Stargate developer: "The lights are still on"

FireSky, the developer behind planned MMO Stargate Worlds, has released a statement to its community insisting that work was continuing on the game despite acknowledged funding problems and reports that the title was in limbo.

"It's true that the production of Stargate Worlds has been significantly impacted by the greatest worldwide economic downturn in decades, but we are still raising enough money from angel investors to keep the dev team working," wrote senior marketing manager Kevin Ballantine.

The statement also refers to a news story earlier in the week that the franchise's TV produced, Brad Wright, didn't know what was happening with the game.

"Brad Wright is the Stargate expert and a creative consultant on Stargate Worlds who advises us on the story; unfortunately we had not recently updated him on our progress or the impact from the current global economic crisis, and he was not fully aware of the continuing progress on our game.

"We are currently negotiating several deals that will cover our financial responsibilities and fund the remainder of development. When we sign those deals, you'll hear about it. Until then, we'll keep building Stargate Worlds, because right now, that's the only thing that matters to us.

"Team members are in the office seven days a week to deliver Stargate Worlds."

The first signs of trouble came late last year when a website appeared purporting to note the number of days that staff had gone unpaid.