Activision have confirmed in the last 24 hours that they are looking to dispose of Bizarre Creations, based in Liverpool.
Having purchased the studio in September 2007, Bizarre recently released James Bond 007: Blood Stone to mixed reviews. Previous to the Activision buyout, Bizarre were known principally for producing the Project Gotham Racer series for Microsoft. Indications are that Activision are planning to either shut the studio down, or possibly sell on to another publisher.
A statement from Activision reads : “Over the past three years since our purchase of Bizarre Creations, the fundamentals of the racing genre have changed significantly,” said a spokesperson for the publisher.
“Although we made a substantial investment in creating a new IP, Blur, it did not find a commercial audience.
“Bizarre is a very talented team of developers, however, because of the broader economic factors impacting the market, we are exploring our options regarding the future of the studio, including a potential sale of the business.”
