NetDevil LEGO Universe Team Laid Off, Picked up by LEGO

The team from Net Devil that made LEGO Universe was unfortunately laid off earlier in the week. But the story has a happy ending as LEGO has purchased full rights to the game and hired on the team.

Gazillion Entertainment, who owned the rights to the game, let loose all of the team that were maintaining and updating the game in a surprise move.

They then turned and sold the game rights to LEGO (who must have still had a stake in the game since it’s their name on it). The LEGO Group then hired on the majority of the laid off NetDevil people.

The game was made on work-for-hire basis back in 2006. A clause in that contract let them exercise the ability to purchase the game rights, which they did. From their press release on the subject

 "The acquisition of the rights to the game and the ability to transition members of the team to continue work on the game follows the fulfillment of the LEGO Universe development contract."

Development on the game will continue by the team in the Colorado studios.