Stainless Steel belly up, people burning, stuff screaming

[Kosmo]

Apparently Stainless Steel studios, the developer of such games as Empire Earth and Empires: Dawn of the Modern World. Has closed it's doors.

The company was just months away from scheduled release of Rise and Fall: Civilizations at War but something changed dramatically and the developer is out of business.

There hasn't been any word from Midway the would be publisher of Rise and Fall if they are going to finish the game.

Personally, it is bit of a shock, I thought that they were doing well.

[johnm487]

I don't think too many people want to play RTS games any more.

[Kosmo]

I don't think too many people want to play RTS games any more.

Ignorance.

UK PC chart Top 20

3. Age of epires III

6. Civilization IV

12. Rome: Total War - Barbarian Invasion

18. Black & White 2

20. Rome: Total War

And that is not counting semi-strategy/tycoon games like Movies (#5) Sims 2: Nightlife (#7) Sims2 (#9) Sims2: University (#14)

[johnm487]

How is it ignorance? Just an assumption. Ya those games

are on the top 20 list, but how long will they be there?

I was talking about the days when everybody played Starcraft.

[insta]

I'm pretty sure Starcraft and Warcraft 3 still has a huge following.

[Kosmo]

Well, Rome: Total War was released over a year ago, and it's still on the chart. And if you go take a look at battle.net there still are some few hundred thousand players in every region.

RTS games are as popular as they ever were, sure there is no ONE hugely popular game like Starcraft was back in the days, but people still play RTS games like crazy.

[Steppenwolf]

Civilization IV is no RTS.

[Kosmo]

Civilization IV is no RTS.

Break it down now.. Real Time Strategy, now eliminate the first two words.

You have lot to learn young grasshopper.

[RD]

empire earth wasnt a bankrupting title was it?

[Kosmo]

They were making a completely new and innovative game at the time of closing down called Rise and Fall, really neat stuff they were making there, if that is what you mean.

[Izuno]

Well...given Midway was to be the publisher of Rise and Fall, that might have a lot to do with it. Midway reported net income way below expectations the last quarter, and in general the public word out there was that they were having deeper financial issues, even though they have strong backing from Viacom Chairman Sumner Redstone.

It is quite possible that Midway pulled the publishing deal on the project...and maybe that led to the studio collapse... maybe also some key people left the studio? That's how these things often happen. Until we hear from someone on the inside, we won't really know.

Too bad.

[Hipshot]

EE was pretty good when it came, EE2 was not good at all, I could care less really. Rise of Nations owned both games by far, and I can't wait to see Rise of Legends.

[KungFuSquirrel]

EE2 was Mad Doc. Stainless Steel went on to do Empires: Dawn of the Modern World, a graphically updated and more timeline-focused EE.

[Steppenwolf]

Civilization IV is no RTS.

Break it down now.. Real Time Strategy, now eliminate the first two words.

You have lot to learn young grasshopper.

Dont call me young or grasshopper. I play Civilization since version 1 on Amiga. Real time strategy and round based strategy have ever been two different subgenres with a different fanbase.

The person who seems to have gaps in the knowledge is you.

[Izuno]

Civilization IV is no RTS.

Break it down now.. Real Time Strategy, now eliminate the first two words.

You have lot to learn young grasshopper.

Dont call me young or grasshopper. I play Civilization since version 1 on Amiga. Real time strategy and round based strategy have ever been two different subgenres with a different fanbase.

The person who seems to have gaps in the knowledge is you.

"Let's fight!"

"Them's fightin' words!"