Factor 5 Officially Shuttered

I'm amazed how every former Nintendo second party developer has been sucking. Rare and Silicon Knights have had all their recent games flop, and now Factor 5 are out of the game. I would have never guessed.

kilde

Rogue Squadron is one of the best Star Wars games ever released. One of the N64's only redeeming qualities.

Also...LOL @ "Rouge Squadron". Can't decide if it's an elite female fighting force or a bunch of trannies with guns.

it's official

sixaxis, kills developers

ithyphallus

NOOOOOOOOOOO

they were more than the "Lair" developers. they also made rogue squadron ;_;

ithyphallus

@Neonox: DUDE. go play all the Rogue Squadron games for N64 and Gamecube. NAO. :)

@uWaAvenger: I've heard of the games and I agree on their quality, but I still have no brand recognition.

@Skyburnbright: Yeah, honestly, if you play the game, there are far worse issues with it than the controls, such as the horribly mundane storyline, and cringe-worthy cast of characters. The patch that 'fixed' the controls didn't save the game play from being tedious either... I actually preferred the sixaxis controls, even though I waited for the analogue patch to come out before purchasing the game.

Rogue squadron games were alright, IMO.

StevenRafael

I thought this was official 6 months ago... This is worse than the time I ran over my brother with the car, and then was overjoyed when he was reanimated, only to later be crushed when I found out he liked the taste of human brains.

Wait, wha?

Wasn't this already known for some time??
[www.wiiland.com]

@Neonox: This guys were supposed to be working on a new Kid Icarus for the Wii.

Guess not anymore :(

@Cururu: Surely it was obvious enough what I meant, but yeah, whatever. Be pedantic.

Just as Darth Vader would say:

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...!"

Man oh man... this depresses me. Sure Lair was killed by Sixaxis, but don't they get a 1up 'Shroom for the amazing shit they pulled on Rogue Squadron I and Battle for Naboo on N64, not to mention the fact that they made a launch game (Rogue Squadron II) that not only remains one of the best looking Gamecube games but still looks like a beast to this day?

Blah... they were one of my favorite devs and its sad to see this happen... Factor 5 is dead, Rare is dying... there goes all the great 2nd party Nintendo devs... guess Nintendo cut them loose for a reason, eh?

@Culebra: seriously... Rogue Squadron II STILL looks good...

:(

curtisawa

@Narishma: That's what makes it so confusing, especially the statement "creating games since 1998" since Factor 5 was made of pure win back in the early 90's.

Then again, never even realized they ended up in the console business and that they were behind even something as recent as Lair ^^;

Oh well, that logo still brought back some fond memories and even if twenty years back Factor 5 was as big as the likes of Infinity Ward, Epic, or Harmonix are today, the gifted individuals behind such fame are most likely still in the games industry.

@uWaAvenger: Maybe someone else will pick up the project. These guys were really talented. I loved Rogue Squadron.

crazyorloco

Good bye factor 5...guess no Kid Icarus ...

uWaAvenger

Lair sucked. Good riddance.

@SemperFu: Starwars Rogue Squadron...N64-Gamecube, were some of the best games those systems had to offer.

uWaAvenger

@Neonox: the rogue sqaudron series was pure genius with visulas on the gamecube that rival some current games...too bad lair was their last game they had to show for it...gues there goes Kid Icarus..

uWaAvenger

@Skyburnbright:
Could you be anymore of a hater? Even when they fixed it Lair still sucked sixaxis or not. And Sony didn't have anything to do with it. There are plenty of early games that don't really only sixaxis control. Ever heard of Warhawk?

jacksons98

♪ Closing time, every new beginning
Comes from some other beginning's end ♫

How many studios does this make that developed a PS3 exclusive only to be kiboshed afterwards? Maybe that wasn't the best gamble...

@Burguois, Teabagger of Olde: I played it and didn't get the same feeling. It was a pretty decent game in my opinion but I wasn't quite as thrilled by it as you it seems.

