Approvals 10/3 ▼
Nyxus (4) - 126d ago Cancel
Profchaos (2) - 126d ago Cancel
exputers (4) - 126d ago Cancel
200°

Microsoft and Riot's Latest Moves Highlight a Disturbing Trend With Dangerous Consequences

Blizzard's unnamed survival MMO was canceled with layoffs at Microsoft, leaving AAA gaming with fewer opportunities for developers to shine.

Create Report !X

Add Report

Reports

+ Updates (1)- Updates (1)

Updates

Changed from Pending to Approved
Community126d ago
RhinoGamer88126d ago

Yet, the Executives who made these poor decisions still have super high paying jobs, bonuses, benefits, and stock options. #failtown

Demetrius126d ago (Edited 126d ago )

Exactly mfs selfish just like how the politicians work lol

The3faces126d ago

Blizzards MMO was in development hell for over5 years, so rather than release a broken game MS decided to cancel it. When Redfall released the Sony crowd were screaming Sony would never release a game this broken. Well maybe MS didn't want another Redfall on their hands.

jeromeface126d ago

That mmo, project titan became overwatch... look how successful that's turned out /s

--Onilink--126d ago

This isnt the MMO, it was a survival game. And I wouldn’t really call it development hell either, plenty of sites are saying it was in development for 6 years, but just from the few things known about it, it never really seemed to actually have gotten to a full production level, so most of those “6 years” were probably just a lot of planning and pre-prod by a very small team, followed by a small push in the last year or 2 to try to get the greenlight for full prod (which in itself isn’t really that weird to see for game development across the industry)

MrBaskerville126d ago (Edited 126d ago )

They could have cancelled it and assembled new teams with new games instead of firing everyone. They have the money to do that.

MrDead126d ago

MS had the money to make games too but they decided on spending £80 billion to lock publishers away. From these publisher acquisitions we have no new games that weren't already coming, a big middle finger to gamers and the workers being fired.

MrDead126d ago (Edited 126d ago )

Wow I'm surprised this article got through as a certain mod has been taken down related news.

Isn't it good to know that while huge chunks of the workforce is being destroyed because of MS's industry consolidation, games being cancelled and Publishers being removed from competing systems so that MS, CEO's, shareholders and Bobby Kotick get nice fat pay-outs.

MS's has given a big middle finger to gamers and now to its own workers, thanks MS

"Senator Warren took to Twitter to criticize the downsizing, reminding followers of her previous warnings against the merger. “I warned that this deal would hurt workers,” she wrote. “These layoffs are a stark reminder that corporate mergers are bad for workers. The FTC should keep up the fight to unwind this merger.”

Activision Blizzard employees have described the layoffs as a “bloodbath” on social media. Reports have emerged that Call of Duty developer Sledgehammer Games has lost more than a quarter of its employees. CharlieINTEL puts the percentage of Sledgehammer layoffs at 25% whereas Tom Henderson of Insider Gaming has heard it’s somewhat close to 30%."

Chocoburger126d ago

What a disgrace Microsoft is to this industry. They're only in it for money and living room control, not giving a single shit about anyone or anything else that they mow down. Any Activison employee that may have been cheering for the merger deserves what's eventually coming to them.

darthv72126d ago

Newsflash... they are ALL in it for the money. These corporations are NOT your friend.

MrDead126d ago

@Darth

Yes they are all in it for the money but MS is an outlier. Competing platforms to Xbox have add to the industry, MS just takes from it. All MS acquisitions have done is limit gamers access to multiplatform publishers and got workers fired. No new games are coming to Xbox from MS's industry consolidation but we know because of it games are being cancelled.

Corporations are not our friends but lets support the ones that make the industry better, not worse like Microsoft.

StormSnooper126d ago (Edited 126d ago )

MS pushing gaming into all sorts of bad directions...

I remember how with the first xbox they were so much more responsible. But it was too good to be true. This is where they wanted to go all along. Terrible Terrible company.

YourMommySpoils126d ago

Microsoft never do AAA gaming in the first place.

