The Y-Project cancelled, Westka goes under

[PhlegmMaster]

The Y-Project, a PC first-person shooter/RPG, has been cancelled.

The German game developer Westka Interactive GmbH will cease its business operations today, October 1st 2002.

Westka was founded in 1993. Westka had to file for insolvency at July 31, 2002 after the necessary funding for the companies biggest project "The Y-Project" could not be ensured although an LoI for the project with one of the leading worldwide publishers had been signed.

Despite several measures to restructure the company, an additional agreement with another publisher and a very positive feedback from the international press on the versions of the "The Y-Project" and "Race Tracks Unlimited" shown at the the Games Convention and the ECTS, the sustainable funding of the company couldn’t be ensured.

All remaining 44 employees had been laid off at September 30, 2002. Since September 2000 BRAINPOOL TV AG, one of the leading German TV producing companies, owned a 60 % majority equity stake in Westka.

I was really looking forward to The Y-Project. I doubt most of you even knew about it, but from what I've seen and read, it was definitely shaping up to be a great game.

For those who knew about and were interested in the game, you might want to post a message on Westka's message board. It's always sad to see a game developing company fail.

[Tracer]

shit!!

I really wanted to see what was going to come of the game... I didn't like the fact that the game was running on the UT engine, but still the concept was good... it's a fucking shame.

ºTracer

[Jay]

Man, from what I gathered from that board, it really seemed like an interesting game.

[NeoZeedeater]

Damn. I was interested in the game. The world needs more FPS/RPG hybrids.

[Ragnarok the Red]

I'd never heard of it, but its always a shame when a game company has to fold, and 44 people just became unemployed

And yes, the world did need more FPS/RPG hybrids. I sincerely hope, since the game's been worked on for so long, some other company picks up the rights and code to it and finishes it up.

[Tracer]

Prolly won't happen, though it would be interesting to see if they could pick up with Lionhead (the two companies cultures were very simular)... I hear tell that they are looking to expand to more satillites. But what am I talking about... I'm really just wishing.

ºTracer