-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Activision Closes Budcat; Bizarre Closing On Friday, February 18th
- Thread starter KennyLinder
- Start date
teruterubozu
Member
Nobody "sells" studios to a rival publisher. What a ridiculous statement.
It's not quite that simple...If a $60 game is pegged to sell 1 million copies, at $40 it would have to sell 333,333 more copies to make up the difference. Do you think releasing $20 cheaper would translate into 33% more sales initially? Publishers don't seem to think so. And a game wouldn't have to just sell 33% more, it'd have to sell more than 33% more to make any difference.Tobor said:
Was joking :lolfarnham said:
speculawyer
Member
It is official. Activision is the new new EA. Right down to buying and then closing studios.
Yeah, really bad ad. Not only is it kind of poorly made, they're bashing a game that is incomprehensibly popular with the casuals and the hardcore too. It basically only targets immature, self-conscious 15 year olds, which isn't a very great demographic to be selling to.Vinci said:
Ryu Hayabusa
Member
Well that sucks 
SapientWolf
Trucker Sexologist
This is true. Economics can be counter intuitive sometimes.DaBuddaDa said:
It was on sale for $20 for awhile thanks to a manufacturer's coupon but even that didn't save it. Oftentimes the most important factor in success is just good timing.
B_Rik_Schitthaus
Banned
I don't watch enough tv know first hand but I always amused it had a big marketing push.Vinci said:
especially since they made this;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVr0tcBZqGg
Basileus777
Member
As awful as it is, what else was Activision going to do? Bizarre is a huge studio that doesn't make profitable games and specializes in a genre that's dying outside of Europe. And Activision doesn't even own a premier racing IP that would make owning a racing studio worthwhile.
Activision's real mistake was buying Bizarre to begin with.
Activision's real mistake was buying Bizarre to begin with.
SilverLunar
Member
I don't know if it is just me, but i read the thread title as: "Rumor: Activision Closes Blizzard" and i went OMGWTF.:lol :lol :lol
I'm not a business analyst, I'm not a marketer, I'm not a publisher, but something tells me that this cannot be said enough. Game companies seem to have no clue how to position their releases correctly in the year. See: Castlevania and Enslaved the same day. Blur and Split/Second the same day. Next year we'll see Deus Ex 3 and Dragon Age 2 the same day and Killzone 2 and Bulletstorm the same day. I can't imagine that doesn't have an effect on sales.SapientWolf said:
SapientWolf
Trucker Sexologist
Q1 2011 is one of the most crowded quarters I've ever seen and there are going to be a lot of sad faces in the financial statement meetings if publishers don't spread out their releases more evenly across the year.DaBuddaDa said:
Princess Skittles
Prince's's 'Skittle's
Budcat?
MMaRsu said:What the fuuuuuuuuuck
Why couldn't MS pick them up or something instead of Activision?
Because MS is evil? Doesn't look that Evil anymore.. compared to others.
Anyway, this news is terrible. I loved the PGR series and Metropolis.
But I have to say they made some shitty games the past few years... never change a winning formula. Blur was to distant of PGR, the Club..
My thoughts go out to all the people that got fired, may you all find new jobs/luck and make games.
Keyser Soze
Member
With the recent games/sales, I could see this happening, but did not think it would happen this year.
Is there any reason Activision do not sell studios instead of having them shuttered?
For example, Viacom could shut Harmonix, right? But instead, they are trying to sell them instead.
Could Acti not do the same, and make some monet (they love that, don't they!). Bizzare Creations is not fucking worthless
Is there any reason Activision do not sell studios instead of having them shuttered?
For example, Viacom could shut Harmonix, right? But instead, they are trying to sell them instead.
Could Acti not do the same, and make some monet (they love that, don't they!). Bizzare Creations is not fucking worthless
riceandbeans
Member
Basileus777 said:
This.
It was only a matter of time. Too many duds. PGR4, The Club, Blur, and now Blood Stone being average.
