The Gamers Arms

They made Redfall didn't they? Ufff, terrible thing to happen but I'm sure it was inevitable.

As I understand it, Redfall was something they didn’t want to make but were pushed in that direction. Which sucks even more.

Alan wrote: ↑

Tue May 07, 2024 2:29 pm

As I understand it, Redfall was something they didn’t want to make but were pushed in that direction. Which sucks even more.

Didn't want to make is strong. When they were part of ZeniMax they wanted a more service based game which is what Redfall started out as and when they joined Microsoft they pivoted away from that idea. It was a mess of a development for a variety of reasons, various reports that leadership was bad and a lot of the people making the game were inexperienced in making the type of game they were making.

There are rumours that Bethesda is being given a dedicated Fallout team and this is the reason for the cull. Not convinced it's true yet but there was a comment from Todd Howard last week that they're trying to increase their output for their core RPGs. If it is true then what a shitty way to go about it.

Wrathbone wrote: ↑

Wed May 08, 2024 7:43 am

There are rumours that Bethesda is being given a dedicated Fallout team and this is the reason for the cull. Not convinced it's true yet but there was a comment from Todd Howard last week that they're trying to increase their output for their core RPGs. If it is true then what a shitty way to go about it.

They could just hire up a new studio rather than close a bunch down. I did see some stuff around Tango Gameworks and that a lot of staff left to join Mikami's new studio and there weren't many people left at the studio.

The suggestion I saw (and again, I'm dubious) was that shutting the studios down would provide the funds to create a new Fallout team. Whether they'd hypothetically keep on any staff from those studios - which would seem like the right thing to do - is another question.

DjchunKfunK wrote: ↑

Wed May 08, 2024 8:36 am

They could just hire up a new studio rather than close a bunch down. I did see some stuff around Tango Gameworks and that a lot of staff left to join Mikami's new studio and there weren't many people left at the studio.

Theoretically yes, but that's just not how these things work now. I suspect at a board level, it's not feasible to keep what they consider underperforming studios on their payroll while buying up new ones - let's not forget that they just spent £60billion on Activision-Blizzard so they probably don't have the infinite money that we tend to assume they have. I'm not sure how feasible it is to take staff from one studio and put them in another given that it probably involves moving families around the country, but consolidating resources into areas where there's the most commercial potential makes sense.

And I hasten to add that I bloody hate this - I'm not in any way attempting to defend this situation. Game publishers don't care about gamers, we're one column on a spreadsheet to them, but it's particularly galling when making a game that's a critical success doesn't earn you the right to continue existing. I've seen comments that HiFi Rush was the most positive they've felt about the XBox brand in years, and yet the studio is being thanked by being closed. It just seems so incredibly short-sighted; not only are there fewer people to fire in the next financial year to make that balance sheet look better, but just think what this is doing to creativity among the developers that remain - if commercial success is the only metric, then the only games that major studios will produce will all look and feel the same.

And then you get former execs making tone-deaf comments like this: https://www.eurogamer.net/former-blizza ... s-closures

It will also dissuade external talent from moving to Microsoft, as well as making everyone at an MS studio feel like they've been put on notice. It's all stick and no carrot, not just an abhorrent move but a short-sighted and dumb one too.

Exactly; the developers they've bought already will be looking to leave, making their already very expensive acquisitions worthless to the brand.

Its just so damn irksome that Dishonoured and Prey get the shaft while Todd Howards pish gets boosted but then MS did turn down getting BG3 on GP for a pittance so theres no accounting for taste.

Alan wrote: ↑

Wed May 08, 2024 10:25 am

Its just so damn irksome that Dishonoured and Prey get the shaft while Todd Howards pish gets boosted but then MS did turn down getting BG3 on GP for a pittance so theres no accounting for taste.

It that because the anchor around Xbox's neck that is the Series S can't run it properly I wonder? It's a game I'd love to try but won't risk buying it in case I don't get on. GP would have been a perfect solution.

Animalmother wrote: ↑

Wed May 08, 2024 10:34 am

Alan wrote: ↑

Wed May 08, 2024 10:25 am

Its just so damn irksome that Dishonoured and Prey get the shaft while Todd Howards pish gets boosted but then MS did turn down getting BG3 on GP for a pittance so theres no accounting for taste.

It that because the anchor around Xbox's neck that is the Series S can't run it properly I wonder? It's a game I'd love to try but won't risk buying it in case I don't get on. GP would have been a perfect solution.

Seems alright. Lower rez and no local coop.




I actually thought the Series S would win them this gen. I cant always be right ¬__¬

Raid wrote: ↑

Wed May 08, 2024 8:57 am

DjchunKfunK wrote: ↑

Wed May 08, 2024 8:36 am

They could just hire up a new studio rather than close a bunch down. I did see some stuff around Tango Gameworks and that a lot of staff left to join Mikami's new studio and there weren't many people left at the studio.

Theoretically yes, but that's just not how these things work now. I suspect at a board level, it's not feasible to keep what they consider underperforming studios on their payroll while buying up new ones - let's not forget that they just spent £60billion on Activision-Blizzard so they probably don't have the infinite money that we tend to assume they have. I'm not sure how feasible it is to take staff from one studio and put them in another given that it probably involves moving families around the country, but consolidating resources into areas where there's the most commercial potential makes sense.

Yeah this was more in relation to forming a Fallout studio being a cause for the closure of other studios.

eVol wrote: Its just so damn irksome that Dishonoured and Prey get the shaft while Todd Howards pish gets boosted but then MS did turn down getting BG3 on GP for a pittance so theres no accounting for taste.

I'd blame that more on consumers than Microsoft. Starfield sold much, much better than anything Arkane have put out.

That's something I meant to bring up earlier. Prior to Redfall at least, Arkane's games have usually been critical successes, but have they ever really been commercial ones? I seem to remember Prey was heavily discounted soon after launch, and I'm not sure the Dishonoured games ever had mass appeal.

Aside from Deus Ex, I'm struggling to think of any immersive sims that have been commercial hits.

Dishonored 1, maybe, but the sequel I believe was something of a commerical flop.