1701-ad-gold-edition posts

The bad news of game publisher layoffs may be continuing today as Kotaku is reporting via unnamed sources that Austin-based Aspyr has let go of over 12 part-time employees as well some unspecified regular full time team members. The article also states that more layoffs at the company may be in the works. When reached an Aspyr spokesperson would not comment on the rumors.

Aspyr has been in business for quite some time and is best known for porting a number of PC games to run natively on Mac platforms. They have also published a number of PC games including ports of Turok and Guitar Hero III as well as the US release of 1701 AD.

Way back in October 2006, publisher Aspyr Media shipped 1701 AD to stores in the US. The historical empire building strategy game from German developer Related Designs (where it is known as Anno 1701) got a lot of critical praise at the time. Now Aspyr has officially announced plans to release a new edition of the game to stores this summer that will add some new content.

Via a press release found on Blue's News, Aspyr will release 1701 AD Gold Edition, which will have the full version of the previously released game along with The Sunken Empire, an expansion pack for the game that will make its US debut in this collection. The expansion adds a new single player campaign along with new AI profiles, buildings and a new natural disaster. The new collection will also contain a world editor that will allow folks to make new single and multiplayer maps for the game