990°

Six Studios, Five Years, Zero Games: Is Rockstar Games in Trouble?

Even though Rockstar Games is known for impeccable quality productions, the recent (though widely expected) delay of Red Dead Redemption 2 means that almost five years will have passed between new games from the developer. OnlySP questions whether this massive release gap is cause for concern.

T2X2540d ago

Not really. They create huge masterpieces that take years and lots of money and resources to make. ANd when they do release, they sell large amounts and receive support for many years after. So, I wouldn't worry too much.

Wakka102540d ago

People used to say that about Final Fantasy and Bioware... look at their standing among fans now.

Overload2540d ago

"Final Fantasy 15 is the fastest-selling game in series history"
https://www.polygon.com/201...

Final Fantasy 15 exceeds 6 million units in shipments and digital sales
https://www.vg247.com/2017/...

Wakka102539d ago

Sales figures =/= reception. Here's an exercise, go visit the comment sections of FFXV articles published since release to see what people say about the game they've played. Or visit Metacritic and check the most recent/most helpful reviews.
I mean, how many comments have you read saying that CoD: Infinite Warfare is crap, yet it still sold considerably better than almost anything else released last year.

Overload2539d ago (Edited 2539d ago )

Vocal minorities can be confusing. FF7R will come out and do bigger numbers. Look at the online hate for Destiny and SWBF, yet they're are 2 of the biggest games of this generation, Destiny has a player retention % most developers only dream of, yet everyone online and all their friends hate Destiny.

EazyC2539d ago

Not like R*, their games are on another level

Nitrowolf22539d ago (Edited 2539d ago )

You are missing the point. This isnt about how the fans feel, its about whether the company can stay a float.

Sales are exceeding what they expected, thats good news for them. Whether fans like the game or not is an entirely different subject.

@the question in the article.

Honestly GTA5 is still a top selling, and they are making loads off microtransaction. I dont think their in trouble tbh

InTheZoneAC2539d ago

are you simple? when had GTA or RDR dropped drastically in terms of quality and content?

3-4-52539d ago

Rockstar & Square-enix are different in their approach.

Square takes long because of lack of communication and poor leadership at the top, where as Rockstar takes forever because THAT is how they operate....Always have.

I think Square recently realized they need to get their stuff together when it comes to FF7 remake and the studio they outsourced it too wasn't getting the job down so they brought it in house.

Rockstar has a road map and a plan....Square doesn't.

Square-Enix does a really good job with the Dragon Quest series though which is kind of confusing.

They make all the right decisions with Dragon Quest and almost no right decisions with Final Fantasy.

The Final Fantasy dev team needs a shake up and reset.....bring new people in who actually have good taste for games.

If I was square I'd be asking the Dragon Quest team for tips/hints/help.....they actually know what they are doing over there.

Rockstar and it's next games are fine.

They are releasing Red Dead 2 this year and GTA 6 in 2018/19.

^ That is the main reason why.

RosweeSon2539d ago

Has a final fantasy game ever sold 80 million copies... 1 game in the series?! Nope. Not the mention said game has a massively lucrative online mode 💰💰💰

Gaming1012538d ago

Does anyone here read? Rockstar has made somewhere in the hundreds of millions of dollars in shark cards alone. They are riding the gravy train with low operations high profit margins. It's a cash cow business for them, so of course they're going to delay any game that will draw a single player away from GTA 5.

+ Show (6) more repliesLast reply 2538d ago
freshslicepizza2540d ago

They also used to create multiple games. Midnight Club should be revisited too.

EazyC2539d ago

It's so annoying they have seemingly retired Midnight Club, we NEED a new gen one

Erik73572539d ago

We actually don't know...your comment is honestly just as valid as this article.

Could be maybe they are raising the bar for what we expect in games or they could be struggling. We can never know until the game comes out

XanderZane2539d ago

Exactly. They are known for delaying their games until they are exactly the way they want them to be. So I won't even sweat it. I can wait until next year for RDR2. I'm sure they are working on GTA VI and probably one other masterpiece.

seanpitt232539d ago (Edited 2539d ago )

The thing is if gta5 wasn't so popular then we would of definitely seen and be playing another rockstar game by now.

RDR2 would be in my console now.

So we have only ourselves to blame for buying 80 million copies of gta5 plus 100s of millions daft shark cards.