Definitely sad to see factor 5 go down after they made Lair which was okay.

xxXX_Insanities_Birth_XXxx

@Neonox: Rogue Squadron for the Gamecube justified me buying that system on day one. I'll never forget that death star trench run. Rest easy Factor 5.

i think they're only getting their just desserts for turning their back on nintendo and the rogue squadron series to make that horrid PoS Lair.

@Herodito: Yep. Shouldn't have snubbed the Wii and just made Rogue Squadron 4. I'm really sorry to see them go.

I bet if the abomination known as LAIR never came out, this probably wouldn't have happened. Damn shame too, these guys always managed to work magic on Nintendo systems.

Bubbleman!

To sput a slightly positive spin on a bad piece of news, the people at Factor 5 have lost their jobs, not their skills. If other studios have any sense at all (as well as hindsight that extends beyond Lair), they'll quickly hire them.

@Boom-Chicka-Ah: That didn't make sense. If they made the PS3 lag it means they didn't optimize their game very well. Someone who conquered the PS3 would be Guerilla Games or Naughty Dogs.

Narishma

@Neonox: Kind annoying that Sony's pushing of the Sixaxis most likely contributed to this companies death. Sure, they fixed lair eventually but the damage was done.

Skyburnbright

Factor 5 did some amazing work with sound on the Nintendo 64. The Rogue Squadron games were awesome, but I never played Lair.

randomspirits

@EldonTLH: They aren't gone though. Only the US branch has closed.

Narishma

Rogue Squadron was phenomenal.

However, I was thoroughly disappointed with RS3: Rebel Strike. It was absolute trash and rage-inducing. My friends and I joked about calling Factor 5 and complaining until they hung up on us.

Nonetheless, RIP.

That sucks. So anyway, How about them Mariners?

@Ackers:
It's actually not nearly as bad now that there is a patch that completely changes the control scheme.

@Gigaflare: ascaron is having a hard time as well. at least crytek is doing well as one of the few german studios.

Himiko

This is very sad. They were the most proficient engine builders in the industry. Hopefully, what's left of F5 will still be talented.

voth

Thought Level 5 instead of Factor. Whatever happened to "gaming is recession proof" anyway? Seems we were lied to just as much as the general public. Then the whole thing comes toppling down and nobody expects it. Thanks analysts! Not sure what the hell you're paid to do, but I suggest finding a new line of work.

jargy1

DAMN YOU LAIR DAMN YOU !!!

Insane

When games cost millions of dollars to make, a smaller studio is only one game away from bankruptcy.

stop2

This one of the sadest news I have ever read in allmy years in Kotaku... =\

Im a Factor 5 fan way before Rogue Squadron, from C64 and mainly Commodore Amiga ages of old. I will miss them very much...

+ Watch video

Will we ever see Turrican again? =(

@Dead Giveaway:

Lair would ahve sold a lot more on the 360 with proper controls, that thing was a mess!

GtheMVP99

@undefined: Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader was probably the most gorgeous star wars game ever made. Unfortunately it has zero subtitle option and that's why I never bought it.

This is what happens when the last decent game you released was in 2001.

Delano_J

@leviathan.in.pieces: Mandatory Sixaxis controls killed Lair. It was so much better once they patched in proper controls.

@Akua: start small. make some indie stuff to get on psn/xboxlive/wiiware with a small group of people or even by yourself if youve got it in you. then.. maybe after a couple of small games like that.. the economy will be bouncing back.. and you can get picked up by a big publisher.. who knows!

This really suck F5 was really great. I would have loved to seen what they could have done now on the PS3. The Engine they made for the PS3 really looked great back then and if F5 was to bring out a new game now I could see it have looking really good.

I guess I will never get a new Turrican game now.

BlackIceJoe

@ShaggyB: I recall they were hot even back in the late 80's 16-bit computer era (Turrican on Amiga 500) Sad to see them gone but at least the company lasted a good 20+ years and saw a lot during that time.

@Paladin58:

You'll have to buy loads to get them back in business.

bluebuju

@Szin: I'd love to play me some Rogue Squadron II tonight, but I loaned my Wii to a friend...

