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PS3 Development For Dummies: Is Valve Being Lazy Or Are They Biased?

Why is Valve having trouble with the PlayStation 3 when every other developer knows how to get things done?

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Bungie5278d ago (Edited 5278d ago )

I think they're being Smart

if they think the game will sell well on ps3 they would develop for it

and i think they like 360 community more

not sure why...maybe coz everybody got mics

Zedux5278d ago (Edited 5278d ago )

Valve has No expertise i.e. know-how to develop quality stuff with the Cell technology so they come out with all sorts of excuses while trying to look nice with 360 fanboys!
As for the future this will hurt them bad as I see few PS3 gamers buying their games!

butterfinger5278d ago

Everyone on XBOX Live having a mic is probably one of the biggest reasons I can't stand it. I can't remember the last time I played L4D online withOUT someone calling another person a b*tch, f*ggot, c*nt, n-word, etc. I'm not saying that those people don't exist on the PSN, but at least having to buy the headset seems to weed out most of the kids and adults that live in their parents' basements.

blackpanther255278d ago (Edited 5278d ago )

PC doesn't come with a mic and not everyone on steam plays L4D with a mic....I should know...I have two copies of L4D for PC

So the whole cause everybody in the xbox community have mics is a stupid excuse

Guido5278d ago

Because we see what the PS3 can do and the games Valve is putting out lately do not show the power of the PS3. Sorry, but L4D2 looks and feels like a last gen title with polish. Say what you want but Valve are simply taking an old engine and slapping a new coat of paint on it and the PC and 360 communities are eating it up. I'd take one Uncharted 2 over a dozen Valve titles any day of the week.

Empyrean_Eclipse5278d ago

get a PC and a PS3 combo... Im talking sense here.. i play most multiplat games on the pc.. get the xbox contoller for windows like what i did.. Anyway pc games are cheaper.. for ps3 i get the exclusives.. for xbox360, the games i wanna play are on pc, maybe 1 or 2 yrs later, who cares..

colonel1795278d ago

I would respect their decision of not making games for the PS3, but they always find any opportunity to bash the PS3. I mean, look at Insomniac, this is a developer that choses to develop only for the PS3, but they never talk bad about the 360, instead, they say that they could look into it if they get to be in their interest someday. This is an example of a good developer, defending their choice with integrity and respect.

Valve, on the other hand, when asked about the PS3, they just talk S_ _t out of their mouths.. MS style

starvinbull5278d ago

I don't really believe that Valve aren't good enough to develope great games for PS3 I just think they are very strange and antiquated in that they like to do things a certain way and won't strive for the best engine or the most polygons.

Their skill lies in balancing gameplay and extremely good level design.

They are a bit like the ardman animations of the video game world.

Leathersoup5278d ago (Edited 5278d ago )

It's funny that of the three titles the article gives as examples of games that were done right on the system, two of them were made by developer owned by Sony themselves. I'm sure they'd have no problems spouting praise to the system about how easy it is to develop for.
In the end the development costs for those companies are being absorbed by Sony's gaming department, which, has been posted at 1.7 Billion dollars?
It's all fine and dandy to accuse a developer of being unfair, but when the company that's developing for it's own console is bleeding money in order to put out good games, I think it's a bit wrong to tell everyone else that they have to spend all of their money to make their games run on it.

Edit: A lot of this post is speculation on my behalf. I can't believe that Sony would have designed a product that would still be losing money 3 yrs after it's release. As their "gaming department" is losing money, and I've seen no statement specifying which sections of this department are responsible for losing the money it's quite possible that the hardware is making money and that they're losing money on the development side.

sikbeta5278d ago (Edited 5278d ago )

These xbox fanboys don't understand nothing

No one is crying for a Valve game, is just the way they talk CRAP about something they can't DEAL with

Is like an average MW gamer trying to play KZ2 before the "COD-ish" patch

-"thiz game iz difficultz, so itz CRAP"

Something like that, NOW YOU GET IT!!!!

TK4215278d ago

Of course valve is lazy. We've all seen pics of Gabe Newell.

Persistantthug5278d ago

Gearbox, a smaller developer than Valve, who develops games across all three platforms, is showing that Valve's "we are small and don't have the resources" stance is really just a ruse.

