The closure of a studio is never something to celebrate, but at least the Neversoft team went out in a (quite literal) blaze of glory.
The Tony Hawk and Guitar Hero developer was closed today and the team is being merged with Infinity Ward, as was announced back in May.
The new mega-studio will presumably be dedicated to Call of Duty, which is being handled by Sledgehammer Games this year while Infinity Ward bulks up. With Treyarch still tied to the franchise, Activision is now operating a three-year development cycle for the franchise.
To commemorate the closure of their studio, the Neversoft team ritualistically set fire to their iconic skewered eye logo.
We don't need no water. #ALWAYSHARD @neversoft pic.twitter.com/PryQmraHx4
— eyeballk!d (@mattcanale) July 10, 2014
Meanwhile, every member of the team was given a gift from studio co-founder Joel Jewett.
This is what Joel gave all of @neversoft on their last day of the studio today. (Yoinked Mike's pic from FB) pic.twitter.com/LveyTOTYbH
— Stephanie Bayer (@NSSteph) July 10, 2014
Expect to see the first glimpse of Infinity Ward/Neversoft’s Call of Duty title next year.