LogInOne of the anonymous creators also added that a total lack of clear direction was the reason why HYENAS got canceled.
Image credit: Creative Assembly, HYENAS
Recently, we reported that SEGA's highly-anticipated online multiplayer shooter HYENAS, developed by Creative Assembly, has been unexpectedly cancelled, despite being in advanced stages of development. The cancellation has led to speculation about upcoming layoffs at the studio. As time passes by, new information has been revealed, namely that HYENAS was SEGA's most costly production to date.
While Creative Assembly has shared that the cancellation of the game might be attributed to ambitious plans and fierce competition within the multiplayer shooter genre, an informative video by YouTuber Volound, supported by VGC's sources, reveals anonymous developers' claims that a lack of clear direction, a disruptive engine change, and excessively cautious design choices played a significant role in its demise.
"So what went wrong? Total lack of direction, many of the leadership asleep at the wheel but they never seem to lose their jobs. An engine change, part way through the process. Attempting to break into a saturated market, and not committing to do anything adventurous with the game," one of the anonymous creators stated.
The video and VGC's report shed light on additional details, such as the involvement of film director Neill Blomkamp in shaping the game's lore and story, and the transition of the project from a premium model to a free-to-play structure shortly before its cancellation. Former developers also assert that HYENAS boasted SEGA's largest-ever budget for a game, positioning it as one of the publisher's highly anticipated "super games".
While further details can be found in the video, the main takeaway is that HYENAS, an ambitious project, faced significant challenges in finding a clear direction. Its concept, centered around a team-based shooter involving theft from the wealthy, failed to captivate audiences, despite promising elements in our hands-on experience. Unfortunately, the game will not come to fruition, despite substantial financial investments made in its development.
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