If someone said to me 3 years ago that rockstar will only release one game this gen I wouldn't of believe them but thats definitely what they are going to do.

scofios2539d ago

Yeah they sold 75 million copys of gta5 they must be in trouble /s

SonyAddict2539d ago

Rockstar games in trouble lol no chance hahaa

C-H-E-F2538d ago

Agreed, every since the PS3, Rockstar pulled back off of quantity and focused on Quality. For example the released 1 Midnight Club last gen and that was/is still (to me atleast) one of the best racing games launched last year. They released 2 GTA's in a 7 year span, So of course when you look at it, those games took a very long time to make, GTAIV was in dev in PS2 era and GTAV was in dev since GTAIV was like 3/4 done and it still took 7 years to release. They said a few years back that they are quality focused over quantity. They own plenty of other studios that publish games like NBA 2k makes about 120 million from playstation/xbox on launch day (selling 1 million / console) for example, they are far from being "hurt" by not having annual big franchise games. SHhhhh I just said the other day GTAV is still the top 5 selling game every month... that's incredible, they aren't worried about sales as much as this author thinks. haha.

+ Show (5) more repliesLast reply 2538d ago
-Foxtrot2540d ago

It would be nice to see their games release a little quicker...they can have plenty of time on the game they are making but at least have something to put out in the meantime.

Mr Pumblechook2539d ago

"Is Rockstar Games in Trouble?" GTA V has sold over 75 million copies. GTA V Online is generating a shit-ton of money. Somehow I think Rockstar are okay. ;) They know not to annualise a franchise to death.

-Foxtrot2539d ago

True but I think it's because of that they think they can do whatever the f*** they want, especially with the online and MT

They are getting a little big headed and it's worrying despite how good their games are. Gives them that "Meh...screw em, they'll love us in the end regardless and we'll be rich still" attitude.

shmowboyfebop2539d ago

@foxtrot

Who knows. They tend to make good games. I haven't noticed any sort of aggrandized ego from them. They're one of the few groups I have faith in.

Bronxs152538d ago

Curious. What do people do in gta online?? I just played single player never looked at online.

Kleptic2538d ago (Edited 2538d ago )

100% arm chair 'consumer analysts' in regards to the business behind the company.

Doesn't matter 'what people do online' in GTAV, it has generated more profit than most, even popular and well received, titles do entirely...doesn't matter that 'I don't understand it, i barely tried it'...see above.

This isn't some annual franchise that recently started struggling...GTAV was one of the highest reviewed titles of last gen, then WAS the highest reviewed, and highest selling, titles for nearly half of the current gen...A re-released 'HD' version of a last gen title crushed nearly everything this gen could come up with for an alarmingly long time...If anything, all this shows is how out of whack the rest of the industry was for like 5 years...and Rockstar simply took a breather during it. Little overhead, print money...and they're 'big headed' because of it?

...they're fine...there is absolutely no business reason to be worried about future products just yet...the complainers are of a minority, and even better...the transparency of them buying future products despite complaints...is obvious...they will, they always have...and will continue to.

Mr_Writer852538d ago

@foxtrot

"they think they can do whatever the f*** they want, "

Well they can do its their work and its clearly working.

If people didn't want more GTA Online content they wouldn't make it.

Why waste your time making content for people who don't play GTA online when you have people who do giving you money?

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 2538d ago
ServerBOT2538d ago

A little project like Rockstar Table Tennis would be pretty sweet.

Brave_Losers_Unite2540d ago

Are you kidding me? They are swimming in cash.

JackBNimble2539d ago

Exactly, GTAV has sold 70 million copies alone as well as all the microtransactions along side it.

BlakHavoc2540d ago

Uh no. They produce one of the highest selling franchises in history, GTA. RDR2 is going to sell a ton, and whatever else they release I'm sure will be met with critical and commercial acclaim.

Wakka102540d ago

It's amusing that pretty much every comment defaults to the money that they've made off GTA V, thus suggesting that no-one read the part that admits that money is no issue. The article questions other things than the financial standing of Rockstar because that is one of the few things that there is absolutely nothing to be worried about at the present time.

OC_MurphysLaw2539d ago

What is amusing is the attempt to suggest they are in trouble because they are releasing fewer and fewer games....even though the few they are releasing are well crafted mega hits beyond anything other devs are able to do. the amount of games you create should absolutely in no way be associated to whether a studio is in trouble in the face of the success Rockstar has had with their formula of multiple studios playing a hand in their crafting of their games. Now if RDR2 comes out and is utter trash then maybe this article should be republished then...but now? No.

fenome2539d ago

They don't have any big publishers breathing down their neck about absurd deadlines, they take pride in what they do and it shows. I'd rather them hone their craft and release something they're proud of than pump the same shit out every year.

