The Last Days of Acclaim

[digitalpress]

Anyone else here pretty sure that Acclaim is just about ready to call it quits? Check out this latest story and tell me if this seems like a sound advertising scheme for a new game release:

http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/sports/segasportstennis/news_6030283.html

[Ed Oscuro]

Hah! Well, I did enjoy Extreme G 2. On the plus side, this means that we'll have something to watch for at Wimbledon. Indeed.

Check the screenshots, though...It's sad that most 1990s games from Japan translated for US markets could get the whole "-s for plural" thing right, but Virtua Tennis doesn't. "One Balls" indeed.

[Oberfuhrer Hamm]

LOL !!!

I would NOT want to buy a game that some flock of pigeons, which were probably crapping all over the place, delivered the ad for to me.

[dave2236]

I also liked the Extreme G series.

Sad to see them go, but lots of developers are calling it quits.

[bargora]

That's just wacky.

I'm reading "The Simulacra" by Philip K. Dick right now, which contains the following passage:


Something sizzled to the right of him. A commercial, made by Theodorus Nitz, the worst house of all, had attached itself to his car.

"Get off," he warned it. But the commercial, well-adhered, began to crawl, buffeted by the wind, toward the door and the entrance crack. It would soon have squeezed in and would be haranguing him in the cranky, garbagey fashion of the Nitz advertisements.

He could, as it came through the crack, kill it. It was alive, terribly mortal; the ad agencies, like nature, squandered hordes of them.

The commercial, fly-sized, began to buzz out its message as soon as it managed to force entry. "Say! Haven't you sometimes said to yourself, I'll bet other people in restaurants can see me! And you're puzzled as to what to do about this serious, baffling problem of being conspicuous, especially--"

Chic crushed it with his foot.

[YoshiM]

"Oh look, honey, the pigeons have some writing on them."

"What do they say?"

"Well" ::squints:: "I think it says"

::loud liquid squirting sound ensues::

Acclaim also did some other stunts like people naming their baby Turok for a year. I think there was something else involving tattoos, but I can't remember.

I guess the game REALLY suck if they have to use pigeons to promote it. Not flyers showing what the game looks like. But pigeons, something that's absolutely NOT related to tennis other than the mess you may have to wipe off your seat.

Stick a fork in 'em, I think Acclaim's done. By the way, how has this company managed to stay around this long anyway? Most Acclaim games since the NES were fairly mediocre with a few better games popping up every so often.

[Needle]

Geez, pigeons? The only thing pigeons are good for is kicking. ;)

Accalim needs to go down in a serious way. I don't know who their advertising executives are, but I want whatever they're smoking. One day it's pigeons, the next day they'll be putting advertisements on gravestones!

...

Oh wait. Nevermind LOL

[mikeetler]

I don't think this has anything to do with Acclaim's future in the industry. This is the third stunt Acclaim UK has pulled, starting with a contest to award a prize to one person that legally changed his name to Turok for a six month period and the Shadowman stunt mentioned in the article (buying ads on tombstones). Personally, I find these rather amusing though I don't think it's helped game sales.

[liquidmetal]

REALLY? acclaim is right by me in oster bay about 10 miles from me. At least thats wherre they used to be when they were in the nes market. Id hate to see them go.

[Saturn Sensei]

Say what you will, I really enjoyed Burnout 1 & 2, Dave Mirra 2, Re-Volt, Fur Fighters, Turok 2, and Aggressive InLine.

It's a pity. It is also a testament to the sad state of the industry.


Why can't it be EA's turn next?

[Oberfuhrer Hamm]

Say what you will, I really enjoyed Burnout 1 & 2, Dave Mirra 2, Re-Volt, Fur Fighters, Turok 2, and Aggressive InLine.

It's a pity. It is also a testament to the sad state of the industry.


Why can't it be EA's turn next?

I think in this case you should, quite literally, "kill 2 birds with 1 stone". :D