Silverstar still negotiating future of Empire
Parent company declines to clarify fate of UK publisher
Silverstar Holdings, parent company of beleaguered UK publisher Empire Interactive, has insisted it is still in negotiations for the future of the FlatOut publisher.
Empire is believed to be making its UK staff redundant this week. Online reports have suggested administrator KPMG has been appointed to take control of the business, but the firm told GamesIndustry.biz it has not yet received any instruction to act on behalf of the company.
"Negotiations are still a work in progress. Until that time we have no official statement to make," said Silverstar Holdings to GamesIndustry.biz.
Silverstar acquired the publisher in 2006. In 2008 CEO Ian Higgins stepped down from the company after 21 years, and later the same year it dropped internal development in order to save around USD 3 million per year.
According to a spokesperson talking to Gamasutra, a decision on the fate of staff at the company has not yet been made. All attempts to contact Empire in Europe have been redirected to Silverstar Holdings.
Silverstar was delisted from the NASDAQ earlier this year, and the firm did not appeal the decision. Empire also has European offices in Germany, Spain, France and Italy.
The company holds a number of licenses including FlatOut, Hello Kitty, Ford Racing and Jackass.