Following reports that Team Bondi, developer of L.A. Noire, may be folded into Keller Miller Mitchell (KMM) Studios, more details on the shape of Team Bondi have leaked out. According to Develop, the Australian developer has begun to sell off its IPs and additional assets, and may be preparing to file bankruptcy.
No papers have been filed yet with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, signifying that the developer has not begun the process of trying to sell itself, but reports suggest that current Team Bondi employees have been given the opportunity of taking a new job at KMM, or accepting a severance package.
Assuming that the reports are true—and with more and more evidence supporting those reports it seems likely—then this may mark the sad end to a promising studio. Following the release of L.A. Noire after years in development, the game wowed critics and audiences on its way to selling 3.5 million units since its release in May. But despite the praise and solid sales, the behind-the-scenes issues within Team Bondi soon came to the surface.
L.A. Noire publisher Rockstar eventually decided to cut ties with Team Bondi after once toying with the idea of folding the developer into itself and rebranding them as Rockstar Sydney. But issues with the development, and especially with Noire’s director Brendan McNamara, soured relations. Several former Team Bondi employees also came forward and painted a bleak and unsafe working condition, and put much of the blame on McNamara, calling him a “bully” among other things. Other employees have since come to McNamara’s defense, but the damage was done, and Team Bondi is currently under investigation by the International Game Developers Association (IGDA).
Team Bondi people read.
NP, the site is yours, you guys keep us in business. Give us a swift kick in the arse when things get too crazy!
DT: why are you wasting your time with the troll? The other 56,000 of your fans (myself included) know that it’s impossible to have a perfectly structured article, complete with flawless grammar and syntax 100% of the time, especially when deliver as much content as you guys do. Besides, if you read his comments, they’re hardly well written – at least to a point where he has room to judge your editors.
Besides, if he’s so concerned about “rumors” being published then he should probably stray away from this site, online publications and the news in general: digital media has to be comprised of rumors because of how fast the information train runs; if publishers waited for all the facts to be 100% accurate, nothing would ever get written. Even the biggest media conglomerates publish rumors and/or write articles as the information becomes available and often, they’re forced to edit and delete rumors so why should DT be held to higher standard?
The bottom line is that mistakes happen and in this case, DT was correct (at least according to what Ryan posted, I didn’t read the original article) and being a fan as long as I have, know you’re quick to edit any mistakes that arise. It should also be mentioned that you guys often summarize articles from other sites (as everyone does these days) so if one person makes an error, it trickles down – thus the issue with online publications. People who are a fan of these companies know what you meant to write; there was no need to make a big deal out of it.
Bankruptcy is the new divorce. These days, it’s almost strange if you have NOT done it.
Bless you, Digital Trends.
Hi Gabriel, this is Ryan. Are you criticizing the article for not saying that Take Two is the publisher? Take Two owns Rockstar, but Rockstar is the official publisher.
@DT. Don’t feed the troll unless he can show he’s written hundreds of better articles which are properly formed, insightful and grammatically correct. You’re doing just fine as it is.
Cool! I’m sure you guys can dig up something original! You do it all the time! Just don’t traffic in rumors and check your facts!
Fair request. I will ask Ryan to correct the article, and ask the editorial team to tone down the rumor stories. Cool?
You guys often make basic mistakes in your articles, as Ryan DaSilva pointed out. Fire your editor and hire a better one. Also, stop clogging up our feeds with rumors.
Perhaps. Rage on?
This is a joke, right? Some type of now-tell-us-what-you-really-think joke that’s meant to make me rage, right?
@Gabriel – Why do you say that?
Thank you, Ryan. Digital Trends, send all of your writers back to…second semester college English writing. You guys lack basic research skills and your articles are usually poorly written and often even more poorly researched.
ALREADY?