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Edge #250 - The World's 50 Greatest Developers
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CecilRousso
Member
I find the Valve resistance in this thread to be pretty strange, but I might be a bigger fan of iterative game development then other people are.
BruceLeeRoy
Banned
I love Minecraft and woud agree if this was a list of Developers for last year only but I think its ridiculous to have them anywhere in the top 10.
Dr Zhivago
Member
Lists like this are always pointless, but what's really disappointing is that Edge wasted space on such a fluff piece in the first place.
If they're talking about the entriety of EAD,. then yes, it's hard to argue. In reality they're many different studios though. The top two on the list really is bizarre though. Valve are good, but only do FPS (or variations thereof) and Mojang have one game that came out several years ago.
Maybe i'm just misunderstanding their criteria, but i guess this kind of reaction is exactly what Edge were after.
BruceLeeRoy
Banned
Yeah definitely.
Technically Minecraft was officially released last year. I sort of agree though. Minecraft has been extremely influential, and it is a breath of fresh air to see children and teens latching on to something that lets them be creative instead of destruction that most games focus on. It is also a game that relies entirely on gameplay. No fancy graphics, or cinematics, or celebrity voice cast. For those points, Mojang deserves to be somewherre on the list. #2 though is way too high.
compared to that screenshot? yes. T_T
Hot Coldman
Banned
Terry Cavanagh must be feeling real happy right now. 
I feel so sad for you...
Half-life basically redefined story telling in games and has given birth to the most successful modding community of all time. Hl also has the best weapon of all time : the gauss gun and hldm is arguably the most interest mp fps of all time. Finally the story mode was original enough because it included platforming and actual movement quite different to quake.
Hl2 introduced physics in games in a meaningful and smart way. So much that a lot of games have included some kind of gravity gun alternative. The character animation and scripting was also ahead of its time. The texture work and texture, artistic design is a work of art that is rarely equalled (personal opinion).
L4D revolutionnized coop by giving you a sense of solidarity and introduced actual tactical, strategical planning in real time in a survival environment and situation.
Portal created the portal dimensions and gave a new birth to fp puzzles. It also created glados whiwh became an icon and a symbol of good story telling.
Tf2 revived a long gone mod by its accessibility and cartoony direction. Now it also has made movie creation easier and fast thanks to near professional tools given for free. This is ignoring micro transactions implemented smartly and the now f2p model.
HL2 episodes represented one of the few attempts to release episodic content. Along with some engine update. Regardless of games, source is arguably one of the best engines since long.
L4D2. I cant say much about it, only that all the persons i ve spoken to told me that the core gameplay principle was extremely refined making it hard to go back to L4D1.
Portal 2 and the whole release process of the game was probably the most interesting, well thought ARG of all time. The game is designed and crafted very precisely and you always feel that Valve has a full mastery over what they do.
It also has amazinh, funny characters and an incredible way to animate robots making them feel alive and human.
This is not counting the countless and amazingly big free updates Valve is constantly giving to gamers when other seemingly great developers put out 20 dollars DLC a month after release or less.
Thats all they did. How can it be the best dev? What is in common with Edge criteria?! Oh my god!
Imp the Dimp
Member
I wish Edge wouldn't do bullshit lists like that. Lists generally have a very tabloid-ish and sensationalist vibe and cost a great deal of credibility in my book.
Lambda Pie
Banned
Valve? Mojang?
just off the top of my head, 90's SEGA and late 90's to mid 00's CAPCOM shit all over them.
just off the top of my head, 90's SEGA and late 90's to mid 00's CAPCOM shit all over them.
If it's still widely successful why should they?
Jason's Ultimatum
Member
No Team ICO? Da hizzle?
Mojang at #2 for one game.... lol
Yup, SSM should definitely be higher up in the list and Ninja Theory shouldn't even be in the Top 50.
The absence of CD Project, Retro and Polyphony Digital is just horseshit too.