Now these guys, SPLASH DAMAGE, are even smaller than both, and they are developing across 3 platforms. This tells you that Valve has been full of "you know what" this whole time, likely because they get incentives to develop for XBOX 360, and there really isn't anything wrong with that. However, Valve should stick to developing its games instead of badmouthing a console it is paid to NOT develop for.

RadientFlux5278d ago

Again what is the big deal with Valve not wanting to develop for the PS3. There are plenty of developers that don't develop for the X360, so I guess they are all lazy or bias as well.

MmaFanQc5278d ago

lazy.

btw bungie, remove MS balls from your mouth.

IdleLeeSiuLung5278d ago (Edited 5278d ago )

Kaz Hirai once said:

"We don't provide the 'easy to program for' console that [developers] want, because 'easy to program for' means that anybody will be able to take advantage of pretty much what the hardware can do, so then the question is what do you do for the rest of the nine-and-a-half years?"

url: http://www.eurogamer.net/ar...

Now, aren't developers strained enough that they need obstacles put in place. Clearly many of these developers have voiced their opinion against the PS3. Heck there have been other articles detailing how it takes 20x effort to get 22x power!

url: http://www.ddj.com/architec...

Super computer or not, it takes some serious effort to wring the power out!!!

Ultimately lowering development cost, will prolong the current price point. Otherwise, publishers might see fit to increase the retail price of games again....

solar5278d ago

these sites keep beating this dead horse to get hits. /yawn.

ico925278d ago

valve not developing on the ps3 doesnt bother me anymore thats just them anyways their games are best played on the pc im curently playing L4D2 on the pc

silverbeld5278d ago

@bungie.

If they are smart then they would not missing the BIG BOAT. It's same with the 360fans. They are so die hard that they buy again and again another 360 when one died on them.

360 fans are missing out. KZ2/GT5/GOW3/MGS4/Heavy Rain/RES2/UC2 and many more.

Valve is missing the BIG BOAT PS3.

BattleAxe5278d ago

Valve is still using the Source Engine, so yes they're very lazy.

ProblemSolver5278d ago (Edited 5278d ago )

I don't think they are lazy, quite the contrary might be true. They are trying
over and over again without any results were others just only need one or two.
If we look at UC2 then one can see that Valve is outdone by Naughty Dog's
developers by a long shoot. Valve should start reading books about parallel
programming and patterns, and should hire some fresh guys who actually like
programming within this new world. Valve, like id Software, are the giants of
the past who got specialized to a degree that they are the first to die when the
environment changes. And that is what actually happening, as bad as it seems.
The rules have changes and there are now other's setting the pace. It's no
wonder that Valve got pissed. ;)

The Lazy One5278d ago

The PS3 just doesn't mesh with their company's goals right now. They were never a technology company (like iD or Epic or Crytek). they're about making game experiences first and foremost, and they will spend their money advancing those experiences.

Why would they want to spend extra time and money developing tech for a foreign platform when they can spend that time and money advancing the experience on their primary platform (PC) and hitting a button and having it work on 360.

Saaking5278d ago

They're both. they're lazy and biased.

Proxy5278d ago

That's why nobody uses assembly any more.

jadenkorri5278d ago

I've never seen any other developer in the history of gaming go to such lows to discredit another console. Now everything they say will be blown out of proportion each time now. For that i will never purchase a valve game ever, i don't even have steam on my cp anymore. despite having games on it.

TheBlackSmoke5278d ago

Waaaaaaa!!! i have to learn something new Waaaaaaaa!!!

madpuppy5278d ago

that could be the reason...blah

zeeshan5278d ago

I think not only Valve are BIASED they are also Dumb and Lazy.

otherZinc5278d ago

Why do you fanboys not ask the same of Insomniac?

Budg3tG4m3r5278d ago

When it's PS3 devs talking about and working on the PS3 it's "they are smart or they have talent" when it's the other way around it's "their lazy" thats a poor excuse for not wanting to admit you want Vales games on the PS3. I want Valves games on my PS3 but I don't own Valve but since I own a 360 and PS3 it doesn't matter to me. You know there are devs that work only on the Playstaton platform and there are devs that don't... welcome to gaming. I don't know how many times Valve has to say they are a PC and Xbox only dev. I don't see Naughty Dog's games comming to the 360 so STFU and game.

execution175278d ago

lol but the mics feel cheap and drain the life of your batteries on your controller and you gotta talk really loud, unlike the bluetooth you just have to whisper and someone will hear you

aaron58295278d ago

All i played from Valve are mediocre games.. before you scream fanboy, yes, i finished HalfLife2 and the episodes...yes... i played L4D on my PC... which was fun at first... but.... it gets boring real quick..

Meh, i'd say leave Valve alone.. they dont want to develope for the ps3 ? fine by me....

I got better games to play with... I'd rather play Halo on PS3 ... because at least it's fun.

Time_Is_On_My_Side5278d ago (Edited 5278d ago )

To me that's what makes Valve's situation so ironic, all those PS3 developers had to learn as much as any third/second party developer. That's the whole point of being a programmer, that you constantly relearn new things every so often.

This is why I think that all Valve games look so alike, because they don't like being developers, developers constantly relearn new technology. What you know today, can be obsolete the next day and I think they (Valve) especially Gabe hates that reality.

XBOX 360 development is very similar to last generation's and Computer Development is something they do. This makes them bias in the end, but no one cares because it's about the PS3, lol. If it was the other way around there would be a riot.

If you just started doing C programming, you'll think that's the hardest thing to comprehend until you get it. Valve doesn't get it and doesn't want to. Now where are my Valve games on my Mac, it's a computer too?

Consoldtobots5277d ago

it's pretty obvious by now that valve are doing the same thing the fanboy sites are doing. Saying dumb crap for hits. When you think about them as a whole in th midst of the developer community, THEY JUST AREN'T ANYTHING REMARKABLE TO TALK ABOUT. They have a VERY dated engine, dated games, and are now milking a franchise that is hardly worthy of being download content. Yet here everyone is TALKING about Valve because they bash the PS3.

This is just all sorts of sad. Talk about GOOD developers like ND,Insomniac,Bioware etc.

BWS19825277d ago (Edited 5277d ago )

a few weeks ago, and neither of us saw eye to eye. He says it takes money and energy away from what they'd rather be doing. I said that's their choice not a requirement, just like any other company has the option, and that I see nothing in the pipeline that appeared like Valve couldn't branch out and take the sacrifice that nearly EVERY other game company has made to get the beneficial returns. They don't HAVE to, but what is so fragile in their development structure that will break into pieces if a portion of them go to the side and work on PS3 stuff? What are they working on so intensely? If they really CAN'T do it, then I'm sure they can hire some more people, they've got to have insane profits after using virtually the same engine for 5 years now. And even if that's too costly, I'm sure SONY THEMSELVES would be more than willing to lend them the manpower or assistance and help to compensate, IMO Sony would enjoy adding to the library and bringing Valve's stuff over. It's just excuses, I almost think Lazy One works for them or something, he sounds just like them and has no rational footing on making a solid reason.

So many studios that wanted to do multiplatform development had to split up their efforts to both continue on 360-style platforms and learn the new PS3. Why is valve any different, I can't accept that they "don't have the resources" because they can do both, as many other companies are doing both. And if they still can't because for some reason they're working massively on the side on some unknown super-game that nobody's heard of (nothing else would explain their "we can't" philosophy), like I said, I think Sony may help them, but they'd never go that route, because they're BIASED and Gabe hates them.

But really, what the hell are they working on that is so crucial and so time-consuming and so expensive that they can't "invest" resources in something that will come back to them in profits later? That's either bias or laziness if you ask me, because the fact is, they either love PC-style-only development (bias) or they COULD branch off (hell let 4 programmers start learning it as a sacrifice) but they choose not to, which would be laziness.

They don't "have to" develop for PS3, but they're making a choice not to, for one reason or another, and if you think they literally "can't" spare a fraction of their staff and manpower or make it happen creatively, then you're just making more excuses so Gabe doesn't have to think of more. The majority of developers moved on and learned the PS3, Gabe has stated how he is disgusted with it. There is correlation there (bias), and Valve isn't working on enough output that we know of to claim they can't afford some manpower on the side, they've had barely anything in their output over the last few years that suggests they physically can't get to it. It's either a choice (bias) or they refuse to put the effort in (lazy).

So in the end, they don't want to because they like 360/PC style platforms I believe, they enjoy the environment, that's fine, Crytek was like that for a while, so are plenty of other houses, many are PC-only...it's just that they've been so damn outspoken about disliking the PS3, it's obvious it is bias at this stage, as after reviewing what they release over time, I don't believe it's "required" they stick with what they know, it's that they "want" to...and that's a prerogative, and that is bias, nothing wrong with that in and of itself, but it would be nice if they had the balls to admit it.

5277d ago
BWS19825277d ago (Edited 5277d ago )

you do realize that many publishers like EA and Ubi state they earn either equal, and in some quarters more, from PS3 software sales, right? Secondly, Orange Box sold like crap on PS3 because of 2 reasons, one, the system was brand new and had an infantile install base, and two, the port sucked and was known to be inferior and glitchy. I now own a 360, I've got an i7 I built, and have a PS3, I love all consoles/platforms, so now what's your excuse? You're blinded by your own hatred, so before you waltz in and label other people bias and delusional, take a look at yourself. Only someone foolish says if you disagree then I'm right...

Simply put, Valve doesn't like the PS3, and the attach rates aren't that much different at this point if you've seen the latest data. They would make sales, that's not why, they're fanboys themselves, like you, who have an irrational hatred for something.

It's funny, someone like you thinks "knowledgless" is even a word. Quick tip to the "unknowledgeable" about many things: the adjective is "unknowledgeable", got it?....way to discredit yourself and your own intellect.

5277d ago
BWS19825277d ago

my post and you also spun what you did read. I had a fraction of it dedicated to your "grammar and semantics" and that wasn't the main point....You still don't get it, though, because as I said, Valve never made a quality title for the PS3, how would they know what kind of support they have on it?

Surely you realize that the minor population of fanboys (which I am not one of mind you, I love my Orange Box on PC, I love my Crackdown and Gears on 360, I'm a gamer) for the Playstation user base is a vast minority. There's no telling what would come of a tried and true port to the platform, a REAL effort, because they've never done one. Orange Box was by EA and it sucked in quality, so it's still, at this point, unknown territory.

Modern Warfare 2 isn't the point either, though it proves my point in a way... However, you may be forgetting that the entire Sony population and company itself was insulted by Activision, so that could explain a lot. I refuse to buy that game for now, as I'm actually that disgusted with Bobby Kotick, and I can't be the only one.

But, over 3 million games sold? That ratio and number's not bad at all, and that ratio is actually in the minority, seeing as how many games sell pretty comparatively when you put both platforms side by side, and I sure as hell have to assume that Valve would enjoy the investment's outcome. You have to spend money to make it. There are nearly 30 million console owners on the PS3 going into 2010, and I'm sure they'd love to even just sell a million copies of Left4Dead 1 or 2, so that right there is a plethora of revenue, and then they'd have the tools and know-how to keep doing it, only hastening any profits in the future. Of course it takes time and money, but practically every other friggin dev studio did it, and it worked out fine, now they're pulling in millions more for the investment.

The fact is, they're making a choice, and it's their choice to make. Naughty Dog is actually already developing for the harder platform, so they've done what is arguably the harder feat, and made PS3 games. I'm sure if they wanted they could churn out a beautiful 360 game, and I'm not going to argue if it would look as good as UC2. That's not lazy, they have a preference too. The difference is, they're not spouting off hateful crap towards the 360 and its community, Valve is doing that to the PS3's. So the fact remains that Valve probably could, and with using nearly the same damn engine for 5 years they surely have the revenue built, or could get assistance from Sony, to put just a tad of work into grasping the PS3. They choose not to because they can't stand it and loathe it, that can fairly be construed into "laziness" or "bias" if you ask me, but obviously you see different.

I had this argument with Lazy One, we never saw eye to eye, you're never going to convince me of your point, I probably won't convince you of mine, so I think the best thing is for us both to save our energies. I have the two platforms Valve makes games for, so it's not even worth it anymore, I just have less respect for them due to their outcries and insults they spew.

rockleex5276d ago (Edited 5276d ago )

Just look at how hard he works.

http://i47.tinypic.com/20qg...

+ Show (36) more repliesLast reply 5276d ago
bobdog6265278d ago

Valve should put the past behind them and make L4D2 for the PS3.Sony offerd to help them out personaly on this.L4D2 is a Killer App for sure and i feel that Valve is letting down PS3 gammer's .

Perjoss5278d ago

Valve are not the only devs that complain about the PS3 being hard to develop for, and inferior multiplats just further confirm the truth behind the claims.

DatNJDom815278d ago

and that is OK with me. If they want to develop for PC and 360 then let them. Honestly, who gives a fcuk? The one thing I dont like is the sh!t talking they do about the PS3 when the exclusives clearly sh!t on anything they have. L4D and L4D2 have a huge following and are good games (not my kind of games) but in term of overall quality they arent messing with anything on PS3 (OK they beat Haze...... *clapping*). Honestly, I prefer other 360 exclusives over anything they make. Splinter Cell looks good.

mastiffchild5278d ago

Bob vog-L4D2, axactly like L4D itself is indeed a great game-maybe b no killer app but a great game- but ONLY on the PC. PS3 owners shouldn't be jealous of any of Valve's 360 offerings at all and 360 owners should really say "screw you" top Valve over the treaatment they get from them, imo, I rarely felt as ripped off as I did when I bought the 360 version of L4D. I was already used to palying it on PC and got it dirt cheap afe=ter one of Valve's great free promo weekends followed by a half pricer. It's a fine PC game with decent looks and a smooth FPS, great mods, decent community and(pretty) decent dev support too-a quality vu le even if the original packave is light. However, both L4D1 and 3 on 360 looks worse, play worse, run worse and have no mods, lesser dev support and no community support-and all this for more than twice what ?I paid for the game on Steam! #So, tell me again why PS3 owners are all wanting this crappu treatm,ent and 360 gamers laud Valve for it? All it proves to me is that they don't REALLY want to make anything other than PC games(which is fine)and only do the 360 ports because the dev tools feel the same and it's quick cash they don't need to support a great deal.

The quality of the EA port to PSD£ of TOB was crappy but the Valve made 360 one, though much better, isn't anything great either-not technically anyway, not compared to the aging PC code. Fact is, to me, Valve are great, great PC devs and that's all they want to be and they resent "lowering" themselves even for the cheap cash from the 360 so the PS3 and it's gamers are easy tasrgets for them to lash out at as they'll never have to make it up by giving them a devent version of one of their games and , oddly, this anti PS3 stance seems to have blinded a lot of 360 owners inot thinking Valve are, in some odd way, on THEIR side in all this-but if they were you'd be playing something much more like the PC version of L4D rather than an unsupported travesty of what IS a great PC game. Stop saying thanks when they aren't giving us proper treatment.

The chart of all this, though, is that NOONE IN THE WORLD would begruge them working on hatever platforms they choose as long as they'd stop being so defensively rude about the PS3 and it's gamers.It's an unprofessional way of conducting themselves and with Gabes MS filled life looks worse than it really is-they should drop the 'tude and say they really just can't be doing with console's at all and just wanna make PC games. Then we might get HL3(never mind vloody Ep3 of HL2!)this generation(of people)and they could stop pushing out more sub standard L4D 360 versions for quick bucks-it really isn't good enough imo.

Thing is, I LOVE Valve sometimes. I love a lot of their games. TF2 is my favourite MP of all time and everyone loves Half Life. SAdly, though, they don';t like the console work, for whatever reason, and the weak L4D ports to 360 show this(it's like an expensive but unloved childthey anaged to sell off instead of raising it well likethey did the PC one).Ijust wish console only gamers woiuld take the massive hints and stop bothering with Valve-they don't care about you even if you own a 360, trust me. They abuse one sde of the console war and rip off the other and the net result is no Ep3 for anyone!

Of course, I'd also be elated if they started making 360, or even PS3 games that they supported and cared abot like their PC versions but i cannot see it ever happening. I sometimes wondder if they deliverately knock Sony and her gamers just to misdirect 360 gamers away from their lacklustre 360 games! I'm serious,please spend a day or tw playing L4D on PC and THEN tell me the 360 version is acceptable-let alone at the premium we also pay for it!

aaron58295278d ago

Erm hello.. you realise you're at the end of 2009 right ?

That statement was so 2007.

