Breaking News: Sega's Unreleased Game Shattered Records with Staggering Budget!

Highlights

The industry was taken aback by Sega's unexpected cancellation of Hyenas, a multiplayer shooter that had garnered high anticipation, primarily because it was axed so close to its scheduled release. According to a recent report, the game boasted the largest budget ever seen in the company's history.

Sega's cancellation of Hyenas was supposedly a result of financial problems in their European operations. However, the recently disclosed budget for the game heightened the element of surprise.

Sega's decision to cancel Hyenas was likely influenced by concerns of internal disinterest, competition from other multiplayer shooters, and several development complications.

Sega's recent cancellation of several titles has caused a stir in the industry, particularly when it comes to Hyenas. This highly anticipated multiplayer shooter, developed by Creative Assembly, had the distinction of being the video game with the largest budget ever invested by Sega. The decision to cancel Hyenas so close to its release date has left many questioning Sega's motivations, especially considering the game's significant financial investment.

According to a former developer interviewed by VGC, Hyenas had the largest budget ever allocated to a game by the company. Speculations arose regarding the reasons for the cancellation. However, recently, the YouTube channel Volound released a video exploring the cancellation's causes. The video showcased anonymous developers shedding light on various issues surrounding the development, including what they described as a complete lack of direction.

Developing games is a costly undertaking, and although the exact amount Sega invested in this title is unknown, it is said to have cost more than Shenmue, a game from 1999 that had a budget of around $70 million. Another significant factor that potentially influenced Sega's decision was the perceived lack of interest and feedback within the company, as well as concerns that Hyenas would be overshadowed by the numerous multiplayer shooters already available in the market. These concerns were further compounded by problems with project leadership, essential character changes impacting the game's tone, and the unexpected shift from a premium game to a free-to-play game with microtransactions.

The developers in charge of the game have undoubtedly been affected by this, and there is a significant concern among workers regarding how this will impact their redundant jobs. There is a possibility that the company will have to lay off employees, just like BioWare recently did. One developer, who was interviewed, expressed that the main concern is not the cancellation of Hyenas itself, but rather how this decision will affect the jobs of individuals who had no involvement in the project. "IT, operations, marketing, HR, and even some people on TW, they have no responsibility for this situation," they stated.

Various issues between developers and companies, including financial challenges, have been observed in the past, and they have a significant impact on multiple game titles. The cancellation of games is always disappointing news for both players and employees, highlighting the considerable challenges that come with game development.

Source: VGC