44. Sony Santa Monica
38. Ninja Theory
Yup, SSM should definitely be higher up in the list and Ninja Theory shouldn't even be in the Top 50.
The absence of CD Project, Retro and Polyphony Digital is just horseshit too.
Don't. I don't feel they deserve #1, or even top 20 for that matter.
Half-Life is a story oriented FPS with poor story and poor gameplay. Portal is a puzzle game with no clever or challenging puzzles. I did enjoy Left 4 Dead though, but the series originates from an outside studio.
BIONIC-ARRRMMM!!
Member
No Koji Pro in the top 10? Edge remains a piece of shit.
D
Deleted member 17706
Unconfirmed Member
Telltale's being on there at all makes it such nonsense. They made one game with good writing and voice acting that also happened to be a complete technical mess, not to mention a poor adventure game. The rest of their games aren't very noteworthy at all.
And Mojang? Yeah, Minecraft is a great thing, but that's pretty much it, right? That's enough to get on the list in favor of other developers who've put out lots of quality games?
Maybe they meant this list to be a "Developers by Internet mindshare as of 2012" list or something?
Oh well, getting upset over lists is dumb anyway.
And Mojang? Yeah, Minecraft is a great thing, but that's pretty much it, right? That's enough to get on the list in favor of other developers who've put out lots of quality games?
Maybe they meant this list to be a "Developers by Internet mindshare as of 2012" list or something?
Oh well, getting upset over lists is dumb anyway.
No, your sense of nostalgia shit all over them.
Its also worth noting the way some developers run their business, and from what I've read, Valve is a pretty amazing place to work at, with a very open-ended development model for everyone working there.
When you take into account the games Valve have made, what they've done for PC gaming, especially indie devs, and what they will likely do in the future, I can easily see them as #1. Hell, is there a more anticipated game than Half-Life 3? Sure it has the worst case of valve-time ever, but everyone wants to see it.
I'm leaning to think it's a 2012 top, and as far as I know, all of them have released nothing in 2012.
Cerebral Assassin
Member
That studio is one man away from being incapable of making good games, I can see no reason why it should be in there.
Valve ahead of Nintendo? Valve has a couple of decent/good games, but there's absolutely no way that they should be considered better, or ahead of Nintendo. Nintendo, or a lot of their games, basically embodies what gaming is supposed to be about. I'm not even a huge fan of Nintendo (Rarely play their games anymore -- but only because their games weren't in HD.), but I can recognize their immense creativity and their contribution to gaming as a whole.
No other gaming company has, or comes even remotely close to the number of incredible titles that Nintendo has developed over the years. It's a given that Nintendo should be number 1, and any list that ignores that fact is probably heavily biased and should be ignored.
And keep in mind that this list can't, and shouldn't be about anything other than the quality of their games, ALL their games. Unless someone who worked at every single company in the list for a year or so wrote it, which I doubt.
No other gaming company has, or comes even remotely close to the number of incredible titles that Nintendo has developed over the years. It's a given that Nintendo should be number 1, and any list that ignores that fact is probably heavily biased and should be ignored.
And keep in mind that this list can't, and shouldn't be about anything other than the quality of their games, ALL their games. Unless someone who worked at every single company in the list for a year or so wrote it, which I doubt.
Except for Platinum and Naughty Dog, who shit on Nintendo EAD from a great height.
JustAnotherOtaku
Member
Fantastic to see Platinum up there. Well deserved.
I wouldn't put Valve ahead of Nintendo, either in a historical or "what have you done for me lately" sense.
Minecraft is my favourite game of the gen (probably), but in no way should Mojang be no 2 after having one great game/idea.
I think this list has a few too many "flavor of the month" entries.
Minecraft is my favourite game of the gen (probably), but in no way should Mojang be no 2 after having one great game/idea.
I think this list has a few too many "flavor of the month" entries.
