APRIL 24, 2009 • U.K.-based Empire Interactive closed its doors after not being able to find a buyer to take over the publisher’s operations. Russian publisher and distributor Noviy Disk was reported to be interested in acquiring Empire, but terms were never finalized.

Impact: More than 20 years of plucky publishing efforts couldn’t save Empire from growing development expenses and stock market losses. Without the kind of global hits that would have made the company a bargain take-over like Eidos, Empire had no choice but to shutter.