Goodbye and Farewell, Acclaim

[Thruster2097]

Only just found out about it. After enquiring around the GameStars expo, the organisers say "we dont know why acclaim arent here".
A big void in the arena of videogames, and an emotional time for anyone who remembers acclaim in the 80s.
So for those who dont already know, software developers acclaim have filed for bankruptcy, thus ending all activity in their departments worldwide.
Acclaim have made a sucess out of gaming, just look at the legacy of the very first mortal kombat! More recently by developing the Xtreme-G series, and now being forced to abandon a whole bunch of titles, including the ready-to-ship Juiced, which was promised to be the NFSU beater, and the new Worms:Forts game which is a continuation of a very popular series.
If only acclaim could wait to reap the revenue for juiced.
If only.

Anyway, this is hard for me because its like saying goodbye to a friend, what with having grown up with your games and all, but so long.
My only wish to you peoples up there in cheltenham and manchester is that you dont take it personally, you done a good job.

[piranha wiper]

i know exactly what you about losing a freind bit, because igrew up with team 17 and psygnosis, with games like shadow the beast and lemmings cytron benefactor, and so on and now its all done by sony and the people at studio liverpool,

its very hard im sure, but as long as we enjoy the games we have that they have created then we can apreciate them more and think of old times

goodbye acclaim

[G'Kyl]

I've known about Acclaim for a few days, there were rumors and stuff. Anyway, now we see another one from the ancients hit the dust. Although I never particularily liked Acclaim or a huge numberof their releases, I sadly wave them goodbye - and hope the people who worked there find another job soon.

Ben

[Shem]

:(
Damn it. I guess that's just the way the things are. I liked acclaim games. I liked them a lot. I still remember when I was a kid, sitting a friend's house, setting up a MK2 tournaments all the time. I always played Reptile. Plenty stories I'd like to tell you (like the one we were throwing a dog's poo at eachother :) ), but I don't wanna go off topic. Damn, another great contributor to the gaming industry just went away. Damn shame. Concluding all this with one phrase : "Awww crap."

[Mobius]

Juiced been shelved...? :? That cant be right...

i mean i dont want the game personally coz im not a car modder (im too young to drive)
but there has been so much press about it...they have had mcs making music videos for it and stuff...and if you watch gamer tv or go on the site you''ll see how much news there is about it.

[Thruster2097]

yeah, tell me about it! I was one of the many bewildered faces at the gamestars expo looking for acclaim stand, they had shystee supposed to be performing her new single and everything.
Acclaim pulled a no-show (understandably) and left people asking questions.
I was asking my local game stores today if they were still planning to sell juiced, everything seems OK, scheduling for a release date of 24th as planned. I'll see if I can phone acclaim (if there's anyone home :? ), and anyone else who may know the score.

Plus I really want this game to come out because I only purchased NFSU to modify the cars, only problem is you have to complete the game to get all the stuff. Ive hit a barrier at level 90 and I cant get any further. Juiced actually promised good looks, modifiable motors and a game that can be played.

[Shem]

I would be more worried about Acclaim rather than Juiced. I played the demo of this game at my friends PC. The game is nowhere near Gran Turismo 3, yes it offers visual damage (and I must say it looks quite good), but the other thing is that the car is difficult to handle when seriously smashed into a wall. I don't know if that game was to be an arcade racer. If so, then it's crappy. I couldn't figure out the handling (and braking) of the car, and after one close encounter with a wall, you could forget racing with others. Maybe it's the PC version which looked so dull. I won't judge the graphics (it's PC.....you get the picture).

[Rapier Racer]

Sad news, I remember those early Mortal Kombats, what about worms and all that will another company take over?

[G'Kyl]

I know that the latest Bard's Tale has been taken over by Vivendi, and I believe a successful series like worms will find a new home as well.

[Mobius]

worms was made by team17

it's only needs a publisher.

[Wamdue]

Wasnt it Team 17 who made worms? Or am I confused?

Never really liked Acclaim.. They were also the ones who brought the titty-bmx-sim to the world.

edit: Totally forgot about MK, although perhaps not the best fighter out there. There is a big nostalgia-value in the first versions of the game. I used to play that game with my brothers for hours and it always ended with a real fight hehe, Especially when my older brother spammed that homing missile attack on me 5 games in a row with one of the robot-guys. But look at the current MK games, they lack the magic.

[vincoof]

I agree with Wamdue. I don't like Acclaim. Well, in fact I loved them when I was kid (playing stupid yet funny games on my ol' Atari 2600) and we have to thank them as every pioneer in the gaming indusrty at this time, but then they didn't make many stunning titles. And I wouldn't call MK a good gaming experience. Technically it was pretty impressive, but talking about gameplay ... well ... once you've seen all the 'fatalities' you could just trash the game.

[Piranha Advancements]

Old news but..

I had said that Juiced will be shelved..and now,it seems..not any more! That title will still be released although it's release is pending.I've gotten SRS,Viewtiful Joe,Phantom Brave,Star Ocean 3,DW: Empires in one shot...still waiting for Shin Megami Nocturne..and now this? Nothing will be done in a month or two.Nothing!

http://ps2.ign.com/articles/544/544143p1.html

[Thruster2097]

I have got word from other publishers that Juiced will be distributed by a company called "gem". I never heard of them, but apparently thats the deal.
So, release for Juiced as scheduled, I guess.

And according to the acclaim website, they are due to release a new worms title soon. Not sure what happened with team17 tho, I'll try and find out.

[Hyper Shadow]

Acclaim: A good heritage of games, but when the new gen came, they grew old and tired and made a succession of poor buisness desiscions (BMX XXX for one).

I can't say that it unexpected, but I think it's best to remember them as the creators of Mortal Kombat and a force in the 90's.

[Thruster2097]

Apologies for dragging an old subject back, but just heard that "juiced" has been bought up by software house THQ, and plans to put the game back through from the start of production - reworking and tweaking it to perfection. Or so they say.
Planning for a Q2-2005 release.

Personally, I think this is garbage. Acclaim must have had the original version of juiced already burned onto discs and ready for retail long before the announcement was made that acclaim were filing for bankruptcy. All I say to THQ is: for pete's sake, release the original now, AHEAD of NFSU2!
On the release date of NFSU2, the public will forget about Juiced, and SRS, and Drive To Die, and possibly FlatOut. And as much as I really wouldnt care to admit it, EA have pulled all the stops to make this title a stunner, and it will eclipse all competition.

So, there ya go. Anybody with a copy of Juiced is looking at quite a rare object.


So, here's a trivia question for all the PSfreeks:
What have THQ done for me lately? Or, posed in a more question-esque format, What racing games have they released? Although I have heard of THQ, I didnt think they done anything but american wrestling games. Any info anyone?

[G'Kyl]

Then again, what if Acclaim games haven't been carried by high enough standards so they'd sell well enough - which could be why Acclaim is no more - which is why THQ might want to do better. ;) Seriously, though, I'm sure THQ has somewhat different expectations from a game with their label on it. Maybe it's just about what kind of clientele they are trying to serve. Or maybe the game didn't reach some of their standards yet (graphics-wise or whatever). Or MAYbe they do in fact think swimming in the backwater of NFS2 is gonna make the game more popular than if they released it right away...

THQ have done a lot more than wrestling games, rest assured. :-) They had the MotoGP series, some Hot Wheels games, GT conversions for GBA and much much more. Apart from the racing game sector, they just published the recent Warhammer RTS, X: Beyond the Frontier as well as X2 (two excellent Elite-like space exploration games). PLUS, they are going to give us S.T.A.L.K.E.R.!
Even though they do a lot of familiy/children/educational stuff, they sure have their moments ;)

Hmmm, the above sounds like I had some connection to THQ or, at least, a sticker with their name at the top of my monitor. Well, I've got neither! *g*

Ben

[infoxicated]

Thrusty, Juiced would probably have been lost in the tidal wave of marketing EA will put out for NFSU2, so maybe this way the game'll get to stand on its own merits during the quiet winter period.

There are plenty of racing games out or coming out at the moment (on PS2 anyway) - Need for Speed Daytime (Burnout 3), Gran Tourismo 4, TOCA Race Driver 2, Test Drive: Eve of Destruction, WRC4, Euro Rally Champion, Ford Racing 3, Hot Wheels Stunt Track Challenge, Knight Rider 2, Lamborghini FX, Powerdrome (not strictly cars), Crash 'n' Burn, and NFSU 2.

Talk about a saturated market - and anyone who's not playing those will be playing Grand Theft Auto San Andreas... or at least I will.

[Rapier Racer]

Talk about a saturated market - and anyone who's not playing those will be playing Grand Theft Auto San Andreas... or at least I will.

i'll second that, any American users here got the new MK? tell me whats it's like will ya, how come we have to wait over a month after the US release anyway it's not fair damn it! If they found any faults would Miday correct them before UK release?

[G'Kyl]

Knight RIder 2? Don't tell me they actually sold enough copies to make a profit... I loved the series and really wanted to play the game - though mostly for nostalgic reasons :) - but after I finished two missions it become a duster. It just wasn't worth it.
Btw, I never understood the GTA hype. They have been great (I really mean GREAT) fun for about two hours, and then, for some reason, I don't really know why, they just got so boring. Part 2 was fun in multiplayer, though.

Ben

[infoxicated]

I never played the first one because the reviews were so bad, so I'm surprized they got the ok from the publisher to do another one. Maybe it'll be miles better and the Knight Rider game we've all been waiting for.

But I doubt it! ;)

[vh5150]

Top 10 Acclaim Games (http://www.gamespy.com/articles/545/545684p1.html?fromint=1)


Acclaim may be gone, but it's not forgotten. We remember some of its classics.
By GameSpy Staff | Sept. 8, 2004

Last week, long-time video game publisher Acclaim filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Chapter 7 is not like Chapter 11, the friendly kind of bankruptcy that lets you go on operating. No, Chapter 7 is the end. Once you file Chapter 7, that's it. You're gone. And so Acclaim has departed the world of games, which it first joined as an early NES licensee in 1987.