Neversoft Closes Studio to Merge with Infinity Ward

Lights Up, It's an Eyeball as an Effigy

By Andrew Dodson on July 11, 2014 at 5:02pm

Neversoft, a studio best known for its work on the "Tony Hawk Pro Skater" series and "Guitar Hero," shut its doors today as part of a merger with Infinity Ward, the developer that brought us "Call of Duty."

As the doors closed one last time, employees fired flaming arrows into its skewered eye logo, providing one last blaze of glory for the iconic symbol.

Also, as a final farewell gift, Neversoft cofounder Joel Jewett provided all employees with knives branded with the company logo.

Neversoft was founded in 1994 and provided players with nine "Tony Hawk" games and eight "Guitar Hero" games, as well as a smattering of other games including the popular 2000 "Spiderman" game for the PlayStation. It's most recent endeavor included worked on "Call of Duty: Ghosts." The latest work in the "Call of Duty" series is what really pulled the merger into being.

As you know, Neversoft and Infinity Ward teamed up for the development of "Call of Duty: Ghosts" ... Through that process, it became clear that the two studios have very complementary skill sets. Between these two excellent studios, it seemed like a single super-studio could emerge. Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing

Super studio potential or not, this certainly marks the end of an era for a generation that was raised on video games that allowed them to play as Spiderman, as well as complete a sick 45-second grind into a 30-foot "kickflip indy" without ever having to go outside and worry our parents. This does not necessarily mean we'll never see another "Tony Hawk" game again, but it'll be the last time we see a skewered eye watching us at the beginning.

And now, for old time's sake, is a compilation clip of the Tony Hawk games being played to the iconic song from "Tony Hawk Pro Skater," Goldfinger's "Superman."