After running into conflict with its publisher Namco Bandai over the planned Splatterhouse revival, developer Bottlerocket was shown the door. Namco Bandai, then, took over the reins, hiring on a few of the old team members for good measure.

Naturally, this didn't bode well for Bottlerocket's financial status, though none of us predicted it would contribute to their closure, as we sadly learn today. After a good seven-year run, creating masterpieces like The Mark of Kri, and its various members having worked on classics like Vectorman and Rise of the Triad, founder Jay Beard sent out an e-mail to friends which was forwarded to gamesindustry.biz; you can read it here:

"It is with deep regret that I have to inform you of the closure of BottleRocket. After fighting to keep the doors open for the past six months we have decided to close and move on.

BottleRocket was in business for seven years and I feel that we developed a sound reputation for quality and creativity. I was once told that we 'zigged while others zagged,' and I like to think that we shall be remembered this way.

We had the opportunity to meet and work with many talented and passionate individuals along the way, and I want to take the opportunity to thank you all for everything that you did for BottleRocket. Seven years wasn't long enough for our plans to bear fruit; but it was a decent run."

However, this needn't all be sad news. As with Midway Newcastle, Beard will be starting up a new studio from the ground up in the wake of Bottlerocket's closure, something we notice seems to be a real trend among game developers; perhaps people don't give the gaming industry enough credit sometimes for its passion.

We wish the best of luck to Beard and his new studio.