Company News Interplay drama update: Website taken down

[Spazmo]

Tags: Interplay

All right, class, time for a group exercise. Point your browsers at <a href=http://www.interplay.com>http://www.interplay.com</a> and see what happens.
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Nothing? Exactly right. The Interplay website has been taken down for reasons that haven't been announced but are still really really obvious. Looks like the IPLY death betting pool will find a winner soon.
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Thanks to <b>Briosafreak</b> for the heads up.

 

[suibhne]

Just because they can't pay for their domain name registration anymore doesn't mean they're not on the rebound.

 

[Anonymous]

This is Interplay we are talking about here..

I dont even think they know the meaning of the word 'rebound'.

 

[Voss]

they'd need a ball in play in order to get a rebound.


Edit: The BIS site is down too. Not really surprising, but there was a vague possibility.

 

[Country_Gravy]

I can't wait to see what those jackasses at ragingbull.com have to say about this. They have to realize that they just lost their ass on this one.

HAHAHAHAHAAHAHA!!!!

 

[Whipporowill]

So who's in the lead on the deathclock thingie?

edit: Oh, nevermind... seems it's just me.

 

[Psilon]

Just because they can't pay for their domain name registration anymore doesn't mean they're not on the rebound.

It's not domain registration--that doesn't expire until 2005. My guess is they "forgot" to pay the ISP bill. You know how much bandwidth it takes not to offer any products or forums.

Personally, I think Rosh called it with his archive.org signature.

 

[Spazmo]

http://titusgames.com/ is down for the count, too. Hosted by Covad Net, eh? I hope the good folks at Covad have some heavies trained in collecting from deadbeats.

 

[Ausir]

Well, it might just be a temporary server failure.. don't get your hopes up yet .

 

[suibhne]

It's not domain registration--that doesn't expire until 2005. My guess is they "forgot" to pay the ISP bill. You know how much bandwidth it takes not to offer any products or forums.

Well, I was joking about the domain name, but the deeper truth remains: they're in such a spot they might have a hard time making $30 payments by now.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

I'm not sure it's a server error, since the server is still up. It's rather like Titus's websites, it's just not serving the web pages.

 

[Sol Invictus]

They probably blocked the content off during this 'restructuring' period, which is probably going to last indefinitely.

 

[Rosh]

Personally, I think Rosh called it with his archive.org signature.

I'm such a prophesying asshole, aren't I?

So far, most of my serious predictions and calls on Interplay products have been spot-on. Creepy. I wonder if I was a bit more optomistic, it might have been better for them...well, seriously, who am I kidding? They were infected by Fifi's STD of stupidity ever since the whore touched them. That was on top of the previous management's desire to also go more towards consoles.

 

[chrisbeddoes]

Maybe this case should be immortalized in some textbooks.

a) You have a good profitable company.

b) You start doing exactly the opposite of what your consumers want.

c) When your consumers complain first you stop dialog with them by closing the forums and then you announce that you going to find new consumers overnight
(new consumers : kiddos in the conzole buziness !!!) and the old customers do not matter any more !!!!


d) You bankrupt !!!!!

A textbook case on how not to do business !!!

 

[fnordcircle]

Why do bad things always happen to good people?

 

[Seven]

Why do bad things always happen to good people?

Because you touch yourself at night.

 

[Anonymous]

More like a good thing happening to bad people.

 

[StraitLacedDeviant]

And the prophecy came to fruition. Where unto the first born of every Interplay director was slaughtered, burnt and their ashes spread. The signs came as three:

1: Collapse of their share prices
2: Loss of their DnD licenses
3: Finally their virtual shining towers of glass crumble

 

[Country_Gravy]

There was a post at raging bull that said that Interplay's Investor Relations guy said that all the employees are being paid, but they are behind on payroll. What the hell does that mean? It they are behind on payroll, doesn't that mean that employees are not getting paid? He also "wasn't aware" that the website was down. They are also going to report Q1 earnings on Monday. That should be interesting.

 

[suibhne]

There was a post at raging bull that said that Interplay's Investor Relations guy said that all the employees are being paid, but they are behind on payroll. What the hell does that mean? It they are behind on payroll, doesn't that mean that employees are not getting paid?

Coming from a non-profit background where I've seen this happen, it's possible that Interplay has issued paychecks, but for a prior pay period - so that the employees are technically being paid, but the payments are one or more pay periods behind.

 

[Briosafreak]

Luke has a way with word, so it seems:

Interplay gave a check on Friday (5/14) that covered the 4/30 pay period. The employees were told to not cash it until Monday. They are having a meeting on Monday to discuss the next check. And insurance was cancelled on 5/12 as I understand, though it might have ended earlier.

They didn`t pay the last paycheck and insurance.

I spoted this here http://www.gamertalk.biz/viewtopic.php?t=1336&start=150
we`re having a discussion with people that know vey well what is going on here
http://www.nma-fallout.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6746

Saint how about finding out who left now?Tthere were a few, that`s for sure.

 

[Country_Gravy]

This is the end.... Herve's only friend....THE END

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

Heh.. frymuchan is finally getting worried.. Here's the full post about what Luke said to frymuchan:

http://ragingbull.lycos.com/mboard/boar ... Y&read=928

I just spoke on the phone with Luke, Interplay's investor relations guy. He told me that Interplay filed last night for a five day extension for reporting Q1 earnings. He told me that he was not aware that Interplay's website was down, but he told me that it was probably a way that Interplay was trying to save money. he said he had no information to provide as to whether Interplay is current with their rent. he said that employees are being paid and that almost all of them are reporting to work, but he told me that Interplay is not totally current on their payments to employees. he said that Q1 earnings should come out on Monday. Luke told me that Interplay is currently having conversations with numerous people regarding obtaining financing but that he could not disclose anything regarding those conversations other than to say that Interplay is currently exploring numerous options for financing. I asked him what might happen to Interplay's stock if they went bankrupt and he said he could not even venture a guess. I'm getting more and more worried about what that snake Herve is up to.

I like the part about Interplay trying to get financing. As a company, Interplay has no credit at all, and hasn't had any for quite a while. They can't even get company credit cards. The only way they can get financing is if some other company is willing to give them some money, and given how bad off Interplay is and the possibility of getting a pay off from that loan is so low, I can't see it happenning.

Yeah, the wording about the payroll thing is funny. While technically true, they are getting paid, Interplay is still behind on the payroll. So, basically, they are but aren't getting paid. It's still a bad sign no matter how you dress it up.