I'd rather wait for a quality product than just get slapped with reskinned crap over and over. There's a lot more room to tinker with things this gen, I don't think a lot of people really grasp that concept.

Outside_ofthe_Box2539d ago (Edited 2539d ago )

I read it, and anyone that is speaking against the article is correct. R* is far from being in any sort of "trouble." The article is trying to make it out to be that the delay of RDR2 and the fact that outside of a port, they haven't released a game this gen, will somehow hurt R*'s brand/reputation which is not true at all.

Everyone expected RDR2 would be delayed. Delays are nothing new or out of the ordinary this gen. Also everyone knows that R* takes years to make their games so again, this is something that isn't surprising to gamers.

When RDR2 releases it will sell a ton. When GTA6 releases it will sell ton. Doesn't matter if they're delayed a decade. R* is no where close to being on "unsteady ground" or having a "bleak future" or "fading into insignificance" like the article suggests.

Only good point is R*'s apparent shift of focus to the multiplayer side of things. I personally don't think R* going the multiplayer route will put the studio in "trouble", but I personally would stop buying their games if it doesn't appeal to me. Either way I still expect RDR2 to deliver a stellar single player experience. R* has yet to let me down when it comes to SP so I'm given them the benefit of the doubt in that regard. Wish we would have gotten SP DLC for GTAV though.

mocaak2539d ago

You wrote a shitty, clickbait article. Now deal with it, instead of commenting nonstop on your own submission.

KwietStorm_BLM2539d ago

If Red Dead didn't get delayed, this article wouldn't exist. That, in and of itself, is both ironic and extremely weak as a basis for whatever logic they're trying to use as an argument. Even if Rockstar were somehow in trouble for whatever reason, the mountain of money they made on GTA V alone could be used to fill whatever development gaps or production holes they're theoretically having.

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110°

Would It Have Even Mattered If Redfall Were Good?

Even if Redfall were a good game, the closure of Hi-Fi Rush proves even that doesn't matter in the industry.

Read Full Story >>
thegamer.com
Profchaos4h ago

Yeah it would have mattered especially since their huge game that year wasn't all that it was cracked up to be remember redfail was almost heavily promoted and hyped not to the level of starfield but still more promoted than the average game.

There was still a decent marketing campaign behind the game I'm sure millions were spent advertising it on websites and I saw a few billboards and bus stop signs in real life

jwillj2k44h ago

No it wouldn’t matter it wouldn’t bring in enough profit to offset their 100 billion dollar acquisition. It would maybe delay the inevitable by some months.

CrimsonWing693h ago

I would f*cking think so. Good games are what draws people to your platform. It’s why I adored the 360 era with Gears of War being one of the highlights for me. You make sh*t games and it just makes your platform that much worse and you start gobbling up studios I like and then killing them off it also makes me hate your platform as well… just sayin’

franwex3h ago

Unless the game would’ve been War Zone, or Fortnite level. No. Maybe even Hell divers 2 I doubt would’ve been enough.

Exvalos2h ago

No it would not have, the ABK deal was great for Microsoft but horrible for Xbox. Over 100 billion dollars in acquisitions. That money has to be made back. That ABK deal essentially destroyed Xbox as we know it.

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270°

Report: Sexual Misconduct Investigation Conducted at EA, Suspects Named and What They Did Revealed

EA senior staff has been investigated for sexual misconduct involving female coworkers, and these said people have been named publicly.

isarai22h ago

Aye just call Phil, i mean he somehow made Bobby Kotick's scandal disappear and gave him a few million dollar high five on the way out.

Cacabunga13h ago

I wonder if it will be censored with some in game ads.

XiNatsuDragnel19h ago(Edited 19h ago)

EA about to go down like Activision and then Phil saves the day saying.this is good for the industry and consolidation will help create competition. /s.

ravens5217h ago

What's up with all these horny creeps. You gon be horny, fine. Just not at work take care of that shit before you go in. Rub one out if you have to. Don't be a creep at all. ESPECIALLY at work. But don't be one AT ALL.

Extermin8or3_12h ago

I mean part of the issue is that things transpired outside of work....

KwietStorm_BLM12h ago

You think deviants care where they are? Work sometimes makes it an even better situation for them because they can abuse their power.