KesMonkey

I'm a really big fan of the Rouge Squadron series, this is sad news.

RS2 made me buy a Gamecube. I will always cherish the ace magnet that came with my preorder...

Draig

@ShaggyB: They made those games?

I loved Rogue Squadron.
Now I is sad.

@Akua:

What comes down is likely to come back up. If there's that many fewer developers now, it just means they'll have to hire that many more when business picks up again.

I'd look at it as a golden opportunity in a couple of years if I were you.

Michael Fisk

The greatest loss to the gaming industry as of yet. Goodbye, Factor 5, and thanks for all the good times.

Grind_Axis

What a shame. I loved the first to Rogue games.

Rebel Strike's non-flying missions kinda sucked, though.

I, too, will fire up Rogue Leader tonight. Godspeed, little doodles.

@KillaB43: Same here! For a moment there I thought I'd never see the next 5 Layton games or the Level 5/Studio Ghibli game...

Adan Ayala

I have to go and re-buy the Rogue Squadron games now... :(

Lair has come together beautifully... With its stunning visuals and incredible soundtrack, Lair may well be the single most powerful experience that a man can share with his $5,000 home theatre system.

Burguois, Teabagger of Olde

@omyard: but if alot of those leaving were pivotal/founding members of free radical.. then having a few guys around isnt the same.

@Gantz: Your Trusted Friend in Science.: I wish lair would have been good - anyone wanna buy it from me? lol

Ackers

@Akua: You'll have to work for Activision....

@Cururu: now they would just make it DLC

Jasper Cohens Jr.

Damn guess that means no Rogue Squadron 4

ShaggyB

@Neonox: They made a bunch of games most notable

PlayStation 3

* Lair (2007)

Nintendo GameCube

* Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader (2001)
* Star Wars Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike (2003)

Nintendo 64
* Star Wars: Rogue Squadron (1999)
* Star Wars: Battle for Naboo (2000)
* Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine (2000)

But they do go all the way back to Gameboy games

ShaggyB

Always sad to see this. I got this news RIGHT when I woke up...having to write an article on a studio closing right after you get out of bed maximizes the impact.

Hopefully, everyone who's been hurt by this closing finds their feet soon and re-settles at another studio.

I might play some Rogue Squadron tonight in honor of them. Damn shame, really.

Szin

For a minute I was thinking of Level-5. I almost had a heart attack. Hate to see any studios close though. Especially cause I'll be looking for a job in the next couple of years.

KillaB43

only developers to make a game that made the ps3 trully lag and conquer its processing power.

How am I supposed to get a job in the industry with everyone closing up shop?

@Gigaflare: Who knows what could of been if they also tried to get their games on the 360.

Not saying the games would be better, but the sales would be up, that's for sure.

@leviathan.in.pieces: So true. Shit, they tapped Gamecube almost to it's max so early in it's life, it's silly almost.

@.digiwalsh: I would have preferred a Rogue Squadron game now rather than wait for the PS4, XBox 720 version anyway.

All three major consoles were released years ago. Can we please stop with the 'Next Gen' nonsense?

But back on topic, yes, Factor 5 will be missed. They have the credit for one of the most secret unlockables ever with the Naboo fighter in the first Rogue Squadron. No one knew about it for months. It was a great way to drum up interest in the game after it was released. Wish more companies would be that forward thinking.

Cururu

@Gigaflare: Except Free Radical isn't done. They might've laid off a lot of staff and been bought out by Crytek and renamed, but they're still there.

omyard

Wow. As cliche as this may sound this an end of an era. Even if they go to reform somewhere else with much of the same crew its not going to be the same. These are the guys that brought Rogue Squadron and just got tactical flight shooting right on consoles. Its a shame that their last game was so poorly recieved and they didnt get a chance to redeem themselves.

Modus_Operandi

@Neonox: Lair, was their most recent game.

@Hollowcow: A part of me thinks that if Lair was instead a Star Wars space sim, we wouldn't be reading about Factor 5's closing today. :(

Really, from Rogue Squadron to this? A sad day indeed.

