Capcom suspended operations at its Vancouver studio on September 18, 2018, after terminating projects in development there. The company described the move as a review of development-resource allocation and said it would concentrate major-title development in Japan. Contemporary reports said 158 employees were affected, but Capcom’s notice did not name the cancelled games.
What happened to Capcom Vancouver?
Capcom’s September 18, 2018 investor notice said it had terminated development projects at Capcom Game Studio Vancouver, Inc., identified in the notice as a consolidated subsidiary. Contemporary reports said the studio suspended operations that day and its staff were laid off. GameSpot later reported that the closure was effective September 18.
Capcom said it was reviewing how development resources were allocated to produce “world-class content.” It also said major-title development would be concentrated in Japan, citing investment and hiring at its Osaka headquarters. That is Capcom’s stated corporate rationale, not an independently established account of every factor behind the decision. Capcom’s investor notice records the company’s explanation.
How many employees were affected?
GeekWire, Game Developer, and Global News reported that 158 employees were affected. That figure comes from contemporary news coverage, not Capcom’s financial notice. Global News also reported that employees would receive severance packages.
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Which games did Capcom cancel?
Capcom confirmed that development projects were terminated but did not identify the titles or state how many projects were involved. Reports at the time discussed a Dead Rising project, but the official notice does not confirm that a specific game—such as a numbered sequel—was cancelled. Game Developer’s contemporary report likewise noted that the cancelled titles were not named.
What happened to Dead Rising and Puzzle Fighter?
Before the closure, Capcom Vancouver had publicly said it was focusing on its flagship Dead Rising franchise. In an April 20, 2018 announcement, Capcom USA said it was sunsetting Puzzle Fighter as the studio dedicated its focus to Dead Rising. The announcement scheduled the game’s removal from app stores for July 1 and its server shutdown for July 31, 2018. This establishes the studio’s stated focus before the closure, but it does not identify which projects were later terminated. Capcom USA’s Puzzle Fighter announcement gives the schedule and explanation.
Dead Rising 4: Frank’s Big Package was a recent series release cited in GameSpot’s follow-up coverage. That report listed PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. The studio closure did not, by itself, establish that the franchise had been permanently cancelled.
What financial impact did Capcom disclose?
Capcom expected approximately 4.5 billion yen in losses from terminating the projects. The company assigned the amount to cost of sales in its consolidated results for the six months from April 1 through September 30, 2018. Capcom also said its full-year business forecast remained unchanged, citing factors including the performance of Monster Hunter: World. The official notice is the source for both the loss estimate and the forecast statement.
How the closure unfolded
- April 20, 2018: Capcom USA announced Puzzle Fighter’s sunset and said the Vancouver studio was focusing on Dead Rising.
- September 18, 2018: Capcom announced the termination of development projects at its Vancouver subsidiary. Contemporary coverage reported that studio operations stopped and employees were laid off.
- September 21, 2018: GameSpot published a follow-up describing the closure as effective September 18 and referring to Dead Rising 4: Frank’s Big Package as a recent series release.
Why was the Vancouver studio historically significant?
GeekWire reported that the studio began as Blue Castle Games, developed Dead Rising 2, and was later acquired by Capcom and renamed. The 2018 closure therefore ended the Vancouver studio’s role in Capcom’s development network; it did not amount to an official announcement that the Dead Rising franchise itself had ended.
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