MS isn't going to buy Bizarre, they've put their focus on Kinect and Forza and there's plenty of developers looking for work who could do a PGR5 for cheap with some Turn10 or MGS folks overseeing the process. Buying a 200 man team from Activision doesn't seem like a likely scenario. In fact, Activision probably can't sell the studio to anyone. THQ, Codemasters and Ubisoft are low on cash, the Elevation Partners scheme only picks up App and Facebook developers, Nintendo isn't interested in setting up a European or US development group, they had plenty of chances to buy studios. Zenimax must be quite happy with what they bought so far and Take2 has their own problems to deal with. Lucas Arts is going to cut their own staff(again), Sega already sold their UK racing studio before, Disney has BlackRock, Warner Bros. isn't into racing games. Konami, nope can't see that happening. Capcom just bought Blue Castle, Square-Enix owns all of Eidos and let some folks go as well.
Keyser Soze
Member
Vinci said:
Okay, that is kinda good. I read the part about 200 jobs going, and posted straight away.
Ninja Scooter
Member
No they didn't. They sold their shares back tofarnham said:
Rare, who then had 100% independence and were free to shop themselves around to the highest bidder.
ibu
Member
I am really sad about this as I had some of the best fun ever with Project Gotham Racing 2 and I had played their games since Metropolis Street Racer on the Sega Dreamcast. I remember going online on the xbox 360 UK Launch and playing Project Gotham Racing 3 for 10 hours straight...ignoring Perfect Dark Zero pretty much for the first few weeks.
This is such a shame and to the Bizarre Creations staff out there as well as the BadCat staff, all the best in your future endeavours.
I would like Microsoft should sign them up as a first party and get PGR5 made... stat! But what I like and what is true is unfortunately worlds apart.
This is such a shame and to the Bizarre Creations staff out there as well as the BadCat staff, all the best in your future endeavours.
I would like Microsoft should sign them up as a first party and get PGR5 made... stat! But what I like and what is true is unfortunately worlds apart.
GarthVaderUK
Banned
Vinci said:
Do we know exactly what they're trying to sell? Is it the whole company or just bits of it, like IPs?
Isn't the 90 days notice thing required by UK law because they're firing so many people? Thought I'd read that somewhere...
Vinci said:
do they own any ip worth snagging? If not its difficult to see a sale going through, any smart buyer would wait until the studio is dismantled and approach the talent direct, way cheaper.
Best case scenario for BC as it stands is that staff numbers are cut and a core team gets one last life to make Blur 2, which Acti has already invested a reasonable amount in.
MMaRsu
Banned
ultron87 said:
I think they said something like
"Listen, we want you guys to create a title like Need for Speed Underground 2, but make it mostly about multiplayer. You have to level in order to gain new abilities. Make it a bit like Mario kart too, people seem to like that"
Anyway, fuck fucking Activision. Such a piece of SHIT company. Absorbing studio's, shutting them down and stealing IP's. Shutting down great studio's like this is just disgusting.
I hope nobody here bought CoD6 day one ( well the ones crying out about this studio shutdown. You are supporting an EVIL publisher ).
SlipperySlope
Banned
This all reminds me of the thread a week ago that said this is the best gaming generation. When shit like this happens every week, no way in hell is this the best generation. Heck... might even be the worst generation. The industry is crashing, and it won't be fixed when everybody buys the same 10 games every year and forgets the rest. 10 games does not support an industry, as we're seeing.
eso76
Member
that sucks, Microsoft should buy them back right away and use their talent in next forza or in pgr5.
That's how the market thanks the guys who developed the best arcade racer and the best shooter this gen. Also, the best looking racer for another 7 days.
damn photobucket. I'll use someone else's pics, then
That's how the market thanks the guys who developed the best arcade racer and the best shooter this gen. Also, the best looking racer for another 7 days.
damn photobucket. I'll use someone else's pics, then
B-Rad Lascelle said:
Isn't Bungie's deal for publishing rights to a specific IP? It's not like Bungie is a wholly or partially owned subsidiary of Activision, unlike when they were bought by Microsoft.
If you don't want to do biz with Activision then don't buy whatever that particular title is. But not buying anything from Bungie isn't logical, given their arrangement. You'd be equally punishing them or NOT doing business with Activision.
