End of an Era

Tuesday September 06, 2005
Cyan Worlds has laid off all but two employees. Wow.

This company was a huge inspiration to me when I was growing up. The first time I ever thought I'd get involved with a software company, rather than making games as a hobby on my own, was watching the "Making of Myst" video that came as a companion disc with the first Myst CD. Apparently I'm not the only person who feels strongly about this company.

I've been really busy for the last few years in general, and haven't had time to play a Myst game since Myst III (which I haven't finished) - so this feels a little like finding out that a friend that I've been "too busy" to call has gone and died. Of course the murmurs of how this was caused by the inhuman churning of the mechanism that drives the game industry seem to echo the recently-published angst of other prominent game designers, and that doesn't make it any easier to hear.

I hope that this giant's demise at least warrants a comic strip.