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Cosquae5278d ago

They're not a huge studio, so why not concentrate on a platform they're specialised on? They've made some of the best PC games in existance, so why change something that works for you?

Sure, they also do 360 ports but these are also done by external dev teams and the conversion from PC to 360 is a minor one usually.

Since when is there an obligation for developers to release their games on all formats anyway?

ogwilson5278d ago

I don't think anyone is saying there's an obligation, but the claims that Valve makes as to WHY they don't develop for the PS3 seem to be asinine.

Godmars2905278d ago

And yet they have tons of money coming in from Steam alone. That should translate into resources before considering their connection to EA, who probably love the added revenue PS3 sales would bring.

Though at this point, considering that Valve has only bad mouthed the system and even the people who use it, I can't see how they'd be well received on the platform. They'd have to do a lot of PR work to make up for all the negativity they've created. If they are such MS loyalist, I just don't see that happening.

DelbertGrady5278d ago

According to N4G logic if a developer doesn't release games on the PS3 they are stupid and lazy, and all of their games are overrated.

Godmars2905278d ago

It would help if the dev wouldn't give lame excuses to why they don't make PS3 games. Simply came out and said they just don't want to.

Solidus187-SCMilk5278d ago

HL 1 IS THE BEST FPS ever made. People dont get that pc gaming depends on microsoft and the xbox largely depended on pc franchises. Halo and cod were both pc games that Microsoft made popular on consoles. While pc developers like valve like to port pc games to xbox because its easy, quick money and microsoft may give them some money too. Microsoft tries to help pc gaming for windows with console games and pc gaming has helped xbox.

PS3 is harder to develop for 360 and it would cost them money with the chance to make some off of the ps3 port, but they dont need the money. They would make WAY more by working on their next PC game with a chance of a quick 360 port on the side.
Sony doesnt help pc gaming I dont know why you think an PC developer would NEED to port any of their games to ps3 or 360. Especially not valve who makes TOO much money off steam.

frostypants5278d ago

Good question. No one holds them obligated. The problem is Valve goes out of their way to open their mouths and make stupid claims. If they just kept their mouths shut, this discussion wouldn't be happening.

aaron58295278d ago

In your logic... whenever a Valve developer says things like.. the cell is nothing... the cell cant do anything... the ps3 sucks... falls into your deaf ears.. erm wait.. that's what you wanna hear is it..

my bad.

HDgamer5278d ago

Gearbox is a smaller developer than Valve, so whats your excuse for them again?

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I_LOVE_MYSELF5278d ago

I dont want to see them gimp their games in order for them to work on PS3. Heck the PS3 couldnt even handle Orange Box.

jashwin5278d ago

you are so stupid that it makes me laugh,the ps3 version of orange box was a BAD port.the funny thing is that the xbox can handle nothing MORE than the orange box

velcry5278d ago

I took a blank DVD, drew a picture of a cat and an umbrella on it, and popped it into my PS3...

AND THE PS3 COULDN'T RUN IT!

My lousy PS3 can't even handle the simple basic game I programmed, called Cat Attacks With Brolly, Part 2! It only does everything? Nonsense!

I then took the same (no longer blank) DVD and popped it into my Wii and 360, and both of them COULDN'T HANDLE IT TOO!

Finally, I put the DVD into my PC drive, and the message popped up "Unreadable Disc Error".

ONLY MY PC COULD HANDLE MY OMGWTFBBQ COMPLEX GAME!

PC gaming FTW!

/s

GarandShooter5278d ago

Now, now, jashwin -GametimeUK- doesn't mean to be a jackass, he just hasn't had his meds yet today.

Gametime, call to your mum. She'll bring some warm milk and your medicine to your bedroom.

The PS3 handled that crappy port about as well as Gametime's brain handles intelligent thought. :)

5278d ago
lh_swe5278d ago

It was done by EA thus the issues.

It's a shame that Valve don't want to spend the extra energy on the PS3 but I won't hate them for it, it's a childish decision however one that I do not have a problem with.

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unrealgamer585278d ago

i would say how bad youre life is but you've already proven that anything i would say would be a compliment.

on topic, to valve think its time to call up insomniac.

http://blog.us.playstation....

so stop being so lazy.

Show all comments (193)
250°

Why Xbox believes it must cut costs and close studios

Companies, particularly public companies like Microsoft, need to grow.

