480°

Obsidian rejected an acquisition offer prior to Microsoft buyout

"They have to be people you can sit down and have a beer with".

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gamesradar.com
GamingSinceForever966d ago

Or cut us a check that we couldn’t refuse.

Notellin966d ago (Edited 966d ago )

Your uneducated way of thinking would have to assume both offers were at the same time and he just chose the most money.

These events likely happened months to years apart. He didn't like the deal and he made the right choice judging from what was offered.

GamingSinceForever966d ago

Uhh the article clearly indicated that the acquisition request was some time before they went with Microsoft so not sure where you are getting that I thought it was happening simultaneously.

My response was to his comment about making a deal with someone that you could have a beer with.

So I think that makes you the uneducated 🤡.

Angyobangyo965d ago

"Your uneducated way of thinking" Stopped reading right there. Calling some stupid for stating the obvious. MS made them an offer they could not refuse.

lelo2play966d ago (Edited 966d ago )

I'm sure the studios acquired by Sony and Nintendo are all about love... and not about money.

Christopher965d ago

Not sure where he said they weren't. It's business. It's all about profits in the end.

TheDoomedGuy965d ago

I guarantee you that partnerships that show a record of great work being done together is equivalent to money in these talks. There's a big difference with say offering simply tons of money and resources...and offering money, resources along with a track record of great projects that both have worked in together.

VenomUK965d ago

@lelo2play. Not everything is a console war discussion! What this Obsidian exec is saying is that Microsoft wanted to buy the team and keep it intact, not, like the unnamed published wanted to do which is break it up so it could acquire the staff for pre-existing projects. So yes money is important but it isn't everything, so that's why he sold to Microsoft because it would retain his team and its culture. Sony has bought studios recently too, including Insomniac, Housemarque and Bluepoint specifically because it too wants to keep them as distinct teams.

dbcoops965d ago

Sony bought Insomniac for a song considering just how good of a developer they are so yeah I guess love must have a lot to do with it.

MadLad965d ago

@dbcoops

Insomniac always stated they wished to stay independent so they can make whatever they want.
Then Spiderman happens, and they're a Sony studio soon after.

Nothing to do with money. Sure.

VenomUK965d ago

@TheRealTedCruz I can't say if Insomniac was forced to work on Marvel's Spider-Man or if the studio had the option to decline the project. But I would think that as a development team there is something so alluring, so exciting, about being able to work on one of the biggest, best loved comic book franchises ever and facing the challenge of putting your own spin on it and making a great product that the public might love... or hate! The game turned out alright! It received much praise from critics and became the best selling first party game on PS4. I would think that the individuals who worked on it feel a lot of pride from helping craft this.

dbcoops964d ago

@TheRealTedCruz

I never said it didn't have to do with money I said they got Insomniac for a great deal cause they did. Sure it had to do with money just like it did with MS buying Obsidian.

Someone you can sit and have a beer with. Sure.

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 964d ago
343_Guilty_Spark966d ago

That doesn't sound like that's what Obsidian said.

OptimusDK966d ago (Edited 966d ago )

Whats is your number? like money
What do they want to do with it - the aquasition?
Whats the cultural fit? - do you want to have a beer with them.

Yeahh you just had to reduce it so sole money. Even though it is part it is not all. But I guess it hurt some people that developers actually like MS aproach to these aquisitions and have Minecraft to show for it.

esherwood965d ago

English your second language?

rlow1965d ago (Edited 965d ago )

Sure when does money not play a role in any buyout? But in the article, he turned down money because it wasn't a right fit. So obviously their was more going on with MS than just money. I would imagine, working on games they want to make, keeping there own culture, making their own decisions, and staying put were also major factors.

jznrpg965d ago

Yeah like GoTY studios and making the best games in the world right? Oh wait . It was money .

dbcoops965d ago

100% that was the reason, this beer thing is a bunch of bull butter,

DJStotty965d ago

The beer statement is a figure of speech, in other words, it has got to be someone you can work with and get along in a business and also friendly mindset.

Pretty sure he doesn't mean he wanted to sell to someone to go to the pub lol.

dbcoops964d ago

@DJStotty

No he wanted to sell to whoever sent him to the bank with the biggest bag of cash. lol

blacktiger965d ago

that's what he said, it's all about the math, what make sense

ScootaKuH965d ago

That's probably closer to the truth

+ Show (5) more repliesLast reply 964d ago
IanTH966d ago (Edited 966d ago )

Hope they got a good sense of a lot of people they would like having beers with, then, given that big corporations always have fairly cyclical turnover. Phil seems like a guy you could grab a beer with, but he could be replaced at any moment by a Peter Moore or Bobby Kotik type who don't seem much like they'd as easily fit that description. Not uncommon for figureheads to change and cultures to shift from when initial acquisitions happen and sort of getting the rug pulled out from under you.

