Zipper Interactive confirms closure after 17 years, PS Vita game Unit 13 goes down as squad-based shooter specialists’ swan song.

The studio behind the SOCOM series of tactical shooters has been shut down. On its official Twitter feed today, Zipper Interactive announced it was closing, saying, “After 17 years it’s time to head off into the sunset.”

Unit 13 debuted earlier this month.

The closure was first rumored last week, when reports circulated that the studio had a project canceled and was undergoing layoffs. As of press time, a Sony representative had not returned GameSpot’s request for comment on the number of employees affected by Zipper’s closure.

Zipper released the PlayStation Vita game Unit 13 earlier this month to positive reviews. The studio’s last game before that was SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs for the PlayStation 3. That game launched in April of 2011, just days before Sony crippled its multiplayer mode by pulling the plug on the PlayStation Network for months as a result of a security breach. The following month, Zipper endured a round of layoffs that Sony confirmed as “normal business practice and a result of cutting back on production resources after the launch of two major franchises.”

The other franchise referenced was 2010′s MAG, a large-scale online FPS for the PS3. Other games to the company’s credit include Crimson Skies and MechWarrior 3.

[ Watch Video ]

Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot

Large-scale layoffs reported at Sony-owned Zipper Interactive in wake of Unit 13 release and possible project cancellation.

The studio behind the SOCOM series of tactical first-person shooters is rumored to be shutting down.

Unit 13 could be Zipper’s swan song.

Kotaku is citing unspecified sources with the news that Zipper Interactive has had a project canceled and has been “in the process of being hit by layoffs” this week. While the report doesn’t specify how many people are being cut, it does say “the scope of the layoffs appears to indicate a studio closure.”

Sony reportedly declined to comment to Kotaku multiple times this week. GameSpot’s own inquiry to the company went unreturned as of press time.

Zipper released the PlayStation Vita game Unit 13 earlier this month to positive reviews. The studio’s last game before that was SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs for the PlayStation 3. That game launched in April of 2011, just days before Sony crippled its multiplayer mode by pulling the plug on the PlayStation Network for months as a result of a security breach. The following month, Zipper endured a round of layoffs that Sony confirmed as “normal business practice and a result of cutting back on production resources after the launch of two major franchises.”

The other franchise referenced was 2010′s MAG, a large-scale online FPS for the PS3. Other games to the company’s credit include Crimson Skies and MechWarrior 3.

[ Watch Video ]

Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot

Zipper Interactive readying third-person shooter to launch with Sony’s new handheld on February 22; game to feature cooperative, competitive online action.

Zipper Interactive not only has a PS Vita game in the works, but it’s locked and loaded for the system’s launch window. The developer today announced its first PS Vita game, Unit 13, on the PlayStation Blog, adding that the game would be “available right around” its host system’s February 22 debut.

Unit 13 is Zipper’s first handheld game since the PSP SOCOM Fireteam Bravo games.

Described as a third-person shooter with an emphasis on fast action, Unit 13 will let players take on 36 missions as one of six different characters, each with specific talents. As players finish those main missions, they unlock “high-value target” battles, which can be shared with friends after completion.

Zipper is placing an emphasis on social and competitive play for Unit 13, designing a 3G-enabled live notification system that will tell players about challenges to their leaderboard positions, shared high-value target missions, and more. The game will also feature cooperative play with voice chat support and separate leaderboards for global and regional rankings.

[UPDATE]: Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has since confirmed that Unit 13 is indeed set for a February 22 debut.

Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot

Xbox 360 and PS3 remake dated; PS3-exclusive Double ‘O’ Edition bundled with Move and Sharp Shooter peripheral plus downloadable Moonraker villain.

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception may be the biggest PlayStation 3 exclusive hitting stores on 11-1-11, but it’s not the only one. Activision today announced a November 1 release date for the PS3-exclusive Double ‘O’ Edition of GoldenEye 007: Reloaded, which will arrive at retailers the same day as the standard Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of the game.

Activision hopes gamers will make a Double ‘O’ face.

The Double ‘O’ Edition of the game will come bundled with Sony’s PS3 Move and Navigation controllers, a PlayStation Eye camera, and the Sharp Shooter peripheral shell. It will also have an exclusive downloadable character in Hugo Drax, the villain from the Bond film Moonraker. Drax will be playable in the game’s multiplayer component, armed with his laser pistol from the film. Activision didn’t announce a price for the bundle, but a similar offering for SOCOM 4 sold for $150 earlier this year.

Built on a new engine and overhauled from last year’s Wii version, GoldenEye 007: Reloaded will feature a single-player campaign that lets players employ gameplay modifiers (infinite ammo, Golden Gun mode), with additional MI6 Ops challenge levels and an expanded Time Trial mode. For multiplayer fans, the game will let up to 16 players compete online with new modes, maps, weapons, and characters from the Bond universe.

For more on the game, check out GameSpot’s previous coverage of GoldenEye 007: Reloaded.

Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot