Avellone Recommends Microsoft to Fire Obsidian Execs; Would Be Open to Working with the Studio Then

Former Obsidian founder and owner Chris Avellone recommends Microsoft's Phil Spencer to fire the current upper management while keeping the rest of the developers, which he believes to be good ones.

He also said he would be open to working with Obsidian again if those leadership changes happened under Microsoft's oversight.

[codelyoko]

Not sure this would ve a great idea

[darthv72]

Sounds like the former head is still bitter about being ousted. I dont know the whole story but thats just my assumption.

[Skull521]

The real question is who the **** is Chris Avellone?

[rainslacker]

He's a former creative director for Obsidian. He came into the company from interplay, after other interplay employees left to create obsidian. I don't know the details of his leaving. Research suggest it was his choice, but we know that amicable departures aren't always amicable.

That said, this is a pretty strong thing for him to say, since Obsidian is considered to make good games. He left a few years ago, and the only reason they had financial troubles was because they were banking on a bonus from Bethesda which they didn't get because the metascore was one point too low. Going forward, its unlikely the studio itself will manage its own finances.

[NewMonday]

Obsidian should get some of the BioWare founders (when they were are actually great) Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk

[UltraNova]

This guy has some balls. Is he really that desperate?

[XiNatsuDragnel]

Not great idea Microsoft, that would contradict your msg if you follow through with this.

Disagree, please explain how this would not be the case.

[Switch4One]

What are you talking about? Nobody has disagreed with you.

[XiNatsuDragnel]

I thought there was differing opinions

[Zeref]

I doubt they're gonna actually do it.

[XiNatsuDragnel]

Big bro, it's Microsoft you don't what there going to do .

[ccgr]

I wonder if they'll listen....

[Srhalo]

I agree, fire the leadership that's a great way to boost moral and punish people for selling out.

[Chris_Wray]

Nah, not a good idea at all. Why ruin a studio that is making good games? Granted, as he says - he recommends keeping the actual game makers and getting rid of the management.

[Alexious]

Yes, that's the conundrum. Whether one believes Avellone saying that the management is what's bad at Obsidian or not.

[Sirk7x]

Regardless, Microsoft owns them now, so any management will likely have to report to Microsoft gaming management. Everyone at Obsidian has new bosses lol.

[DragonbornZ]

It was going around that the leadership at Oblivion were mismanaging the studio, hence their financial situation prior to MS acquiring them.

[rainslacker]

I think they mismanaged to the extent they relied too much on a bonus to continue forward. They over extended themselves, and when that bonus didn't come, despite making a successful product, they didn't have the means to continue in the traditional way.

Whether or not they mismanaged the studio in terms of game development I can't say, as they generally still make good games. I doubt they'll have much control over their finances with MS owning them.

[TintlerWhite]

Am I the only one find this childish?

[giovanealex]

No, you aren't. Such a cool person, Avellone, isn't him? /s

[Ulf]

Nope. Avellone must really think the world of himself, if he honestly believes he's more responsible for Obsidian's success than the rest of the leadership. Sounds like a feud, and sounds like he got the short end of the stick, to me.

[TheColbertinator]

Avellone will need to find work after Dying Light 2 it seems. Or start a new studio. Who knows.

[Alexious]

He's already working on the next game by Ken Levine from Bioshock.

[RabbitFly]

He is one of the most sought after writer's in the industry.

He wont have any issue getting work. As we have seen seeing as he had worked om many projects sine leaving obsidian.

[porkChop]

I get what he's saying. I've heard about the upper management at Obsidian creating problems and mismanaging stuff before. But they shouldn't start off a new relationship by firing a bunch of people.

Make a game with them, and pay attention. If you see problems with the management then you can deal with it if you need to. But you can't blindly fire a bunch of people.

[gangsta_red]

Maybe they should clean house though. If there's problems with the games Obsidian are making then those problems start at the top.

