APB Gets Reloaded by GamersFirst

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style="font-style: italic;">APB gets a second chance with GamersFirst.

Last week rumors surfaced that free-to-play publisher GamersFirst had acquired the short-lived APB (All Points Bulletin). According to today's press release, that rumor was true and Reloaded Productions, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of GamersFirst, has acquired the Intellectual Property Rights to APB from Administrators of Dundee-based Realtime Worlds.

APB will return in the first half of 2011 as a AAA free-to-play title under the publishing banner of GamersFirst renamed APB: Reloaded.

Fans of APB aren't the only ones that received some good news with this announcement. As a result of the sale, all outstanding wages and holiday pay claims will be paid in full. Good news for developers that suddenly found themselves without a job.

“We are obviously very happy to have concluded the sale but at the same time very much regret the loss of jobs as a result of the closure of Realtime Worlds," said Paul Dounis of Begbies Traynor. "As a consequence of the IPR asset sale all outstanding wages and holiday pay claims will be met in full. GamersFirst is a pioneer in the free-to-play space, thus APB will be re-launched as a free-to-play model game rather than the previous retail model. People who previously bought the game can now look forward to playing it again once it’s back online."