Show all comments (17)
70°

HexGaming Launches Kickstarter Campaign for Hex Phantom

Custom Controller Company HexGaming launched a Kickstarter campaign for their latest pro controller, Hex Phantom. - IS

Read Full Story >>
infinitestart.com
Create Report !X

Add Report

Reports

+ Updates (1)- Updates (1)

Updates

Changed from Pending to Approved
Community3h ago
90°

Every PlayStation Studios game available now on Windows PC

Windows Central writes: "Many PlayStation Studios games that are ported to PC get dedicated PS5 DualSense support, which allows users to experience haptic feedback and adaptive trigger support without actually having to own a PS5.

According to Hermen Hulst, head of PlayStation Studios, it's still the company's intent to launch the bigger single-player games on PS5 first, before later bringing the games to PC. This might not be the case for multiplayer games however, which are considered okay to launch simultaneously on console and PC."

Read Full Story >>
windowscentral.com
Create Report !X

Add Report

Reports

+ Updates (1)- Updates (1)

Updates

Changed from Pending to Approved
Community13h ago
ocelot0718h ago

My guess is after god of war. Probably last of us 2 that's a almost 4 year old game now and by the time it's released on pc it will be more than 4 years old or close to 5.

Elda12h ago

Every old Playstation game that is now on PC.

shinoff21833h ago

Right. I definitely see what a headlined from a website named windows central was trying to do though. It's cute little wordplay to help out the green box

Flewid6382h ago

Are PlayStation games no longer good or worth playing once they are old?

Elda1h ago

I'm guessing my comment went over your head.

XiNatsuDragnel11h ago

Good at least they can sell hardware

220°

Former Activision studio Toys for Bob partners with Xbox to publish its first game as an indie

Former Activision studio Toys for Bob partners with Xbox to publish its first game as an indie. This is something of a homecoming, as Microsoft owns Activision.

Read Full Story >>
engadget.com
Create Report !X

Add Report

Reports

+ Updates (1)- Updates (1)

Updates

Changed from Pending to Approved
Community1d 1h ago
Obscure_Observer1d 5h ago

Very very early in development. Still, fantastic news!

Let´s GO!!!

Lightning771d 3h ago

I guess.

How come they didnt either let them go or sell Tango and others to another publisher? Not saying Ubisoft, EA would be any better. (Capcome would of treated them right )

At least it wouldn't be MS of all ppl destroying them.

MS really should let go Tango go like they did TFB here.

darthv721d 3h ago (Edited 1d 3h ago )

one was under Bethesda (Tango) the other under Activision (TFB). Clearly each one handled the separations of their subordinates differently.

Obscure_Observer1d 2h ago (Edited 1d 2h ago )

"How come they didnt either let them go or sell Tango and others to another publisher? Not saying Ubisoft, EA would be any better. (Capcome would of treated them right )"

Perhaps because Zenimax and ABK handles such matters differently based on their own internal policies as "independent" publishers.

Whoever, chances are it´s simply because MS didn´t wanted Tango or Austin to be acquired by competitors and develop new bangers for them, giving MS a bad rep in a possible future. Which could also be the reason why they ensured an exclusive partnership with TFB and its new game, before anyone else.

Sad and disgusting. But it is what it is.

Lightning7722h ago(Edited 22h ago)

"Whoever, chances are it´s simply because MS didn´t wanted Tango or Austin to be acquired by competitors and develop new bangers for them, giving MS a bad rep in a possible future."

MS has a bad rep now because those studios are no more. I rather them sell the studio continue to make multiplatform releases, while MS continues to focus on whatever they're doing. If they didn't want Tango around they should separated from them or sell them to, like they did TFB.

It's inexcusable, they have options on how to handle studios they don't want anymore with killing jobs. Not just MS but the rest of the industry also.

Sad and disgusting sure how many will get shut down next year or this year even?

I don't trust MS decisions and motivations at this point. You have to admit they make one dumb move after another.

Obscure_Observer15h ago(Edited 15h ago)

"MS has a bad rep now because those studios are no more. I rather them sell the studio continue to make multiplatform releases, while MS continues to focus on whatever they're doing. If they didn't want Tango around they should separated from them or sell them to, like they did TFB."