Read Full Story >>
eurogamer.net
gold_drake11h ago

i mean its pretty simple, they spent close to 30 billion in acquiring activision, they thought they'd make it bk no problem, and that didnt happen.

its just shit that because of MS's miscalculation alot of people lost their jobs.

Jingsing7h ago

This is exactly what many people said would happen including the CMA and FTC. Lies lies and more lies and they allowed a $69 billion buy out to happen.

gold_drake7h ago

oh yeh it was 70 billion. that was my bad haha even worse.

thesoftware7307h ago(Edited 7h ago)

gold,

You can't be serious, right?

Do you think that MS thought they would make 80bill in a year & Half? They haven't even released titles under MS yet, lol.

But in fact, that A/B revenue is already paying off, look at the last earnings call. That $80 billion is long-term money, my guy, no sane person/company would think they would make that back in any short-term situation, it's a long-term investment.

Let's play silly then. If MS's reason for laying off staff and closing studios was due(which it really was not) to the A/B deal, tell me what Sony's reason was for past studio closures, the recent 900-person layoffs, closing Sony London, shutting down Dreams, and closing Japan Studio? Zipper? Psygnosis? cuts at all their internal studios.

Keep in mind, you are claiming MS's reason is because of the A/B deal; please explain Sony's reason.

Hofstaderman7h ago

You actually still defending them? Sheesh.....

gold_drake7h ago

this is not a sony vs MS debate. dont make it something it isnt.

and of course not, but im pretty sure they thought they'd make more money after the deal. they didnt, and closed off some studios.

its pretty insane to think there is any other reason for the closure of studios in this case.

romulus237h ago(Edited 7h ago)

(It really was) due to the Activision Blizzard deal and the loss of physical sales due to gamepass. You keep bringing up Sony in all your posts about this, stop deflecting and trying to change the topic, this is about MS and what they are doing.

BehindTheRows6h ago

Has nothing to do with Sony. Stay on topic.

notachance6h ago

once in a while you see someone too invested in their make-believe console war that everything happened has to be connected to said war…

a bit of banter between fans is normal, this crusade you’re doing now isn’t.

Chevalier6h ago

Wow idiotic. You bring up very old closures not that there haven't been recent ones from Playstations, but, seriously stop deflecting. This has NOTHING to do with Playstation.

Does Playstation got $3 trillion behind them and daddies wallet? No they don't so stop making a fool of yourself.

Xbox has never been profitable really and they just keep losing money so between their worst hardware sales, terrible 3rd party sales and now terrible 1st party sales.

Gamepass numbers that are no longer being announced shows their numbers after 3 years of missed targets has flatlined. Plus their recent gains up to 34 million were ONLY because they folded Gold members in too. Absolutely take your idiotic rhetoric out of here. Keep on topic without deflecting.

S2Killinit6h ago

Ayayayay with these xbox/MS excuses.

Reaper22_1h ago

How dare you mention Sony! Everyone here knows when Sony closes a studio and lay off workers it was the right thing to do. Even when they bought Gaikai and fired almost everyone it was the right thing to do.

Gamers can be such hypocrites sometimes.

andy8516m ago

Is it? That's revenue not profit. Completely different.

+ Show (6) more repliesLast reply 16m ago
thesoftware7304h ago(Edited 4h ago)

Drake,

"this is not a sony vs MS debate. dont make it something it isnt."

You are correct that it's not an MS Vs Sony Topic, but when exaggeration and imagination mix from a one-sided social group, similar examples are needed to ground radical thoughts; in this instance, the example was that shutting down 3,4,5, even 6 studios during a restructure/ buyout/acquisition is not some anomaly(it can suck) that has to be dissected or spell doom and gloom.

"But I'm pretty sure they thought they'd make more money after the deal. They didn't, and they closed off some studios."

But they did make more money, a lot, actually; the last earnings call showed a huge growth in profit, almost all due to A/B revenue.

"its pretty insane to think there is any other reason for the closure of studios in this case."

The fact that they did make money, kinda throws this out the window, and besides, you don't wake up and say, hey let's close a studio, you look at the output, you look at the dev as a whole, the long term and short term, you weigh it against all other studios and goals, you keep key members, ect..then you close if they are the weakest links...which by MS analysis they were.