NotoriousWhiz16h ago(Edited 16h ago)

"it seems that according to EA, given the events transpired outside of work between two adults, and the fact that once investigation has started that the alleged perpetrators didn’t do it again, the investigation is considered closed. [...] The victim still has to work with the people that harassed her."

Yep, EA is disgusting.

Extermin8or3_12h ago

I mean the fact stuff happened outside of work puts EA in quite a difficult position legally. These women don't seem to have reported the matter to the police which kinda ties EA's hands on what they can do. If they don't file reports of the crimes then yeah from EA's perspective it is stuff that happened outside of work. The only exception is the guy that apparently referenced things in the slack channel for work, spending on what he said proving it may be very hard and he may well be able to get away with plausible deniability. I don't like EA and I think these people need to be dismissed but without any legal action being taken, EA can't really do much without risk of being sued themselves for unfair dismissal etc.

Show all comments (14)
340°

Former Deviation Games Devs Have Formed A New Studio At PlayStation To Work On A New IP

Former Deviation Games developers have formed a new studio at Sony Interactive Entertainment in order to work on a brand new PlayStation IP.

Read Full Story >>
twistedvoxel.com
Tacoboto1d 9h ago

Well that's an awesome and very surprising turnaround. Cheers to the new studio and what they'll build!

RaidenBlack1d 6h ago

Likely to continue their FPS project

Cacabunga18h ago

It is not about money it is about talent.. get that talent in and they will take care of you and earn you that money

Eonjay18h ago

I had picked up on this before the Deviation shutdown was announced. It was pointed out that a senior manager of the team had joined PlayStation prior to the close. It was a little suspicious because from the outside in, it appeared had basically poached Deviation's talent.

Reading some of the other comments it seems this is understood to be the case.

In other news it would be wild if Sony winds up announcing a brand new internal studio.

isarai1d 4h ago

That's..... confusing, so shut down but just reformed and same employer 🤔 sounds like pretty much what happened to Japan Studio basically just being rebranded as Asobi

ocelot071d 3h ago

It is odd one I don't know how business deals work or the law of that kind of stuff. But is it possible Sony reached out and said hey we want you apart of Sony but don't want to purchase you for what ever reason. How about use disband and we will open a studio and hire you guys type of thing. Is that even possible?

isarai1d 3h ago

Maybe it's to void/bypass some contract? I have no clue

VersusDMC23h ago(Edited 23h ago)

I guess the deviation team fell apart and didn't deliver good progress on what they pitched (they overhyped themselves when the team was announced)so Sony shut them down. They regrouped with a new team and a new pitch so Sony is giving them another shot.

And this time they are keeping it quiet to keep pressure down on the team. So people aren't asking everyday what deviation(or whatever the new team is called) is doing.

Edit: Also Sony never owned them. They just ended their partnership with them. Deviation decided to close on their own.

outsider162423h ago

Good point. You know, i was thinking of Days Gone too. They pitch an idea to Sony for Days Gone 2 but Sony didnt like it do they scrapped the whole thing. Maybe if a good pitch came by...they'd reconsider it.

isarai22h ago

That makes a bit more sense

lodossrage21h ago

To be fair, Sony didn't shut them down. Devation was independent. Sony pulled funding on the project they were working on. As a result, they couldn't run so Devation decided to close on their own.

MrBaskerville18h ago

Maybe it's a good team but sony changed plans?

Plague-Doctor2711h ago

https://imgur.com/HhYbZDi

The management at Deviation was reportedly a problem. Sony cut their funding and when the studio layoffs began they bought the talent back up

Lightning7711h ago

It's probably cheaper to grab the talent than to anage a full studio as a second party.

Maybe we see the game at the PS showcase?

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 11h ago
roboteye23h ago

If this was MS they'd be gone.

Goodguy0123h ago

Maybe make a smaller game this time?

Elda22h ago

Good for them that they were able to work it out. Hopefully they're developing something interesting.

Rainbowcookie21h ago

I think Sony is thinking long term as a replacement for Call of Duty M$ edition.

lodossrage14h ago

If they can pull off at least 2 more games similar to Helldivers 2 they won't have to worry about that COD deal anymore (my personal opinion, not fact)

-Foxtrot12h ago

The best thing they can do is make something old school based

The issue with COD is that it's so over the top and arcade like now where it feels more like you are relying on gimmicks and what you've unlocked rather than skill.

If they can create an old school like first person shooter where "less is more" and not a game that relies on a drip feed road map then they'll get some attention.

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