SonOfABeep
Banned
A shame. Blur was a very good game that did not find an audience. Bloodstone is licensed tripe that activision didn't even try to sell.
element
Member
The film industry is totally different. While Scott Pilgrim failed at initial box office release to make its budget, it will make money in its lifetime via DVD/Bluray, premium television, cable television, and more. Games have a single attempt at profit, while movies have several.
Unfortunately this is just the invisible hand of the market at work. I only say this because I believe the market that these companies are catering to (us) simply do not need all the games they are trying to sell to us. Think about what a video game reviewer is feeling right now, in the midst of this holiday season, when he is being sent a mountain of games that he is going to have to slog through, without the time to actually enjoy playing them at all.
To be able to support this there must be enough people with enough money and enough desire to buy all of these games. Let's say that we don't blame the economy for a second, and look at the bare bones of the situation: even if you had the money to buy all of these games, you wouldn't have the time to play them. Honestly, I personally can only play 4-6 hours a week, and I play to enjoy them, not to power through to the next one, so there are literally hundreds of games ill never have the time to play. Even if you are a "enthusiast", how many games do you need? How many of you haves piles of games, never finished and some never even unwrapped?
What was the purpose of those games existance? They were meant to be played and enjoyed, while hopefully making money for the people who developed and published them. Obviously the publishers /devs care about the second part of that sentence, but its the first part of the sentence that makes the second part possible. By piling games onto us, each one is a little less special, especially in a industry that is primerly derivative (sequels, and me-too games) which only compounds the problem. What you end up with is an audience that is largely apathetic to anything that isn't good AND insanely hype-driven or remarkebly different. Its a shame that Blur didn't sell well, but it probably shouldn't have existed considering we already have plenty of other racing games that have already beat it to the punch and while I know that blur has kart elements to it, it is still a racing game. I am not everyone, but I doubt I could tell the difference between a Blur/splitsecond/Need For Speed screenshot.
Personally, I hope that people stop losing their jobs, but I think to accomplish that the industry is going to have to shrink down to a sustainable level, until developers can figure out how to lower development costs in the "glorious" HD era.
To be able to support this there must be enough people with enough money and enough desire to buy all of these games. Let's say that we don't blame the economy for a second, and look at the bare bones of the situation: even if you had the money to buy all of these games, you wouldn't have the time to play them. Honestly, I personally can only play 4-6 hours a week, and I play to enjoy them, not to power through to the next one, so there are literally hundreds of games ill never have the time to play. Even if you are a "enthusiast", how many games do you need? How many of you haves piles of games, never finished and some never even unwrapped?
What was the purpose of those games existance? They were meant to be played and enjoyed, while hopefully making money for the people who developed and published them. Obviously the publishers /devs care about the second part of that sentence, but its the first part of the sentence that makes the second part possible. By piling games onto us, each one is a little less special, especially in a industry that is primerly derivative (sequels, and me-too games) which only compounds the problem. What you end up with is an audience that is largely apathetic to anything that isn't good AND insanely hype-driven or remarkebly different. Its a shame that Blur didn't sell well, but it probably shouldn't have existed considering we already have plenty of other racing games that have already beat it to the punch and while I know that blur has kart elements to it, it is still a racing game. I am not everyone, but I doubt I could tell the difference between a Blur/splitsecond/Need For Speed screenshot.
Personally, I hope that people stop losing their jobs, but I think to accomplish that the industry is going to have to shrink down to a sustainable level, until developers can figure out how to lower development costs in the "glorious" HD era.
Rick Dangerous
Member
ZombieSupaStar said:
this.
+ the fact that some genres are completely overreprensented (FPS, TPS, reprensented) and some completely absent (I can't find some decent shoot them up like Einhander on PSN). I wish the games were more unique ala Heavy Rain.
Ninja Scooter
Member
Your crybaby hyperbole certainly makes for great discussions. Nobody made Bizarre sell to Activision. They knew the risks going in, but also knew thr risks of trying to be an independent studio had they chosen that route. But by all means keep on believing Bobby Kotick is the great Satan and activision only shuts down studios for their own amusement. That has to be the only logical reason for something like this to happen in such great economic times where every other type of business is thriving.MMaRsu said: