Yaris developer closes its doors, we snicker

by Dustin Burg { Apr 8th 2008 at 1:15PM }

As part of our blogging duties to the X3F community, we must inform you of some sad developer news. Ex-Blizzard founded developer Castaway Entertainment has run into a heaping pile of financial troubles due to a few projects falling through and, of course, the company has run out of cashola. So, they have been forced to shut down operations. Sad ...

You now may be asking yourself why we're reporting on Castaway going the way of dial-up internet and that answer is quite simple. They created the despicably-disgustingly-dreary Xbox Live Arcade game Yaris. Yes, that Yaris. So, maybe we shouldn't feel bad for Castaway or shed any tears, because they were a part of our XBLA torture. Chalk their bad luck up to karma being a bi**h. Ouch, maybe that's a bit harsh. At the time Castaway probably needed any money they could scrounge up and Yaris was waiting to be developed. Nah, they deserve it. Yaris is the scum of the Earth and we have no compassion for any company involved in its creation. We're somewhat bitter, can you tell?

Tags: castaway, castaway-entertainment, xbla, yaris

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Mike Schramm @ Apr 8th 2008 1:20PM

A little harsh, imo. Even bad game developers gotta eat.

RudyHuxtable @ Apr 8th 2008 1:23PM

Heh. Yaris. What a turd. You reap what you sow.

emirabal @ Apr 8th 2008 1:31PM

Yeah, as far as the game, lame, as far as the news, that sucks.

Tony @ Apr 8th 2008 1:31PM

They were commissioned to do it and apparently Toyota and it's marketing company were happy with the results. Microsoft somehow managed to OK it quickly, even more strange given how much shit they apparently give legitimate games.

I'm more likely to point the blame at everyone else just as much. A lot of developers start out with some pretty crappy, licensed dreck in order to build up experience and cash flow.

So yeah the game is terrible, but I still feel kind of bad for the people who worked there. I wouldn't want to be out of a job in this market right now.

Doug @ Apr 8th 2008 1:34PM

Those Toyota marketing gurus thought they were selling ice to penguins by making a Yaris game for XBLA. They thought Gen Y or Z or ZZ would just go crazy to play a VIDEO game that's really an AD.

Maybe this will keep the next marketer from trying another Trojan horse.

Magic Whiskey @ Apr 8th 2008 1:37PM

I wonder if Shipwreck Entertainment will release 'Fit' now...

(If that company exists, I want royalties, dammit)

Van @ Apr 8th 2008 1:44PM

I love my Yaris... err, my car, not the game.

Ghoti @ Apr 8th 2008 1:53PM

I'm glad I got Yaris for free ... not one of the better games I've played for sure...

JAKEJAX @ Apr 8th 2008 2:08PM

Dustin, what was it that Alexander said during the last podcast? "You are complaining about something that is free." I know that you are bitter about the game taking away hours from you life. But the did give you some fee achievement which boosted your gamerscore. So give Castaway a break. O.K.?

JAKEJAX @ Apr 8th 2008 2:10PM

I really need to proof read before I add comments. Bad JAKEJAX! BAD!

ZenGaijin @ Apr 8th 2008 2:13PM

Whats a 5 letter word for feeling cheated even when you got something for free?

...YARIS.....

xenocidic @ Apr 8th 2008 2:42PM

So there's no hope for inverted controls now???

mark @ Apr 8th 2008 7:04PM

i lol'd

SoL @ Apr 8th 2008 2:58PM

Toyota sponsored EVO 2k7, now I don't know if they were there with yaris at all the regionals, north south east and west, but they did have it at EVO world in vegas. They were giving away zunes to the two people who had the highest scores that weekend. It was a promotional game for an event that toyota sponsored. They DIDN'T make it specifically for XBLA. If you do not know what evo is, http://www.evo2k.com It's the CPL of fighting games.

So please, stop being dicks about a developer who have worked on successful games before, i.e. the diablo franchise, closing it's doors because of publishing problems. It's not their fault that toyota wanted them to make a game for events they were sponsoring.

Show some respect, dicks.

SoL @ Apr 8th 2008 3:07PM

Especially you Dustin. Man, c'mon, how do you think this makes you look for "snickering'' when a developer closes it's doors. "Chalk it up to karma" wow, seriously? What did they do, physically force you to play yaris? Hold a gun to your head until you played till your eyes bleed?

Seriously, be less of a dick please.

Knight Marquise @ Apr 8th 2008 3:09PM

I'm always saddened to see any business fail. Every business is someones dream.

ccc @ Apr 8th 2008 3:13PM

Too bad this isn't a company EA wanted to buy, heh.

Chances are though this entire development team will end up working over at THQ.

They deserve each other.

horngreen @ Apr 8th 2008 4:54PM

Ahhh fuck! So much for my Yaris clan.

Dustin Burg @ Apr 8th 2008 4:13PM

For the sake of the blog's newsworthiness and everyone knowing my Yaris hatred history, I figured I'd take an inconsiderate and somewhat evil approach to the news. That said, I have a heart and do feel for any developer that has to close their doors. So, on a human and "real" level, I wish the best to the entire Castaway crew. But know that Yaris will and forever be the worst XBLA game known to man.

JAKEJAX @ Apr 8th 2008 5:20PM

Just an FYI, I was trying to be sarcastic.

SoL @ Apr 8th 2008 5:27PM

Well I don't argue that yaris is a terribad game, but still, it's not like they did it specifically for XBLA. Like I said, it was at EVO months before it came to the arcade. It was a promotional game at EVO. It was never meant to be a serious game.

That said, I think that if you are going to do something like this and take an "evil" approach to it, you should have at least put something of a disclaimer or something of a "real" response to the news that Castaway is suspending operations so that you don't just look like a prick badmouthing a developer because you feel somewhat "cheated" that you played their free game.