working and valued team members that we hope to bring back as we ramp up on our future projects," he added.

One of those projects will be the psychological action thriller for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 that was granted half-a-million Canadian dollars of funding earlier this year.

Another should be the remaining instalments in the Too Human trilogy, the first part of which was released at the end of August to middling scores.

Head over to our Too Human review to find out more.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (28) Latest comment 3 years ago

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

  • Demento41 #1 3 years ago

    180 people worked on that game? What a waste of talent.

  • Dizzy #2 3 years ago

    Contractors probably?

  • Triggerhappytel #3 3 years ago

    I'm more than a little sceptical that Too Human parts 2 & 3 will ever get made. If it really cost $100 million to make the first game then it would have needed to sell about 2 million copies just to break even (not even including marketing, etc). Does anyone have any idea how many it shifted?

    Be interesting to see what their next project will be though. Do they hold the Eternal Darkness licence, or is that Ninty?

  • anomagnus #4 3 years ago

    @ Demento41

    and how would you know? how much time have you put into the game? or were you one of those people that couldn't handle the first level and gave up?

    cause i'm 136 hours in, and like most people that learned to play the game, am continually stunned by its depth

    of course, you can continue to read shitty reviews, by barely literate hacks, paid to rape a game for web hits, and move on, like the risible review on this website for example, by all means, continue down your happy path, bleating away with the rest of the herd

    as a fan of the game, and someone thats actually bloody played it to destruction nearly, i think i know a shit load more than the fuckwits that seem content to comment on the game without playing it

  • kangarootoo #5 3 years ago

    This happens sometimes to indie devs. Hopefully they will all get picked up again soon.


    "and like most people that learned to play the game"

    zzz... error...

    "as a fan of the game, and someone thats actually bloody played it to destruction nearly, i think i know a shit load more than the fuckwits that seem content to comment on the game without playing it"

    I've played it. 136 hours you say? Are you paralysed from the waits down or something?

  • Quint2020 #6 3 years ago

    I played it, pretty good (not even close to as bad as some reviewers had led people to believe) and addictive enough for me to get my Berserker to level 50 but I was done with it after about 30 - 40 hours, 4 player co-op and more content would have kept me coming back, as it is I'm trading it for NBA 2K9 on Friday.

  • Doctor_What #7 3 years ago

    Criterion did that too. It's a nasty business.

  • miiiguel #8 3 years ago

    Realy liked Too Human, and everyone I played it with, share the same feeling. Not a game for the casual (no judging here) that's for sure - as a matter of fact I think Too Human is much more inacessible than for instance Gears of War.
    And it is deep. The combat is so fluid and beautifull to watch - "cybernetic ballet".

  • Triggerhappytel #9 3 years ago

    @ anomagnus

    Whoa there, calm down a minute. Do you suppose that perchance the EG reviewer (or many other reviewers) just didn't like it? I mean, you obviously love the game, but that doesn't automatically mean anyone who criticised it either didn't put in enough hours or is trying to create controversy.

    And if there is a problem with the game's accessibility (I wouldn't know as I haven't played it), then it could be considered something of a fundamental problem with the gameto varying degrees depending on people's priorities.

    While you clearly don't agree with Demento's comment, perhaps you should consider other views for a moment before launching into a scathing attack.

  • miiiguel #10 3 years ago

    @ Triggerhappytel: yeah..., but, you have to admit, there are *plenty* of ppl (don't know if Demento is one of those, though), that criticize quite verbaly a game without even trying it.

  • BoffBoff #11 3 years ago

    Have to agree with anomagnus - it really does get better the more you play. I'm still learning new things even now, the game really does have a lot of depth to offer.

    A level 50 Champ, 45 Commando, 31 Defender, and level 30 Berzerker can't all be wrong!!

    I really hope this isn't a sign that SK are going tits-up.

  • rhubarbandcustard #12 3 years ago

    Played the demo - hated it.

    At £50 a pop, games have to be amazing to break even.

    Too Human died on its arse for a reason.

  • bengray66 #13 3 years ago

    Are you paralysed from the waits down or something?

    Excuse me sir, but what exactly does it mean to be paralysed from the "waits" down?