Well I understand and personally agree with Valve being number 1, but a lot of this list is rather odd to say the least.
I mean, Mojang at number 2? Really? I understand how big an impact they had with Minecraft, but if you're going by those standards then the developer for Angry Birds may as well be up there too.
I mean, Mojang at number 2? Really? I understand how big an impact they had with Minecraft, but if you're going by those standards then the developer for Angry Birds may as well be up there too.
Flachmatuch
Member
No idea, but FROM has loads of awesome games, not just the Souls stuff. I agree that it's pretty silly to place developers in the top 10 or top 5 based on a single game.
But Mojang above Blizzard, all of Nintendo, and everyone else, based on a single game, disregarding decades of awesome industry-defining games is just the funniest thing ever. List can't be anything but an idiotic troll.
Mojang at #2 for one game.... lol
Yup, Ninja Theory shouldn't even be in the Top 50.
The absence of CD Project, Retro and Polyphony Digital is just horseshit too.
Why shouldn't Santa Monica be there? They should be higher if anything.
I really don't see how this is surprising. Ninja Gaiden 3 and DoA5 are straight garbage that make even DmC look good. Also they screwed over PS360 buyers with NG3: slightly less terrible edge edition. Team Ninja Dog don't deserve to be on a top 100 list. They're barely a game studio without Itagaki.
Flachmatuch
Member
Minecraft is awesome, but it's still just one product based on one idea. This does not make Mojang a better overall developer than all of Nintendo's studios, or Rockstar North or fucking Blizzard or a dozen or so other developers.
I don't know why Mojang would be different in this respect.
I really do not get this argument.
Portal is completely different than TF2 which is completely different than Half Life which is completely different than L4D. They are all FPS, but you're saying a puzzle game is the same a Team deathmatch.
Sax Russel
Banned
Even if they hated the Witcher games (which is already wrong, by the way), the omission of CD Projekt immediately invalidates the list.
Props to Valve and Platinum.
I think it's true that Valve has been slow in actual game output, but they've been a huge part of how I buy, what I buy, and how much I buy for the past 8 years. Maybe that won't please everyone's expectations for what this list should be, but they've influenced my game time substantially, directly and indirectly. They're far beyond the narrow cycle of two year game development.
Platinum speaks for itself in everything it does, at least for those who bother to pay attention to it.
I think it's true that Valve has been slow in actual game output, but they've been a huge part of how I buy, what I buy, and how much I buy for the past 8 years. Maybe that won't please everyone's expectations for what this list should be, but they've influenced my game time substantially, directly and indirectly. They're far beyond the narrow cycle of two year game development.
Platinum speaks for itself in everything it does, at least for those who bother to pay attention to it.
You actually have to still be developing games to be on the list.
And Ninja Theory, known for their hits Kung Fu Chaos and That Game PS3 Fans Desperately Clung To Because No Games Were Coming Out For It Sword.
Barack Lesnar
Banned
I hate replying to a lengthy post with a one liner but...
"World's Greatest Developers"... implying present time, not "Greatest developers of all-time"
Shining Sunshine
Banned
Lol mojang shouldn't even make the list.
Flachmatuch
Member
The list is obviously not based on 2012 output, considering that a lot of developers there haven't released a game in years :-/ If it's about potential for the near future, the single game developers mostly should not be there.
Valve definitely belongs on the list, even placing #1 is not that controversial, the only less controversial choice being probably Nintendo EAD (not saying it'd be the "correct" choice, just somewhat less controversial). Single game, history-less developers being on the list means that one success story can upset years or decades of consistent success, which imo makes the list mostly meaningless: it will not correlate with future performance and it obviously doesn't correlate with past performance, according to any objective (or reasonably objective) metric. So, as expected, it's just, errr, a list, pulled out someone's ass.
Cerebral Assassin
Member
I am not aware of Mojang trying to make a game without the input of Notch & failing to come up with anything resembling a game.