Imo, MS separated from TFB because they didn´t had a game associated with Xbox yet, unlike Tango.

"I don't trust MS decisions and motivations at this point. You have to admit they make one dumb move after another."

Fair enough. It was indeed an epic dumb move from them to close Tango.

Still, all to be forgotten, like always have. This is not the first time a big publisher shuts down a beloved and/or successful studio out of nowhere and certainly won´t be the last. Do you remember Lionhead? Do you remember Evolution Studios? Yeah... both were beloved studios and yet, those companies kill those studios in q blink of an eye and got away with it.

anast12h ago(Edited 12h ago)

The studio boss made some money from this transaction. Once the game releases, the studio will get chopped up.

-Foxtrot1d 5h ago

Manages to buy their freedom especially after all the shit Microsoft has been doing with its studios lately

...

Goes right back to them as partners.

Okaaaaaay...

darthv721d 3h ago

Id venture a guess that TFB working directly with MS was a better outcome than working through Activision to get to MS.

VersusDMC1d 1h ago

From the article...

"Toys for Bob spun out as an indie back in February after Microsoft instituted sweeping layoffs that impacted 86 employees, which was more than half of the staff"

I doubt those 86 employees enjoyed the Microsoft experience over Activisions.

Inverno1d ago

MS shuts down studios because of lack of resources and then helps these guys by giving em resources. Also MS is what forced them to buy their freedom in the first place? What kind of logic 😂

Chevalier21h ago

The best thing is that the company that is worth $3 trillion and owns the company instead of Xbox lacks resources. How the hell does a company worth $3 trillion making a measly $70 billion purchase they 'can't' support. Lol

BlindMango3h ago

The reason they would need to "partner with Microsoft" is simply to make a game that's part of a franchise that Microsoft owns. Meaning they're probably going to make a new Spyro game - they're still an independent studio, but are making a game in a franchise that Microsoft owns. It's kind of like Remedy partnering with Rockstar to be able to make the Max Payne remakes.

shinoff21833h ago

It was probably the deal to get released from Ms

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 3h ago
Sciurus_vulgaris1d 3h ago (Edited 1d 3h ago )

Xbox’s gaming division seems to still function as 3 semi-autonomous sub-divisions, Xbox Studios, Bethesda and ABK. The three main sub-divisions can seemingly shut down or build studios and set up partnerships independently. This would explain why Bethesda can recently shutdown studios, while ABK spins off one studio, while building a new one. Plus, Toys for Bob could be spun off by ABK, only to immediately re-partner with Microsoft.

Chevalier21h ago

That's absolutely 💯 BS. Any sane 'autonomous' company would NOT put their games on Gamepass day 1 like COD will lose probably billions.

Also they're all under Xbox game studios so any autonomy is an illusion.

PhillyDonJawn9h ago

No, I'm sure MS can and does step in when they want something done specifically but I'm also sure they let them also work independently

shinoff21833h ago

I highly highly doubt this. Ms controls all. The guys aren't gonna be allowed to just shut something down like that without approval. No way

Elda21h ago

Either a kiddie game or something uninteresting.

Obscure_Observer15h ago

Don´t worry. You won´t be playing it anyway since their next game will possible be a next gen Xbox console game.

PhillyDonJawn9h ago

Right probably something like astrobot

romulus238h ago

Nah he said "uninteresting", lots of people are interested in Astro Bot.

Elda6h ago

Never Astro Bot. Astro Bot looks better than any exclusive released on XB this entire generation & believe there hasn't been much.

Asplundh6h ago

Crash 4 was good, so I'm hopeful.

PhillyDonJawn4h ago

Hey you said that about SOT and looks like many ppl on PS is playing it. You also found bugsnax interesting ffs your opinion hold no weight lol.

Elda4h ago(Edited 4h ago)

Bugsnax is BS, tried it & quickly deleted it. It's a game that fits right on Gamepass. PS5 owners that are probably playing the boring SOT you could count on one hand. LMAO!!...don't try to come for me.

PhillyDonJawn2h ago

So you admit bugsnax interested you enough to try? 😂 someone gotta call you out on the foolishness.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 2h ago
Show all comments (35)