Any Raven Software employees here?

[PhineasJWhoopee]

Okay, it's a long shot, but after repeated attempts, I can't make contact with anyone there.

Maybe they're are too busy to pick up the phone or check voicemail?

 

[Modelworks]

Raven layed off a bunch of people today. Some 40 people.

Usually when layoffs like this occur people show up and are told they are no longer needed. They did that with a studio a friend worked out. Showed up and was told to clean out his desk.

Raven Software in Middleton, Wisconsin is going through a second round of layoffs, this time letting 40 employees go.
Raven is a developer of video game software, known popularly for having produced such titles as “Wolfenstein” and “Singularity.”
The company is currently between major projects and has let go a significant percentage of their staff, estimates being between one-quarter to one-third. Activision, parent company of Raven, has furthermore announced that Raven Software is being ‘re-aligned.’
Among the recent people let go is the original programmer who was hired by the two founding brothers of the company.

 

[PhineasJWhoopee]

Raven layed off a bunch of people today. Some 40 people.

Ah. I tried to make contact about 3 weeks ago, maybe there's a connection? How many employees do they have? Are they all in Madison?

 

[Drako]

Yep, I'm sure their office was closed today, due to the layoff. Probably will cease to exist as a separate developer, and merge with some other Activision owned studio.

 

[PhineasJWhoopee]

Are there any other big game developers in WI or MN?

 

[RavenSEAL]

They fired pretty much everyone but felipe, the Janitor, they needed someone to clean out the trash.

 

[Modelworks]

Are there any other big game developers in WI or MN?

I don't know of any right off but if there is gamasutra would have a listing for them .
http://gamasutra.com/

 

[zinfamous]

trying to sell them your idea for a Christian soldiers burn the heathens, conquer the world type of game?

 

[PhineasJWhoopee]

I don't know of any right off but if there is gamasutra would have a listing for them .
http://gamasutra.com/

Thanks. My 14 yr old son is interested in game development and I thought it would be interesting for him to get a tour of the Raven facility and chat with some of the programmers. We're 2 hrs north of Madison so it would have been fairly convenient.

He's a really bright kid and he seems to have some aptitude for writing code.

 

[Kirby]

trying to sell them your idea for a Christian soldiers burn the heathens, conquer the world type of game?

that would be pretty badass.

 

[zinfamous]

that would be pretty badass.

Oh, I agree.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Today would have been a good day for him to tour Raven, to see what job security is like at the studios between projects.

 

[PhineasJWhoopee]

Today would have been a good day for him to tour Raven, to see what job security is like at the studios between projects.

I just told him about the layoffs. His response was that their software stinks.

He'll be in college in a couple of years. I'm going to encourage him to do EE/Comp Sci. He's pretty strong in math and science.

 

[lxskllr]

I just told him about the layoffs. His response was that their software stinks.

He'll be in college in a couple of years. I'm going to encourage him to do EE/Comp Sci. He's pretty strong in math and science.

I think Raven was a pretty good studio. The point remains though. My impression of the software industry, especially games, is that you're pretty much a gypsy going from job to job. Some people might like that, but I prefer stability. I could stay at one company for a lifetime if I liked the work.

 

[PhineasJWhoopee]

I think Raven was a pretty good studio. The point remains though. My impression of the software industry, especially games, is that you're pretty much a gypsy going from job to job. Some people might like that, but I prefer stability. I could stay at one company for a lifetime if I liked the work.

I tried that and I made it 23 yrs. Unfortunately, the company went into a death spiral and eliminated my organization.

 

[zinfamous]

was Raven involved in Neverwinter Nights?

I remember having some game, some time ago, with a Raven logo on the opening screen.

 

[coloumb]

freakin eh - I bet a lot of good talent was let go too. Our company let go of a lot of good talent about a year ago - and now those of us who weren't on the hit list are suffering for it...

Raven has a long history of creating some awesome games...

 

[mizzou]

Fuck!!!!!!!!

 

[amddude]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek_Voyager_Elite_Force

 

[pontifex]

I thought they closed down a while back...Have they release a game since SoF2? Seems to be the last game I remember.

 

[mizzou]

Sorry, felt a disturbance in the force. All is well my son