150°

Embracer Group Announces Restructuring Program; Crystal Dynamics Says It's Not Affected

The Embracer Group announced a huge restructuring program that includes closing studios and canceling games. Crystal Dynamics is unaffected.

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italiangamer342d ago (Edited 342d ago )

Those guys just bought a gazillion studios/IP and now they have to close/cancel a lot of these. That's what happens when you flash your checkbook around but you don't even know what to do with the things you just bought. Reminds me of a certain american company...👀

ABizzel1342d ago (Edited 342d ago )

This happens with EVERY large scale acquisition regardless of the industry. When companies buy companies, there’s always a reduction of crossover staffing (usually corporate positions like HR, Marketing, Sales Reps, etc… all get the boot from the company being bought), in order to reduce the employee count and thus reduce the expense of paying all these new employees.

The restructure on game focus also makes sense. They have all these new IPs now, and spending time making B-tier titles like Evil West, doesn’t make sense, when they can be making Tomb Raider, Soul Reaver, Deus Ex, Marvel IPs (Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy), Star Wars IPs (even though there are too many IMO), Borderlands, Dark Horse Comics Games like The Witcher, Stranger Things, Mob Psycho, Avatar, Hellboy, Sin City, and more.

They have the potential to go from a niche publisher, to becoming one of the more established publishers when it comes to A - AAA IP over the next 5 - 10 years, if to your point MS doesn’t try to buy them out first.

ThinkThink342d ago

Yeah, I get that same Google vibe from them as well.

Sonic1881342d ago

When you say certain American company are you talking about Microsoft?

porkChop342d ago

This is happening because a $2B deal fell through at the last minute.

Tacoboto342d ago

The certain American company partnered with Crystal Dynamics and CD is just fine.

How's Aspyr doing on that KOTOR Remake partnership with a certain Japanese company?

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 342d ago
XiNatsuDragnel342d ago

This what happens when you eat things evenly you know what happens at the end lol.

-Mika-342d ago

I really wished MS bought Crystal Dynamics. I hate that they're owned by this company. They clearly don't know what they are doing.

Sciurus_vulgaris342d ago

Crystal Dynamics is likely unaffected by the restructuring because of its development contract for Perfect Dark. The studio is receiving money from MS, and doesn’t yet have to rely on sales revenue to stay open.

342d ago
badz149341d ago

so...in short, you want a Xbox exclusive Tomb Raider running at 30fps?

ChasterMies341d ago

I hope that folks now understand why Square Enix sold all these studios for cheap. Paying developers is expensive. Glad to see Crystal Dynamix intact. “Guardians of the Galaxy” was a triumph.

ROCKY28341d ago

All companies will be affected in some way from this restructure - including the internal teams at CD
Department personal will be laid off based on internal budgets

120°

Take-Two Mandate on Microtransactions: Over-Deliver on Content and the Monetization Will Follow

Take-Two Interactive states their edict on microtransactions has been to over-deliver on content, and the monetization will follow.

lucasnooker4h ago

Warning. Boatloads of micro transactions coming for GTA VI

porkChop3h ago

To be fair, while GTA Online is monetized heavily both GTA Online and GTA V offer a massive amount of content without paying anything extra. Though I do think GTA Online's optional subscription is bullshit.

neutralgamer19923h ago

Can you please focus on delivering enough quality content to justify the $70 asking price? While I appreciate the idea of over-delivering, it's essential to ensure that the base content itself is worth it. I have concerns that GTA6 might have less single-player content because most of the focus seems to be shifting towards online play and microtransactions.

It's understandable why publishers are capitalizing on microtransactions when they generate billions with relatively little effort compared to traditional content creation. We, as consumers, are partly responsible for this trend. I've seen people spend on FIFA cards as if it's a normal part of the game. Previously, features like player cards and big head mode were earned through gameplay or cheat codes, but now gamers are willing to pay for them, so publishers have no reason not to monetize these features.

It's astonishing that the gaming industry is now more profitable than any other entertainment sector. Yet, despite record-high profits, the industry continues to see increasing levels of greed. It's baffling to hear about record profits followed by significant layoffs of developers. This disconnect makes no sense.

I know it’s unlikely given the size of the industry, but it might take a significant downturn for things to reset. Currently, there are too many decision-makers who lack a genuine understanding of gaming, focusing only on financial spreadsheets. A prime example is Andrew Wilson, the CEO of EA.

RhinoGamer883h ago

It must be a nightmare working at Rockstar in a Production role...dealing with the team egos and those of the V suite. #soulcrush

-Foxtrot2h ago(Edited 1h ago)

The thing is doesn't that just give studios the excuse of filling their games with content that’s just going bloat it rather than contribute towards the main story.

Ubisoft games for example with all the markers where 90% of it is just padding or useless crap.

Or maybe they design the game in a way that makes it feel longer but it’s because they’ve created it in a way where you are spending most of your time backtracking with spaced out unlocks that help your reach new areas or even having to do a bunch of platforming / parkour to get around. Jedi Survivor was the first game recently that’s made me think “ we didn’t need all this, it should have been more linear”.

It gets tiring

PRIMORDUS14m ago(Edited 14m ago)

I that's fine I can take all the DLC for when GTA 6 comes on PC for free, by torrenting of course. LOL You all know this game no matter the protection (unless SP will be online only) will be on top of every Scene groups list to crack. I cannot stand Take-Two. I would tell off that CEO shit bag I'm taking your game for free ain't nothing can be done about that🤣

Crows906m ago

I guarantee that the same people that broke the law while weed was not legal will tell you how bad you are....lol

210°

Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 launch trailer will send shivers down your spine

Ninja Theory's latest trailer for their highly anticipated narrative action-adventure Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 is absolute cinema.

Reaper22_7h ago

Like I said before, buying Ninja Theory was one of the smartest moves by Microsoft. Games looks incredible.

Rynxie3h ago

Unfortunately, their games aren't big sellers. Will MS shut them down if hellblade 2 sells below expectations?

outsider16241h ago

If it sells below expectations, then i expect it to come to PS5.

Elda56m ago

The game may be a critical hit & still can get shut down. I highly doubt most XB owners will buy this game including the fact that it's digital only at $50. Most folks that have Gamepass will play the game through the sub service. If the reviews tomorrow are just average to low then that's another problem.

Obscure_Observer3h ago

"Like I said before, buying Ninja Theory was one of the smartest moves by Microsoft. Games looks incredible."

Indeed.

Just a few hours to go

I can´t wait!

z2g6h ago

badass. already installed via gamepass. if its as great as the first one I will pay for the whole game.

glenn19792h ago

I just don't understand why all the down votes

jwillj2k46h ago

Here we go again. Is this a game or a choose your own adventure???

purple1016h ago

if you choose left, turn to page 39, if you proceed forward, turn to page 43, to turn right, page 209, you finished the book early,

no but seriously this looks like Microsofts first hit, or should I say, first game of standout quality.

jwillj2k45h ago

Never questioned the quality. Question is will there be a need for the controller.

anast1h ago

The time machine 'choose your own' were awesome.

Tedakin3h ago

If it's anything like the first game, you will spend a lot of timing walking and solving puzzles, with some fights thrown in.

Elda5h ago

LOL! Didn't send any shivers down my spine but I'll demo it after midnight tonight through Gamepass to see what it's giving.

Obscure_Observer3h ago

After the midnight? I see...

Day one as expected for another game that you said you had zero interest.

Elda1h ago(Edited 1h ago)

Finally making a re-appearance. When the heat was on about XB closing studios you were crickets on all articles. Now that the heat has died down all of a sudden you're here on an XB exclusive article or should I say a timed exclusive...lol!! If you must know I can demo this game at midnight because the University I work at is closed for the summer so I can play video games until my heart's content until the end of August when I go back to work. That's what Gamepass is for, knowing I would not spend $50 on Hellblade 2 because the first one I thought was boring so I'm going to see if this one is still boring or is it interesting by demoing the game.

Elda1h ago

Why not I have a year subscription to Gamepass, I don't have to spend $50 on a digital only game that I may not like including I'm on a lengthy vacation from work.

rlow15h ago

It looks amazing, I’m hoping the reviews are solid. You can tell the studio really poured their heart and soul into this one.

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