Tag Archives: real time worlds
Former Realtime Worlds Directors Purchased MyWorld!
For most of us we know the Realtime Worlds company as being the people behind the – now closed, APB game. Well whilst all that nastiness was happening the guys there were working on something else called MyWorld.
MyWorld combines social networking with traditional gaming genres. The description in MyWorld’s early days asked
“What would it look like if Nintendo built Google Earth?”
A teaser video shows players racing, flying and fishing in the environments, as well as buying and selling properties which can be edited using a pared down interface. Activity on other established social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter, is also integrated.
The developer says that when the game is launched next year, it will include the entirety of Britain – screenshots on the site reveal some of this landscape. Although no date has been announced, Realtime Worlds will be inviting users to participate in its closed beta program.
Well anyway the 3 former RTW directors in question are games industry veteran Ian Hetherington, venture capitalist Patrick Chung and financier Harry Weller, who are now named as directors at Kimble Operations. The firm was formed in July this year, a month after the troubled launch of APB, according to GamesIndustry.biz.
Seemingly confirming previous rumours, a former lead artist on MyWorld who’s no longer attached to the project has told Gamasutra that Kimble Operations purchased the game.
“MyWorld was bought a few weeks back by Kimble Operations which is basically Ian Hetherington as he wanted the project to get to market,” Tahir Rashid said. “There are 20 people left from the original MyWorld team that decided to stay with it. We are very pleased the project is not dead and look forward to them getting it out the door.”
REALTIME WORLDS Latest from administrators
Administrators for leading video games company Realtime Worlds have announced that 23 members of the 60-strong Dundee team working on the company’s ambitious MyWorld 3D project who were all made redundant earlier this month have been re-employed.
Joint administrator Ken Pattullo, of business rescue and restructuring specialist Begbies Traynor said: “As a smaller entity MyWorld is attracting considerable interest from potential buyers and 23 members of the team who had been working on the project clearly add value to it as a standalone business, hence the fact we have been able to offer a limited number of those jobs back.”
‘Crackdown’ and ‘APB’ creator Realtime Worlds, which went into administration on Tuesday, announced the MyWorld “3D social gaming experience” last month, scheduled for launch in 2011. The team was, however, made redundant only days before Realtime Worlds went into administration.
Yesterday (Wedy) the administrators confirmed that while 53 jobs had been retained 157 employees had been made redundant, in addition to the 60 before administration. Trade creditors in the UK are owed in the region of £3 million.
Mr Pattullo said potential buyers from both sides of the Atlantic have expressed interest in Realtime Worlds which is the subject of a major restructuring designed to create a business that can support APB: All Points Bulletin as an ongoing online service for current future players.
“We want to offer reassurance to gamers that APB will not only continue as an online service but will be improved and supported 100 per cent during this restructuring,” he added.
Both he and joint administrator Paul Dounis today met Stewart Hosie, SNP MP for Dundee East and Dundee East MSP Shona Robison.
Mr Pattullo described the meeting as “very useful” and added: “Overall, we are cautiously optimistic.”
TIGA Statement Regarding Realtime Worlds
TIGA, the trade association representing the UK games industry, today released a statement in response to the news that Dundee based Realtime Worlds has gone into administration.
Dr Richard Wilson, CEO of TIGA, said:
“This is a very sad day for Realtime Worlds, Dundee and for the Scottish and UK video games industry. Realtime Worlds is a fantastic company with an exceptionally talented team, management and board of directors. On behalf of the video games industry, TIGA would like to express its condolences to everyone at Realtime Worlds. We wish you the best of luck for the future.
“Despite today’s terrible news, Dundee and Scotland remain good places to do games business. Scotland has some excellent universities and offers large numbers of extremely talented programmers, artists, producers, managers, designers, audio engineers and testers. TIGA, the trade association representing the UK games industry, will do everything in its power to champion and support the sector.”
APB Developer Realtime Worlds Have Entered Administration
The company is currently being advised by Begbies Traynor Group’s Edinburgh office. It is understood that CEO Gary Dale is now at the Dundee head office following a trip to Colorado to speak to staff there. The game, which was worked on by a very large team for several years, was met with mediocre reviews following a strained launch process that had games press initially embargoed from scoring the title until after it had launched.
But after that confusion was cleared up, gamers failed to take to the PC title, and a first round of lay-offs from the company was announced last week, while the developer’s other project – MyWorld – was reportedly rejected by two publishers earlier in the year.
However, despite that action, sources hinted at further trouble, claiming that Dale had flown to Colorado to ‘strip the staff’ from that office. The board of the company includes GTA creator and MD David Jones, former Capcom and Take-Two exec Gary Dale and Ian Hetherington, who’s track record includes selling Psygnosis and Evolution Studios to Sony.
Realtime Worlds has shown off its latest project….
…and no it is not APB.
Project: MyWorld aims to combine social networking and traditional and casual games, incorporating established services such as Facebook and Twitter.
As well as courting consumers with a teaser site and video, Realtime Worlds has also put out a call to developers and publishers to get involved in the project. “What would it look like if Nintendo built Google Earth? Project: MyWorld turns the real world into a fun 3D social gaming experience,” reads the site.
“Project: MyWorld is a virtual recreation of the real world combined with 3D gaming and social media. We have an entire world to fill so there’s plenty of room for everyone.”
The game is due to go live in 2011, with RTW currently accepting sign-ups for the beta.
Realtime Worlds last project was the massively multiplayer online game APB, a title that failed to live up to its hype on release and was criticised in the specialist press. I maybe reviewing that game soon but if the beta has anything to go by then I feel the review is not going to be as great as others I have done for you.