    I'm quite tempted to give this a go, but I think I will wait until its about £20 in case it doesn't suit me.
    Edited by 1 at 07/10/08 @ 12:45

  • Darren #14 3 years ago

    I thought Too Human was OK, a lot better than I expected it to be given the negativity towards the game, but I decided in the end NOT to buy the game. I may possibly pick it up at some point in the future though when there's a games drought and it's dirt cheap, say £10.

  • kangarootoo #15 3 years ago

    @bengray66

    Its the bit of the body between the eye brows and the arse. A common injury among angry people apprently.

  • Crea #16 3 years ago

    I'm speculating, but NPD sales figures point toward 300-400k copies overall.

    Those are ok sales for a 360 game. Nothing like enough to recoup costs of a game as reputedly expensive.
    Edited by 1 at 07/10/08 @ 13:13

  • snafu65 #17 3 years ago

    I can't see Silicon Knights being around much longer, after the deservedly negative response to Too Human there is no way it will become the trilogy the developers proposed.These "temporary" lay-offs are just the start of the company winding down, pity really as I really liked Eternal Darkness, but the games industry is pretty ruthless I'm afraid.

  • Eraysor #18 3 years ago

    1. Too Human was dire, so they deserve some sort of failure.
    2. For the love of God make Eternal Darkness 2.

  • spookyzombie #19 3 years ago

    Will they be left in Eternal Darkness?

  • sneetch #20 3 years ago

    @rhubarbandcustard
    "Played the demo - hated it.

    At £50 a pop, games have to be amazing to break even.

    Too Human died on its arse for a reason."

    Played the demo, loved it.

    Had a backlog of games to play when it launched so I didn't pick it up straight away, noticed it on sale in GAME for €25 so snapped it up (a week after I picked up Ninja Gaiden for the same price) they overstocked I got two bargains. :)

    Only £20 from Amazon btw. If in doubt, wait a month or two (perhaps not applicable in this particular instance as you hated it).

  • Triggerhappytel #21 3 years ago

    "1. Too Human was dire, so they deserve some sort of failure."

    That's a bit fucking harsh isn't it? I don't especially have any love for SK or particularly Dennis Dyack, but to wish them to fail because their last game arguably underperformed is a bit cold of you. Did you want some Free Radical staff to be laid off earlier this year? Or how about some Factor 5 members last year?

    Whether Too Human deserves success or not is irrelevant; but we should be supporting independant development studios which are a dying breed, not encouraging their collapse.
    Edited by 1 at 07/10/08 @ 15:13

  • sneetch #22 3 years ago

    @Eraysor
    "1. Too Human was dire, so they deserve some sort of failure.
    2. For the love of God make Eternal Darkness 2. "

    So quick to condemn.

    Alternately; some people (including reviewers, who - lest we forget - are people too ;) ) quite liked it, so they deserve some sort of success.

    I'd point out as well that not everyone liked Eternal Darkness (it didn't do so well for them, after all) so did they deserve some sort of failure for that game as well?

    That said: "these 26 individuals are hard-working and valued team members that we hope to bring back as we ramp up on our future projects," not all that valued, really, if they expect them to hang around for a few months and then maybe come back. Sounds more like they just don't want to burn any bridges.

  • anomagnus #23 3 years ago

    @Triggerhappytel

    blunt as a hammer, Trigger?

    No, quite frankly i am DISGUSTED by this sites review, and the dozens of others, and let me be clear here, i've toned DOWN my wrath for this forum

    the review i read was not for the game i played, its as simple as that

    some people would say the lack of accessibility is a design flaw

    to me, it harkens back to a day when you had to LEARN how to play a game, a game that required SKILL and dedication to play.

    Too Human didnt molly coddle you. It didn't give you the same cookie cutter control system that everyone else did, it didn't give you a learning curve that was smooth. It required you to understand your limitations, to understand your skill trees and understand how your loot worked and put all that together

    in simple terms, in today's age, it may as well have raped your mother, because that's not what most simpletons can handle.

    my scathing remarks were not at demonto, my wrath was for reviewers, people who are PAID TO PLAY GAMES, and who couldn't be be arsed playing this one. In 25-30 hours, even one level 50 character with excellent gear could have been created, and the the first glimpse of the games potential seen. You're telling me they can put 25 hours into a final fanstasy review, but not too human? Why not?

    Peoples lives and jobs are poured into games, through development, the least some sites do, especially sites that are held above others, like this one, is put the time and effort into a game to assess its true merit. Not only is it a slap in the face for the game, it cheapens the reputation of the reviewing sources.

    If you want to see what i expect from next gen gaming, watch two level 50 players in too human tackle the Hel level in co-op. Watch two players that have put time and effort into a game, and you'll see what next gen gaming should be.

    @ kangerootoo - your 'wit' has passed me by. if you're making a comment on the quantity of hours played, how many hours have you put into games in total over the past 2 months? the fact is i stopped playing other games while playing it.

  • miiiguel #24 3 years ago

    Anyway, I sent them some "love mail" (ya know, that shit which is opposed to "hate mail";), regarding Too Human. I think they deserved it after some bashing (and you have to admit many/most bashed it because they read it somewhere that it was no good - not even tried it).

  • Ghettomurph #25 3 years ago

    I hated the demo of Too Human but picked it up when it was going for £20 in Asda the other day. Have to say that the game is good and has quite a bit of depth to it, like others have said. Nowhere near as bad as all the reviews of it have said.

    I think its just a case of getting used to the combat system and generally just giving the game a chance

  • Sar #26 3 years ago

    Anomagnus - get a life.

    Seriously.

    Firstly, it's just a game. You're in no position to criticise every single negative review of this game, just because you happen to like it. If 99 reviews say it's shit, and you say it's not, who's likely to be right?

    You can't definitively "claim" that the reviewers around the world didn't put enough hours into it, precisely because you have no clue how much they played it.

    In fact, even if they "only" played around 20 hours or so, if the game's still shit by that stage, then I'm sorry, but it's shit. You shouldn't have to play over 100 hours just to get to the good bits (if they exist in anyone's mind other than your own).

    I only played the demo, and for me the control system was completely broken. The unskippable cut scenes were tiresome and the glitchy auto-targeting system was risible, at best.

    136 hours, 5 weeks after release would put you at 4 hours per day, every day since release. Go out and breath some fresh air. It'll help you gain a little bit of perspective.

  • CARL05 #27 3 years ago

    Microsoft and Solicon Knights are definently shocked that Too Human wasn't as much of a hit as they were expecting. This can be seen with the Bionic Commando: Rearmed comp (which I won :D). Microsoft had 'forgot' and then suddenly changed their minds about sending a copy of Too Human, thankfully Tom (Mugwum) got me a copy and I don't think the game is bad at all, probably not trilogy worth material but so far so good with me. Hopefully they won't give up with Too Human, perhaps sort out the persistant deaths for one and the game will already start looking better.
    The demo REALLY didn't sell the game, in fact I thought it looked shit at the time, but after playing the retail copy for a while I only wish people would forget the reviews and just try it out. It is definently a game for the hardcore as some other commenters have said and I haven't had to pay for the game which may taint my view but if your a hardcore gamer with alot of persistance it's a fine game.

  • sneetch #28 3 years ago

    @Sar
    Seriously.

    Firstly, it's just a game. You're in no position to criticise every single negative review of this game, just because you happen to like it. If 99 reviews say it's shit, and you say it's not, who's likely to be right?

    Actually, 99 reviews did not say it was shit, according to http://ww w.gamestats.com/objects/748/748... the average press score is 7.1, the average gamer score is 7.5. Not an amazing score perhaps but not shit by any measure of the word.

    Now that said, I don't agree with anomagnus declaring that reviewers must not have played a game based on the fact that he likes it and they didn't particularly; reviewers are individuals and individuals have individual tastes, some people just won't like certain games regardless of how much I or others do. It's unreasonable to expect them to match my tastes. However, they (Eurogamer) gave it a six and according to the scoring guide "[a] game scored six is 'good', and many of its audience will enjoy it, but approach with caution."

    Fair enough, that and the fact that I enjoyed the demo was enough for me.