Sadly confirmed through Audio Designer Rob Bridgett’s Twitter, the studio behind the Prototype franchise (as well as The Simpsons: Hit and Run and Scarface: The World is Yours ) has been effectively reduced to a satellite support staff for parent company Activision. Suffering massive layoffs flowing the inability of Prototype to find a larger audience, the company will cease producing its own content going forward.
Radical Entertainment was first acquired by Vivendi Universal Entertainment in 2005, becoming part of Activision after Vivendi merged with the publisher to form Activision Blizzard in 2008.
“Although we made a substantial investment in the Prototype IP, it did not find a broad commercial audience.” Activision wrote in a statement to Kotaku, “Radical is a very talented team of developers, however, we have explored various options for the studio, including a potential sale of the business, and have made a difficult conclusion through the consultation process that the only remaining option is a significant reduction in staff. As such, some employees will remain working for Radical Entertainment supporting other existing Activision Publishing projects, but the studio will cease development of its own games going forward.