Slant Six hit with 'temporary layoffs'

It's sad that the world is so closed to newer companies. Slant Six's efforts in Confrontation BY FAR overshadowed anything Zipper tried to do with their Socom games. None of the major video game review websites have re-rated it after it's initial, rocky start. Not to mention most people haven't tried it again since it's been patched. The funny thing is Confrontation has incredible graphics, physics and sounds. The Socom 4 that Zipper is making looks absolutely horrible. But, since it's Zipper, everybody views the "steps-taken-backward" as good. Lastly, for you Socom "Vets", Confrontation is very similar to Socom 1, 2 and 3 - from the way your character moves to the shooting and overall design...why do you all say Confrontation is terrible, yet say Socom 4 will be better when it looks EXACTLY like a PS3 Gears of War?

Rumor has it that Slant Six is working on Star Wars Battlefront Online. No idea if this is a fact, but it very well could be true considering both Pandemic and Free Radical are for sure not working on it!

The PSP is not a platform for large studios to thrive on, especially a studio that makes shooters. I play Worms and Mercury on the PSP, until I get a handheld with 2 analog sticks, they could stop making shooters for the thing.

@kavadias1981 Its a tough time we are living in, if your running a business OR been hired by a business. They probably wanted to keep them on, but had to make salary cuts during one of their 'slow' periods. Probably giving them wages but not as much as if they were working for them. Also, since it was probably a 'slow' time of the year, it wasnt as crazy busy as it was, when they were trying to get SOCOM out. At least they said they intent to Re-hire all the staffers back, as much as possible! :D

@Adziboy Are you sure you're remembering Socom 2 correctly? You didn't need a sprint button in that game as the characters moved a good clip naturally. I've actually gone back and played S2 within the past year from time to time and yes, it is a much faster paced game than Confrontation. Everything - movement, grenade throwing, weapon menu and quick swap, reloading - is much swifter on S2. @keyser27 The most memorable Socom games are developed by Zipper so why you'd think they'd make a crappy Socom is beyond me. And the game is designed around the six axis controller, not the PS Move. The Move was just incorporated into the game as an option, not a necessary tool. As for cover, what part of being able to take cover while bullets narrowly miss your skull or explosions rock your surroundings sounds ridiculous to you? It should be the next logical step in designing simulated combat. Last time I checked soldiers didn't stand up in the middle of a battle and allow the other side to take shots at them in the open. It's 2010. Get used to more being incorporated into games or stop playing all together.

@kavadias1981 they can keep em on the benefits thing because they are salaried i guess. they WONT be paid, but they still have things like insurance and stuff like that. they dont get paid but if they wind up sick, they wont have to pay. its easier to pay for things like that than to give em a full paycheck.%Pr

real shame.

" Apparently reluctant to leave a man (or woman) behind, he added the studio will bring back "as many of these staff members as possible" once the workflow accelerates on its next projects" now thats how you operate a company. and then they will still receive benefits? thats great of them to do that, allowing them something to fall back on while they look for another job or wait til business picks up again. lets see activision do that... wait, they dont, they have plainclothes security brutes come in and usher you out because you say "i work too hard%Pr

Weren't these guys supposedly working on the Star Wars Battlefront online game? Man that new Battlefront game is never going to be made.

More bad news from the video game world

socom has to reach market in a diferent time that other big games. they realized they couldn't release it before and now they are saying there's a delay. at least it's what i think

@Hortey: Are you SURE you played SOCOM 2? SOCOM: Confrontation is a much, much faster paced game than 2 by absolute miles. I can't be bothered to go through the countless things but theres a sprint button.

Love Confrontation, its one of the best ps3 mp games out if not the best and one of the best communities around. Definitly for the hardcore, theres nothing like your heart beating a 1000 times a minute knowing you are the last guy alive and you take out the last 5 guys of the 8 that started to win the round and the match. Long Live Socom Nation!!!

its a shame to see troubles at slant six. i have to say Socom : Confrontaions is BY FAR the best online multiplayer you can get on the market right now. ive had it since the beginning and yes its had its problems with new content too late and now a bad map rotation system but it still walks all over MW2, and tho i really like BC2 multiplayter at the mo, it just cant compare to the epic memories of evenings in Crossroads(large) Demolition, teamwork was exceptional. good luck slant six, shame your not involved in the new socom game...

SOCOM 3 was the best SOCOM in my opinion! Its my favourite SOCOM! I played SOCOM 1 and i really enjoyed it! But after i played SOCOM 3 i said "This is the best SOCOM game ever made!". But anyway the SOCOM series is great and i hope that Slant Six will continue to make SOCOM games like FTB3!

If you "intend to rehire staff" but give them "benefits" in the meantime, why not just keep them hired? At least then they are contributing to the company.

What a bummer.

Duh socom 4 is going to be awesome, its made by the same people who made socom 2. That motion control is just a dumb gimmick. Confrontation was and still is garbage, you have people running around shotgunning with sniper rifles (ie the TILLY). Tactical experience? Battlefield bad company 2 has more of that.

Absolutely. Confrontation had a rocky start, but in the last 6+ months there simply isn't anything else like it for a tactical hardcore experience. I heard some idiot on today talking about Socom 4 and how awesome it'd be. "Really?" I asked. "What excites you more, the motion controls or the cover mechanic?" "Cover??? What???" "Yeah dummy. It's jumping the shark. Game is going to be trash."

"intention to rehire staffers in future" - I wouldn't hold my breath though.

Everyone says Confrontation was horrible, I was a old Socom 2 fan, didn't like S3 so skipped the other one that came after and picked up S:C which I liked about as much as S2 to be honest. It was socom 2 slowed down a bit which forced people to play a little more tactically, it was off to a rough start but around the 1.5 patch is was a great game. The only thing I would change would be not having to cycle through over the shoulder view to go from scope to 3rd person, being able to run and use NVG at the same time, and getting rid of weapon specializations. Most of it isn't that big of a deal anyhow.

who cares confrontation sucked thats what they get for releasing an incomplete game

I just bought Socom Confrontation. Havent even put it in yet. I heard its mediocre but I want to try it. Cant be as bad as MAG (which I enjoyed), probably equal in a way.

I cant say this is surprising.

What they will rehire people in 2 years when they are on a new project? They should stop beating around the bush and say they laid some folks off. Who knows maybe they will stop making horrible games now?

Beautiful! relocate to somewhere which got more skills. good move!

I feel for those got laid-off temporarily. I know how it felt in this time of economic condition. Hopefully, the studio's management can keep their word for hiring them back once workload picks up.

too many socom ...

I agree with you guys. After being patched up, Confrontation is awesome. It sucks to see that some employees are getting laid off temporarily. At least they are still getting benefits and there is still a chance that most of them can get their jobs back. Still, my prayers go out to them.

I'm not a huge Socom fan, but I've had more fun online with Confrontation than I've had with MW2. Just sayin

The unfortunate part is people that havent played the game yet have no way of knowing just how far confrontation has come since its initial release, its so sad because socom is so much f-in fun now, I mean I was one of the ones who liked it at launch, but now I agree that its one of the best games on the ps3

Hey , Confrontation is a great game! Its really fun :D

Confrontation for the PS3 is so awesome now, since they've released all the patches. It's almost just like good old SOCOM 2.

does this means PSP is not selling as expected?

lmao, SukMyTurban must be having a ball right now.

@ColdfireTrilogy slant six was never a big company and socom confrontation was their first big game

Oh how the mighty have fallen. Happened right around the time they released Confrontation .... which about made me throwup.

this sucks! i really like Confrontation, it was one hell of a ride but after all the patches its one of the best games on PS3.