"We're surrounded"

Back in April, Atomic's Six Days in Fallujah was the subject of much discussion here at IUN (see: post 1, post 2, post 3, post 4). It seems that the search for a new publisher hasn't gone well since then, and the developer has been forced to lay-off several employees. From Gamasutra:

Atomic Games says fears over Six Days In Fallujah's subject matter have meant it hasn't gotten funding nor a publisher for a project, and that it's had to make an unspecified staff reduction today.

"In the words of Marine officer Chesty Puller, 'We're surrounded. That simplifies the problem,'" said Atomic in a press statement. The studio says development at Atomic will continue with a smaller team funded by sister company Destineer.

Atomic, which also cites "low video game sales this summer" as a reason for its current challenges, notes that its staff of 75 has remained intact until the reductions this week. It called this a "testament" to their commitment to the project in the face of challenges.

IUN saw this coming way back when, though we take no pleasure in being right. Atomic's management can beat their drums all they like, but the fact remains: their decisions - to make this game, and to market it stupidly - cost people their jobs. Six Days was a bad idea from the jump, and the din it generated may well end up being the soundtrack for the developer's demise.