Again, I will make a small Sony comparison, just so some of you can understand and see past the bias; Insomniac, ND, and Bungie have made some of the best games ever created, yet Sony saw fit to cut jobs in every of these studios, even tho Insomniac & ND are the biggest producers of PS games, leagues ahead better than Tango and Arkane, yet, they saw cuts, mind you, while being the TOP produces of PS first party. They were told to cut costs, and more jobs may be on the line, and Bungie is being threatened by a hostile Sony takeover. Put that in perspective, as I know that layoffs and dev closures are different, but if the best of the best is getting cut off, it is less than surprising, that lesser studios are closing.

@Cheva,
My response fits well with your comments as well. You even went on to prove that the dev closures are not just due to A/B acquisition. Then you point out Sony has less money than MS, inferring that MS should keep devs open that they see as lesser earners, while Sony having less money makes it okay to close them. lol...it doesn't work that way.

gold_drake4h ago

im not reading all of that. u have ur opinion, i have mine.

thats rly it.

but this aint sony vs ms.

ApocalypseShadow4h ago

You're trying to compare a 100 billion company to a company that has 3 TRILLION worth. SIE has to live or die on their own. And in turn, PlayStation has helped the main company again and again. Sony has to balance out what is working and not working in the company.

While Xbox has Daddy Warbucks footing the bill to keep the platform afloat. They have been bleeding money from Nvidia hardware in the OG Xbox, the RROD fiasco, the attempted 2013 DRM nonsense and the lies about being the most powerful console in the world and the losses of paying out millions to prop up a service hoping it catches on with enough subscribers to justify its existence.

They're not comparable if Xbox isn't allowed to live or die by its actions. It's subsidized. Revenue isn't profit. And if they were profiting on their own, they wouldn't be closing developers. If they were profiting, they wouldn't need Daddy Warbucks spending 80 to 100 billion buying up 3rd party publishers to sustain a loss leading platform.

They stopped announcing game sales, stopped announcing hardware sales, stopped announcing game pass subscribers, they are putting games on their competitors platforms but you're telling us that they are doing great even after killing jobs and closing developers at Xbox.

Stop drinking the Kool aid. You're drunk.

anast7h ago

They are going to use AI for a large portion of the game development process. Upper management need bonuses and the shareholders need more money. So, people will lose their jobs.

Skuletor7h ago

Maybe they were already using AI to make business decisions, which would explain why they closed Hi-Fi Rush's studio, then said they need more games like Hi-Fi Rush not long after that announcement.

Crows907h ago(Edited 7h ago)

They shouldn't have bought any studios. Some is okay...but they went on a shopping spree...stupid

Einhander19726h ago

The better question is why did Microsoft buy publishers for a service they were subsidizing they knew couldn't support.

And why are so many websites trying to make people feel sorry for Microsoft instead of truly criticizing the fact they are closing studios and killing jobs that would have been fine if Microsoft themselves hadn't gotten involved.

Quit feeling sorry for Microsoft and start feeling sorry for the industry and the all the gamers who are actually losing out.

THIS IS MICROSOFTS FAULT.

RNTody6h ago

The first thing that happens after any major acquisition or merger is a consolidation of the whole new portfolio, which includes cutting any excess, bloat or portfolios that don't fit the larger MO of the big boy. So far, it's been par for the course with Microsoft and that's why gamers have been so against this acquisition. Tango Gameworks is the beginning. You think Microsoft wants to pay to keep small timers like Ninja Theory in business?

There is absolutely zero evidence to suggest that Microsoft will improve any of these studios, but plenty to suggest that they will get rid of what they don't need and hold onto the IP. The real agenda of the acquisition was always to acquire The Elder Scrolls, Diablo, Fallout, Call of Duty, Candy Crush etc. that will create millions in passive revenue stream for Microsoft regardless of where the games release. Microsoft simply wants their cut.

Because of Games Pass Microsoft has no interest in investing in new IP which is risky and requires creative talent they can neither nurture nor manage. Game Pass has also not grown in the way Microsoft expected it to, even post acquisitions. Therefore the logical thing to do, without serious money makers to release, is to cut as much cost as possible.

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Vader821d 10h ago

No 7 days to die is criminal