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via Romero Games
Legendary game developer John Romero has managed to find a new publisher for his game after a cancellation and defunding scare earlier this summer, he told Video Games Chronicle at Gamescom Asia. While Romero has not been able to keep the entire team together, the project has been re-scoped from an intended size of over 100 people to around 15-16.
Romero's game studio, which was appropriate named Romero Games, veered toward shuttering earlier this year when employees reported that the studio was "closing down." Romero denied these reports, but did confirm that the studio's game was being funded by an unnamed publisher—which Romero said people could infer based on public information, though some of the laid off employees did name Microsoft specifically—and that funding had been suddenly pulled.
In speaking with VGC, Romero confirmed that he had to let most of the staff go as the company struggled to find a new publisher, but that "we’re just super happy."
Romero declined to name the publisher and has not officially revealed the game, though LinkedIn posts from former employees indicate that it was a shooter. The current title, Romero says, is a complete redesign of the concept, as they cannot make the same game that needed 110 people with far fewer. Romero indicates that the new smaller team size fits him better, though.
“I’ve had teams of that size [100+ staff] before, but I don’t like it when I’m just in meetings all day," he told VGC. "I like to make the game, designing by hand, and that’s what’s happening right now – making every single decision, working in Unreal Editor, making stuff, designing things, directing all the rest of the people on the team."
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