You don't aquire businesses and inherit known problems.

If what this guy is saying is true then now is the perfect time to cut these guys out rather than wait for the same problems to resurface on new games made under under your company's name.

[SublimeStylee2]

No offense, but Microsoft has been smudging its xbox for years, it doesn't really need more help.

[gangsta_red]

@sublime

No offense taken, but I seriously don't understand what you're saying.

[Clark88]

@gangsta

They been milking it this whole decade. I'm surprised you can't see that. Sometimes they only make like one good exclusive a year. Forza is the only great exclusive they made this year. Am I wrong?

[rainslacker]

That's exactly how they should proceed. Unless there is gross misconduct in managing the studio, you don't reduce the morale of a studio by changing it up to that degree. Especially since they are likely in the middle of making a game.

[Clark88]

More drama lmao. Microsoft won't listen mark my words

[Zeref]

on the other hand, you don't just acquire a company and then start firing people because some guy said so.

[Clark88]

Microsoft hasn't released a *great* exclusive besides Forza in a decade. Maybe they should listen or this might be their last chance to convince the gamers and give them hope. I'm surprised they been getting away with it for so many years. They need to start delivering the exclusives.They can't afford to make a bad game unfortunately.

[giovanealex]

@Clark88 dude, they won't listen to him (fortunately).

[rainslacker]

I'm sure MS was well aware of what the management of the studio is like before they acquired it. You don't make a multi-million dollar purchase because you want some games. They would have done their research, and made all sorts of reports for the board to give the go ahead.

[thatguyhayat]

If Phil did this wouldn't he be a scumbag? If they're making good games, no reason to fire anyone

[Smokehouse]

understandable. I’d would go back to my old job if they got rid of the jerk management lol.

[Imalwaysright]

Avellone is responsible for imo the best story in a video game ever: Planescape Torment and he has other great games under his belt. If it were up to me it would be a no brainer if it meant that Avellone was involved with Obsidian's new projects.

[rainslacker]

I think he has a lot of talent. Which is why this comment from him seems petty, since its one of those things where he really shouldn't try to piss on Obsidian being given a new life line to continue operation.

[RabbitFly]

He has been vocal about the issues at obsidian since he left.

[Knightofelemia]

Microsoft owns the studio now they can do pretty much anything they want to with the studio fire people or hire new people. Knowing Microsoft and any other company they will look through the records and see what turned a profit and what loss profit and they will clean house that way.

[Valkron1]

I guess as founder he should be heard out. Hopefully some insiders can see what his vision is and determine which would be best at making new IPs

[Soulrakk]

Avellone has his opinions and he may be right, but Microsoft purchasing a studio and immediately firing the heads of that studio would probably not be a good look for them at this point in time. Can picture the headlines now.

[nibblo]

He says several times that the management team was more worried about money than the games they were making and that was his problem with them. That makes sense if they were reliant on Kick Starter funding, maybe under MS they now don't have to worry about money so much.

[Ulf]

Sounds like he doesn't understand the "business" part of "games business". That's kinda a problem, and not one MS would be likely to cave to, I think. I doubt MS bought them so they could make creative stuff only a few people enjoy, and lose a bunch of money in the process.

Chances are, they are interested in making games that sell, and that sell Xbox consoles. That's just my theory, though -- I could be wrong. Maybe they just want to be entertainment artistes.

[Ulf]

Microsoft will force the leadership out if they don't succeed -- that's the price of being owned by the big corporation. Not really a concern of Avellone's, or anyone else's.

[Eidolon]

Stick to free lancing, so much bullshit going on in studios, why stick to one. He's already basically a legend in the old-school RPG front.

[l33t_haxx0r]

I recommend Microsoft fire all Microsoft xbox staff and start again.

[DVAcme]

I FRIGGIN' CALLED IT. Microsoft just acquired them and already the rumors are starting of executive meddling and the axe coming down. Ugh, this is gonna be a nightmare.