You kind of hope someone takes that kind of offer if they are struggling financially - either in terms of doors potentially closing, or simply just not having enough to achieve the vision you have for projects. I certainly don't blame anyone for taking offers they otherwise wouldn't when the money is just too good. Sort of feels like that happened this time, but I can only call it as I see it as an outsider. Regardless, hope it works out for everybody in the long run.

Zeref965d ago (Edited 965d ago )

I think they're probably already grooming the next head of Xbox and I think it's gonna Sarah Bond

965d ago
FlavorLav01965d ago (Edited 965d ago )

They need to. Phil sucks. It must be exhausting hyping non-stop “best ever e3’s” every damn year without anything substantial to actually show for it. Microsoft stopped pushing the medium forward outside of Forza a long time ago. Now it’s just the best place to play top downs and sports titles. Lol. I’d love one good AAA narrative experience, just ONE. Finally another Halo campaign coming out that sounds promising. Without that this Christmas, my SeriesX would make a better book-end or space heater.

HardKnockKid24965d ago

@flavorlav01 maybe we can join a game. What’s your gamertag?

NeoGamer232965d ago

Definitely you are not wrong.

But, in the video they actually talk about why they refused the previous offer and they accepted the MS one. And it sounds like the reason they refused the first one, was that the publisher was just looking for them as people to work on the publisher projects, whereas MS is letting them work on the Obsidian projects. Seems like MS just relieved financial burdens from them so that they can be the type of studio they are. In Obsidians case a RPG studio. This has been a theme that we have heard on all the MS takeovers since Mojang.

OptimusDK965d ago

@GamingSinceForever

In the video he said things like:
Whats is your number? like money wise that is your first thing.
Then what do they want to do with it - the aquasition?
And lastly Whats the cultural fit? - do you want to have a beer with them.

Yeahh you just had to reduce it so sole money. Even though it is part it is not all. But I guess it hurt some people that developers actually like MS aproach to these aquisitions and have Minecraft to show for it.

aaronaton965d ago

"They have to be people you can sit down and have a beer with"

The bloke in the video looks like the last person you would want to have a beer with, he looks boring af.

965d ago
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100°

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."

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windowscentral.com
ocelot072d 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.

Elda2d ago

Every old Playstation game that is now on PC.

shinoff21831d 15h 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

Flewid6381d 14h ago

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

Elda1d 13h ago

I'm guessing my comment went over your head.

XiNatsuDragnel1d 23h 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.

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engadget.com
Obscure_Observer2d ago

Very very early in development. Still, fantastic news!

Let´s GO!!!

Lightning772d 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.

darthv722d ago (Edited 2d ago )

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

Obscure_Observer2d ago (Edited 2d 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.

Lightning772d ago (Edited 2d 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_Observer2d ago (Edited 2d 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.

anast2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

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

-Foxtrot2d 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...

darthv722d ago

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

VersusDMC2d 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.

Inverno2d 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 😂

Chevalier2d 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

romulus231d 21h ago

Stockholm syndrome, maybe?

BlindMango1d 16h 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.

shinoff21831d 15h ago

It was probably the deal to get released from Ms

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 1d 15h ago
Sciurus_vulgaris2d ago (Edited 2d 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.

Chevalier2d 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.

PhillyDonJawn1d 21h 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

shinoff21831d 15h 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

Elda2d ago

Either a kiddie game or something uninteresting.

Obscure_Observer2d ago

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

Elda2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

Don't worry about my comments.

PhillyDonJawn1d 21h ago

Right probably something like astrobot

romulus231d 21h ago

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

Elda1d 19h ago

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

Asplundh1d 18h ago

Crash 4 was good, so I'm hopeful.

PhillyDonJawn1d 17h 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.

Elda1d 16h ago (Edited 1d 16h 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.

PhillyDonJawn1d 14h ago

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

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 1d 14h ago
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130°

What Happens to Your Steam Account When You Die?

The Outerhaven writes: While Steam has come out recently, stating that Steam accounts can't be transferred, we need to think about it since we all will eventually kick the bucket. But if Valve is denying transferring accounts, what can be done? Plenty, actually.

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theouterhaven.net
thorstein3d ago

It goes to my kids because I gave them the passwords.

To Steam: Missio has a song that conveys my feelings about you stealing my purchase after I die. It's called "Middle Fingers"

shinoff21832d ago

Pretty much. My son knows my info.

Abear212d ago

Yeah worrying about digital ownership when you’re on the other side of the grass seems a little strange, but also on brand for these millennial journalists to worry about.

qalpha2d ago

I'm sure Keith will be happy to hear he's a millennial journalist.

Goodguy013d ago

I suppose if I have kids, I'd just give em my account details by retirement age. If I die young then...idk lol.

CrimsonWing693d ago

Yea, I mean just give someone the password to your account. Is that difficult to do or something? Like, I’m legit asking because I don’t know.

anast2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

It's not difficult but It's against the policy. If they find out, they will lock the account permanently.

CrimsonWing692d ago

Ah ok, I had a feeling there was something like that. It seems kind of weird that you can’t just hand your account over to a family member or friend and let them take over the account.

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