Ignition ‘axes London dev team’

Staff at Ignition’s London studio have lost their fight to finish Project Kane, Develop has heard.

Insiders say redundancies have been issued across the entire London development outfit, despite assurances last year that work would continue.

The company explained redundancies to the London team on Friday, sources who wish to remain anonymous have revealed.

It has since emerged that, while Ignition UK was axing its London console team, staff at Ignition’s Texas studio were told they too were surplus to requirements.

Ignition’s Japan studio will likely close after its current project, Develop has been told, though the unit is thought to still be operational for now.

It is said that Project Kane, originally known as War Devil and now approaching its sixth year of development, has been cancelled as an internal project.

That would mark the second time the game has been cancelled, and the second time Ignition has issued redundancies to its London office – all within the space of nine months.

Ignition declined to explain any of the matters when answering Develop’s call.

Spokespeople have been told not to discuss the issue.

Ignition declined to comment on whether the Reich project had also been cancelled, which Develop has heard it has.

Both Reich and Project Kane may continue if an external developer wants to sign with the cost-cutting publisher, Develop has also heard, though this could not be confirmed.

The company released a 400-word press release on Friday, of which the final buried sentence read: “Ignition Games has taken the strategic decision not to continue with internal development of games”.

The group, by that logic, will eventually make its Texas-based PC team redundant.