I had to look them up on wikipedia, and I still don't know who they are. Still is sad news, though, whenever people are put out of a job.

@Culebra: Or the GameCube.

@Neonox: Factor 5 were beasts in their day...very few pushed the N64 as hard as they did.

Lair was the last Factor 5 game, and Haze was the last game for Free Radical. Poor endings for such great developers.

Gigaflare

Man...talk about a "downsized" industrial staff.

VMan902

Goodnight sweet prince.

There goes the last chance of a next gen Rogue Squadron

:(

Another day, another developer folding.

Nooo! Not my Factor 5 wagons! I will truly miss this company. I loved their games.

Hollowcow

I've never heard of Factor 5...

Shame for the loss though.

@Ackers: I always stand up for LAIR... it was fine... people didn't follow the tutorials (which they didn't make mandatory which was a huge mistake) it was exceptionally fun(for me) but the plot/characters weren't that interesting to me, and I heard the missions were similar to rogue squadron. But the motion control flying of dragons was damned fun.

This is my greatest loss so far from the economic situation, as far as game studios go.

I LOVED the Rogue Squadron games. I'm also going to play some Rebel Leader tonight in memory of these awesome developers.

Apocalypse15

I still remember the first day I bought Rouge Squadron for my N64. It did for me everything that Star Fox 64 didn't.

@.digiwalsh:

I have to agree with Cururu here, using the term "next-gen" for consoles that have been out for 3+ years is pretty ridiculous.

Rogue Squadron forever, the best star wars game ever

@KillerBee:

Very true, but I didn't think it was that bad with the motion. There was a learning curve, but I got pretty good.

Also, still one of the most visually stunning games I've played imo.

J-Ham42

The Rogue Squadron games are among the best SW console games ever made. Esp. Rogue II, I love the fact they got Denis Lawson to do the voice work as Wedge. Best SW character ever.

Rouge Squadron on the Game Cube, Easily one of the best looking games on the system, even from launch. Very few devs used bumpmapping, or any of the effects factor 5 did.

Altima NEO

That's 1988, not 1998. R-Type Amiga, anyone?

8-ball

@Tubatic: who said they snubbed the Wii? they were an independant studio who got contracted to develop games. Sony tapped them to make Lair, and although that game underperformed in game sales- the staff still got paid. i'm not trying to be a Lair-apologist, but that game was not the reason for the closure of the US branch of Factor 5. it wasn't until 2008 that the economy (especially in the technology/videogame industry) took a nose-dive. the real killer was when their Superman partners- Brash Entertainment- folded. as early as late October 2008- the staff did not get paid for a couple of weeks of work. sadly, many of them weren't even eligible for unemployment. i know this because 2 of my very good friends were working on the project.

as for your comment: Nintendo doesn't even publish the Rogue Squadron games- Lucas Arts does. maybe we should be wondering why lucas arts has left it's best series untouched for the better part of a decade. and why they laid off almost all of their staff... :(

@Ackers: i waited for the controls patch to come out a little over a year ago before i bought it. by that time the price had plummeted to $25. i absolutely loved the game with the fixed controls. one of a kind. i think a lot of people never actually played the game- certainly not with the fixed controls. one of the surprise hits for me last year, actually.

I never owned or played the gamecube games, but when RQ II was first shown at e3 (and luckily I got to be there) it blew me away. No idea how it played but that star destroyer was just stunning...

@GtheMVP99: honestly i wouldn't probably have cared enough to buy it if it didn't have motion controls. I know I'm in the vocal minority but having actually done the tutorials in the game had no problems playing it, and loved the feeling of swwoping down and flying with the sixaxis. The story and characters weren't that compelling though, unlike heavenly sword.

@kilde: Coincidence?

Never should have left Nintendo.

@.digiwalsh: Next Gen Rogue Squadron kinda happened. It was pretty good, despite what people say. It was called Lair.

Raziel

I might get chastised for this but I think they should have stayed as Nintendo second party developer!

motang

@pot3ntial2suck: Yes, you do have the potential to suck.