Vogster scales back workforce

CrimeCraft and Roboapocalypse developer Vogster Entertainment, have begun laying off development staff, citing a slowdown in work now that both games have finished the development cycle of both games. This is a pretty normal occurrence when you have huge development teams working on games and no work for them.

“Vogster has seen a number of releases this year. As an independent developer, we need to be very strategic in our use of available resources and shift from already launched titles to support the ongoing development and growth of CrimeCraft,” said Daniel Prousline, vice president of development at Vogster. “We regret the necessary staffing changes and the talented employees that this impacts, but it is an unavoidable step in moving to the operational stage of CrimeCraft and optimizing for the development of yet to be announced titles.”

Vogster said that, despite these layoffs, work will continue on new and exisiting Vogster projects.

CrimeCraft gets in the MMA fight as a sponsor

Vogster Entertainment and MMA marketing firm SuckerPunch Entertainment have announced that CrimeCraft will be the focus of two mixed martial arts (MMA) sponsorships. The first is the sponsorship of fighter Mike Russow in the upcoming MMA event, UFC 102, which airs this Saturday, August 29 at 10 p.m. EST. Russow is an active duty Chicago police officer currently assigned to the elite Target Response Unit, and brings his own brand of martial arts and law enforcement fighting skills to the octagon.

On September 4, Vogster will continue its sponsorship of fighters at Shine’s Fight Promotions, ATT (America’s Top Team) vs. the World, which airs on September 4 at 8 p.m. EST. The double guns logo from its MMO CrimeCraft will be prominently featured on the mat and on the two, top-ranked fighters: Anthony Morrison and UFC veteran Junior Assuncao, as they take on WEC champion Micah Miller and UFC veteran Gideon Ray.

Previously, Vogster and SuckerPunch Entertainment collaborated on match sponsorships that included fighter Jeff Curran for the Ultimate Fighting Championship 101 as well as the World Extreme Cagefighting 42.

CrimeCraft ships to select retailers

THQ and Vogster Entertainment have shipped the urban themed persistent world shooter CrimeCraft to exclusive retail partners Best Buy (USA & Canada) and Future Shop (Canada). In CrimeCraft playersn form online gangs and compete against each other in the gritty, urban world guns, numbers and skill determine who climbs to the top of the heap and rules the streets.

Now available in North America for the suggested retail price of $49.95, CrimeCraft includes two months of premium subscription time and an initial stash of gold bars that players can use for in-game micro-transactions. After the two-month free subscription window, a monthly fee of $9.99 provides players a stipend of gold bars and continued access to the game.

In addition to the exclusive retail package with Best Buy, CrimeCraft is also available for immediate digital download through a number of online distribution partners. Each partner offers unique in-game content. More details are available at www.crimecraft.com/offers.

CrimeCraft crafting, trading, and hustling

Vogster today revealed details on looting, crafting, auction houses and the player driven economy that you’ll find in its upcoming gang-themed online action MMO, CrimeCraft. Vogster’s Persistent World Next-gen Shooter (PWNS) will offer a variety of in-game vendors in Sunrise City, selling everything from hats and shoes to guns and ammo.

By competing against other players in PvP battles or by playing with them in a co-op PvE mode, players gather items that can be sold, crafted or used to upgrade their arsenals, clothing and boosts. Players can specialize in four crafting professions: Tailoring, Chemist, Gunsmith and Engineer. Each discipline has its own special impact on any gang member and their gear.

Players can buy, sell and trade crafted items in a variety of ways including directly to other players (peddling boosts on street corners, for example), through NPC vendors for cash, cash on delivery via the in-game mail system or through the Pawnbroker (the Sunrise City version of an auction house).

Sounds intersting. CrimeCraft is rated ‘M’ for Mature and is slated to ship for PC on August 25.

Ecko Unlimited brand invading CrimeCraft

Vogster Entertainment will collaborate with Ecko Unlimited to incorporate the famous label’s clothing items in its persistent world shooter CrimeCraft. Marc Ecko’s urban fashion division will help Vogster implement its clothing line into the game so that would-be thugs can wear them as they wage urban warfare on each other.

As part of an exclusive offer from retailer Best Buy, players purchasing the game in store or online at www.bestbuy.com will unlock an Ecko Unlimited t-shirt for their in-game avatar. Those that pre-order through Best Buy will also receive a pair of virtual Ecko sneakers for their in-game characters. A variety of Ecko Unlimited apparel will also be available to all players in CrimeCraft, regardless of purchase location, including hoodies, jeans and additional t-shirts.

CrimeCraft is scheduled for release on August 25, 2009. For more information, check out www.crimecraft.com

THQ to publish CrimeCraft

THQ and Vogster Entertainment announced a publishing deal for the online action game, CrimeCraft. Scheduled to ship across North America in August 2009, this game will be available at retail exclusively at Best Buy stores and on www.bestbuy.com.

Gamers can begin pre-ordering CrimeCraft in stores on June 7 or online beginning May 31. Those who pre-order CrimeCraft via Best Buy retail stores or online will receive virtual in-game shoes from Ecko Unltd., created by fashion icon Marc Ecko, access to play the pre-release version of the game during beta, and three days’ head start at the game’s launch.

CrimeCraft is a persistent world, first-person shooter that blends action and community with role-playing elements found in massively multi-player games. CrimeCraft is set in a fictional city of the future, where gangs vie for rule of the street. Players can join thousands of players online, build a gang and do whatever it takes to survive. For more information on CrimeCraft, visit www.crimecraft.com.

CrimeCraft beta test launches

Those interested in participating in Vogster Entertainment’s CrimeCraft closed beta program can begin signing up now at www.crimecraft.com. The first public hands-on test drive of CrimeCraft, a persistent world, gang-based shooter for PC, officially kicked off this week for all registered users. Additional beta slots will open on an ongoing basis throughout the summer to registered and participants. CrimeCraft is slated to ship for PC on August 25, 2009.

CrimeCraft blends a shooter experience with community and role-playing elements found in massively multi-player games. CrimeCraft is set in a fictional city of the near future, following an ecological disaster, where the price of life is far less valuable than one’s reputation. Well that’s the story anyway. The game, like many other persistent world shooters on the market or heading to market later this year, is powered by unreal Engine 3. This engine seems to be the top choice for those trying to enter into this sub-genre of pseudo MMOs.