Vivendi Universal acquires Swordfish Studios

[Ste]

The developer of Brian Lara International Cricket Swordfish Studios has been bought by games publisher Vivendi Universal Games. Swordfish's development studio in Birmingham, England will remain open and its 45 staff will be retained. Vivendi Universal published the Swordfish developed Cold Winter and Bruce Hack, CEO of VU Games said "Swordfish Studios has emerged as a strong creative force with an experienced and talented group of professionals,".

The news will not effect Brian Lara International Cricket or Ricky Ponting International Cricket, both have which are already signed up to be published by Codemasters but if no deal has been agreed between Codemasters and Swordish studios for future games in the series it is likely that Codemasters will look for another developer if it is to bring out Brian Lara International Cricket 2006. While Codemaster will retain the right to make games using the Brian Lara and Ricky Ponting names, there is nothing to stop Swordfish developing future games published by Vivendi without the Lara/Ponting endorsement. We hope to bring you comment on this story from Codematers and Swordfish studios soon.

 

[bhail256]

Its a pity that swordfish and codemasters might not work together ... but again the consumer might just be the winner ...

3 different types of cricket games: BLIC, EA, and (whatever vivendi develops)

 

[Mahesh Babu]

Is it good news or bad news?

 

[thecricketfan]

Is it good news or bad news?

Hello Mahesh Babu, how r u! Probably both good and baaaad!

 

[kmk1284]

vivendi releasing a cricket game ,! are you serious :

 

[Pat]

We are just talking about the possibilities !!

 

[rubbergenius]

Its a pity that swordfish and codemasters might not work together ... but again the consumer might just be the winner ...

3 different types of cricket games: BLIC, EA, and (whatever vivendi develops)

Vivendi could do - but they would have to start from stratch again - we own the data and code to the game so Swordfish wouldn't have anything to start from.

 

[bhail256]

hey rubber, does vivendi have any experience in cricket gaming? besides swordfish did work on the game, right? so i mean once they are able to come up with some data and the essential element of the skeleton we might just have a game on our hand!

or else, EA being who they are they might snub codemasters and make them their pet!

 

[OllieWoods]

Well, when SI left Eidos and made Football Manager, Eidos' new studio for the 2005 Championship Manager was useless, so I doubt it would work.

 

[Hero]

We might see cricket game from vivendi with Half life 2 engine then it will certainly kill Ea graphics.

 

[bhail256]

lol ... some thought there bud, but as mentioned earlier the data and things like that will be needed. but you have a point considering that the same team which worked on the game is with vivendi, and with the SIKKK graphics engine they have for Half Life 2 it wld be pretty amazing!