alvin-and-the-chipmunks posts

The short run of game publisher Brash Entertainment could be over as of today, according to a post at Variety's Cut Scene blog. The site, citing unnamed sources, is claiming that the company that once boasted of a $400 million funding deal is shutting its doors today as the cash needed to continue is apparently not available anymore..

Launched just 18 months ago, Brash's theme was to license movie and TV shows and make them into games; there was to be no original titles. However the games that actually made it to release like Alvin and the Chimpunks, Jumper and Space Chimps all got low review scores and low sales. Company execs started leaving and last week Brash itself admitted it was laying off workers. There are reportedly a number of Brash-published games in mid-production; their fate is currently unknown.

Remember how the CEO of game publisher Brash Entertainment, Mitch Davis, denied his company was in trouble just a few weeks ago to our sister site GameDaily? Yeah..about that. GameDaily is now reporting that the company, which has released poorly received movie-based games like Alvin and the Chimpunks and Space Chimps, has now laid off 20 of its employees and is trying to find some cash to stay afloat.

This is the company that supposedly raised $400 million about 18 months ago to start up their business. A story posted on Variety's web site, using unnamed sources, says that the truth is a tad different as Brash has only been able to access a portion of those private equity funds and is now needing cash. The article claims Brash is trying to sell back its many movie based licenses to their owners. Those licenses include making games based on Superman, 300, Night at the Museum 2, Tale of Desperaux and others. The article claims that Brash will still publish a game based on the Saw horror movie franchise next year.

The troubles at video game publisher Brash Entertainment continue to mount. A few months ago its co-founder and president, Nicholas Longano left the company and now Variety is reporting that another co-founder, Thomas Tull, has left the board of directors of Brash. The story cites unnamed sources as saying that Tull was unhappy with the company's direction.

Tull, who is also a co-founder of movie production company Legendary Pictures, helped to get the whopping $400 million to finance Brash Entertainment. The company made the decision early on to only work on licensed properties. So far the company has only released three games (Alvin and the Chipmunks, Jumper and Space Chimps) none of which were critical successes (although Alvin and the Chipmunks had OK sales).