Microsoft Closes Redfall Developer Arkane Austin, HiFi Rush Developer Tango Gameworks, and More
- Thread starter wshowers
- Start date
I find myself reluctantly agreeing with you the more I mull it over. The industry is rapidly moving to be driven either by forever games or Mega hits. The days of small critically acclaimed darlings but commercially unsuccessful is reaching its end at least at the big companies. Both Arkane Austin and Tango are known for the critically acclaimed games but couldn't find an audience in Prey or Hi-Fi rush for example. If independent companies they would have been shuttered. The prevailing thought or perception was with MS's warchest that wouldn't matter as much. We're finding out that it very much does.
If anyone watched the Psychonauts documentary, you'll see how Double Fine was in trouble before being acquired by MS. Not saying they were their savior. They might have had other choices, but the purchase did get them by to where they are now. I wonder what they've been working on.
MS ultimately has detailed metrics on things like how many played Hi Fi Rush, for how long, etc. We simply don't have that info. While it was well reviewed, was it widely played? More importantly, how would a Hi Fi 2 have done?
While it is easy to look at Hi Fi and question why they'd dump a studio making a hit? They have the detailed numbers and we don't.
While it is easy to look at Hi Fi and question why they'd dump a studio making a hit? They have the detailed numbers and we don't.
I think people are reacting with their hearts and that's not a bad thing. No one wants to see people lose jobs. It is confusing because of how things are playing out, but we just don't have all the pieces.
This just proves my point. Double Fine was good, but if MS didn't acquire them. You think they will be standing?
Sure once in a wild you might have a lucky star game that shines. Most of them goes under. Embracer or whoever that company's name just proves that.
Please, these are people with a skill that can make games, they can go anywhere. They clearly have the skills, it's the business of understanding what people want and imagination is what they lack for their down fall.
That's true of most of the studios they bought during the spending spree. Ninja Theory, Obsidain, InExile, Compulsion Games etc. All of them were in dire straits. And xbox probably got them on the cheap.
I think Obsidian and InExile, great studios, got a big push during the Kickstarter craze, but that wasn't going to sustain them long term.
That isn't to say management isn't blameless. Their job is to manage these IPs and studios to put out a product that is commercially and critically successful. And so far very few executives in the xbox division past or present have been able to crack that code. Nadella, after the Activision-Blizzard purchase has seemingly turning his gaze to the xbox division, and started asking difficult questions to and about the people he has in charge.
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Funny thing is, they have hired people from the likes of Sony and Nintendo, and they still can't get in a rhythm.
I think it was more assumed game pass would be the answer. That games that may not sell but were good would find the audience with subscribers.
Now we are back to having no clue what their future direction is. Multiplatform publisher of mostly mega IPs only probably.
Eurogamer put out an article asking about Xbox direction as well.
What is the point of Xbox?
Xbox has repeated the same terrible mistakes for over a decade. The reason is simple: its priorities are back-to-front.
www.eurogamer.net
Some great insights here into how Microsoft keeps chasing growth metrics and has forgotten its core purpose in the gaming industry. Good quotes from ex-Microsoft studios to bolster it. You don't get to scale in the gaming industry without patience and sticking with the core concept that you are there not to grow Gamepass, sell XYZ copies but to provide compelling entertainment experiences to customers. The money comes after you do that and then you figure out how to optimize it from there. Helldivers 2 took almost 8 years to make and the first game was honestly fairly middling in terms of sales/player numbers. Look where it is now because they were given time and resources to iterate under investment from their publisher partner.
This is especially galling for Microsoft because they have the deep pockets to subsidize these things and take risks but often simply give up, it's a cycle that has been endlessly repeated. They bought A-B for 70 billion to chase more growth metrics rather than actually serve their core customers.
I think at some point they need to have a philosophical discussion about what can actually be accomplished under the parent company and how they're going to do it. The thing that bothers me is that they have done this before in the 360 era but are choosing all of the wrong battles to fight now.
This quote from the article puts it perfectly.
And the first part where you "make money" to make more consoles and more games is supposed to just happen I guess? Just make good games? Clearly that doesn't always cut it. This is the mindset that has sent the videogame industry into a tailspin.Eurogamer put out an article asking about Xbox direction as well.
What is the point of Xbox?
Xbox has repeated the same terrible mistakes for over a decade. The reason is simple: its priorities are back-to-front.
Some great insights here into how Microsoft keeps chasing growth metrics and has forgotten its core purpose in the gaming industry. Good quotes from ex-Microsoft studios to bolster it. You don't get to scale in the gaming industry without patience and sticking with the core concept that you are there not to grow Gamepass, sell XYZ copies but to provide compelling entertainment experiences to customers. The money comes after you do that and then you figure out how to optimize it from there. Helldivers 2 took almost 8 years to make and the first game was honestly fairly middling in terms of sales/player numbers. Look where it is now because they were given time and resources to iterate under investment from their publisher partner.
This is especially galling for Microsoft because they have the deep pockets to subsidize these things and take risks but often simply give up, it's a cycle that has been endlessly repeated. They bought A-B for 70 billion to chase more growth metrics rather than actually serve their core customers.
I think at some point they need to have a philosophical discussion about what can actually be accomplished under the parent company and how they're going to do it. The thing that bothers me is that they have done this before in the 360 era but are choosing all of the wrong battles to fight now.
This quote from the article puts it perfectly.
She actually worked for Xbox Australia when she first started in the industry, she mentioned it before in a podcast, which one, I forget
I don't think she ever worked for Xbox or Microsoft. If she did, it's not listed in her career accomplishments. Now, she DID go to a conference as a game journalist at an Xbox Australia event once.
I may be confusing it for that, that may have been her first gig/assignment
Just to follow this, word is that Tango was still pitching ideas for their next game, despite HiFi being released 16 months ago.
I would hate being on public display on how I'm performing at my job. The stress of that has to be immeasurable. The money helps, but only so much. I'm not saying I feel sorry for any of them, but its much easier to criticize from the sidelines.
Can’t wait to read Dried’s next post from some random person in gaming thoughts on all this.
When Sony has their next layoffs or studio closers I’m sure Dried will flood its thread with negativity toward Sony /PS right? Of course not because that so called “news” doesn’t fit his fanboy schtick here
When Sony has their next layoffs or studio closers I’m sure Dried will flood its thread with negativity toward Sony /PS right? Of course not because that so called “news” doesn’t fit his fanboy schtick here
It’s sad the mods let the same usual suspects constantly ruin the gaming side of this forum. Just let the trolling
’s run free.
And was probably also already well into development for PS5 prior to the acquisition. The PS5 was likely the lead platform.
We know MS has no short stack amount of money so that's already a non factor. What Eurogamer is probably referring to is the "exponential" growth factor they are trying to go for , see their previous history in the last decade.
Some of the ex Xbox studios comments are pretty insightful.
Absolute nonsense. Just ask Sony how that philosophy is working out for them financially.