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[Handy Fake]

Transformers the 1986 Animated Movie is the best film of all time. For that reason, I'm in.

Your bargaining posture is highly dubious.

 

[MaddenNFL64]

From what ive read, the EA bankrollers stay the fuck out of the way of the studios, and let them do whatever they want. But if shit goes south, they obviously will pull the plug.

 

[LX_Theo]

Probably it's now more possible then ever to go independent or go with a smaller publisher then in the past, which consisted of 1. Be a massive got that allows you to stay solo or 2. Work(Sell yourself) to one of the big publishers.

You needed a big publisher to produce the physical product, now we have digital distribution.

I understand why smaller studios won't be looking to do it as much... But my point is that how this painting of EA is being portrayed feels quite outdated.

 

[Maxim726X]

I understand why smaller studios won't be looking to do it as much... But my point is that how this painting of EA is being portrayed feels quite outdated.

Eh... There are recent releases that were altered from their original vision to make the publisher happy (Destiny comes to mind).

I don't think it's that outlandish to think that they still have some say over development.

 

[Armaros]

I understand why smaller studios won't be looking to do it as much... But my

point is that how this painting of EA is being portrayed feels quite outdated.

Besides Bioware, most of the well known companies bought were not that large compared to the current AAA developers.
They were mostly mid-sized PC develeopement houses that hit a bump in funding due to a lackluster game here or there.

More and more smaller or midsize development houses that launch are full of vets along with newcomers and most likely don't want to get dragged back into the big AAA publishing houses.

 

[RiverBed]

Just watched. This video communicates a shallow view (and probably an understanding as well) of the topic at hand. Presenting in a childish view doesn't help. But whether that's his intention or not, youtube likes stupid. He also presumes everything. He treats the studios closed under EA as going through the same 'EA is stupid and likes to delete things' face-palm level of understanding. Just to throw an idea to him and those who share his opinion: Some studios were under EA for a year, some for over two decades. Take into consideration the reasons a studio is purchased and what type of business agreements were agreed upon.

That's why I have a hard time finding good gaming industry pieces that are informative and insightful. Videos like these, however, I get nothing out of.

 

[Fargo_Dog]

Ever since Dragon Age 2, BioWare keep givin the impression of a truck sliding off a cliff that has just enough horsepower to keep itself from going over. For now. They still have the potential for another great game, but they haven't released anything exceptional since Mass Effect 2. All their recent games have a distinct lack of ambition and adventure, favouring content over quality.

 

[Deleted member 126221]

Just watched. This video communicates a shallow view (and probably an understanding as well) of the topic at hand. Presenting in a childish view doesn't help. But whether that's his intention or not, youtube likes stupid. He also presumes everything. He treats the studios closed under EA as going through the same 'EA is stupid and likes to delete things' face-palm level of understanding. Just to throw an idea to him and those who share his opinion: Some studios were under EA for a year, some for over two decades. Take into consideration the reasons a studio is purchased and what type of business agreements were agreed upon.

That's why I have a hard time finding good gaming industry pieces that are informative and insightful. Videos like these, however, I get nothing out of.

Why do I get the impression you work for EA or another big publisher?

 

[Clear]

Thanks. Yes, that´s probably it.

Burn-rate is the fundamental problem with how the industry works as an "industry".

It was fine back in the day when teams were relatively small and turnaround time was quick, but nowadays going from small, to mid, to AAA-tier is virtually impossible without corporate funding.

The key issue is that game budgets are now at the same scale as Hollywood movies, and yet nothing else about the production model lines up. The tight fiscal controls that make making movies sustainable just can't apply. No studio head is going to submit to the bonded financing models that film-makers use, because the potential penalties for missing complete date will kill them stone-dead.

Having a ready supply of reliable short-contract-term employees is impossible without unionization, not to mention that making a game is a far less predictable endeavour than staffing for a movie-shoot. Asset integration is too holistic to the final outcome - you can't fix and make good with a few-days reshooting and some sleepless nights in the edit bay.

Creatively this means that without corporate sponsorship expensive ideas can't get produced in a reasonable time-scale, and when corporate gets involved the "game" naturally shifts to one where protecting that investment (by shaving off anything too risky) becomes the paramount concern.

 

[Maxim726X]

Just watched. This video communicates a shallow view (and probably an understanding as well) of the topic at hand. Presenting in a childish view doesn't help. But whether that's his intention or not, youtube likes stupid. He also presumes everything. He treats the studios closed under EA as going through the same 'EA is stupid and likes to delete things' face-palm level of understanding. Just to throw an idea to him and those who share his opinion: Some studios were under EA for a year, some for over two decades. Take into consideration the reasons a studio is purchased and what type of business agreements were agreed upon.

That's why I have a hard time finding good gaming industry pieces that are informative and insightful. Videos like these, however, I get nothing out of.

Really. What exactly did he say in regards to Maxis and SimCity that was untrue?

For someone who doesn't seem to be a fan of sweeping generalizations, you seem to be offering nothing but.

 

[GlamFM]

Burn-rate is the fundamental problem with how the industry works as an "industry".

It was fine back in the day when teams were relatively small and turnaround time was quick, but nowadays going from small, to mid, to AAA-tier is virtually impossible without corporate funding.

The key issue is that game budgets are now at the same scale as Hollywood movies, and yet nothing else about the production model lines up. The tight fiscal controls that make making movies sustainable just can't apply. No studio head is going to submit to the bonded financing models that film-makers use, because the potential penalties for missing complete date will kill them stone-dead.

Having a ready supply of reliable short-contract-term employees is impossible without unionization, not to mention that making a game is a far less predictable endeavour than staffing for a movie-shoot. Asset integration is too holistic to the final outcome - you can't fix and make good with a few-days reshooting and some sleepless nights in the edit bay.

Creatively this means that without corporate sponsorship expensive ideas can't get produced in a reasonable time-scale, and when corporate gets involved the "game" naturally shifts to one where protecting that investment (by shaving off anything too risky) becomes the paramount concern.

I believe everything you said is 100% correct. Your tag doesn´t suit you at all.

 

[Pyramid head]

When's the last time EA even bought a studio? Sure, they're not afraid to close their studios, but it feels like its been a long time since they've been devouring studios just to close them down.

Even planet eating robotic demi-gods need to diet once in a while.

 

[Staf]

I giggled when he said Bioware is safe until we see things such as "enforced MMO" elements in their games. Guess he never played Dragon age 3, lucky bastard.

 

[Shining Sunshine]

Eh, if a studio doesn't make a good game, it's a sound financial decision to let it go.

I'm not sure why people think companies should invest in studios that are bleeding money and not making return. Yes, retaining talent is good, but if they didn't show that talent (SimCity 2013), it's not a very convincing reason to keep them.

Heck, all of the media and gamers burned Maxis on the stakes for SimCity.

 

[More Fun To Compute]

What? I didn't realise that they haven't shut down Bioware yet.

 

[UnluckyKate]

Eh, if a studio doesn't make a good game, it's a sound financial decision to let it go.

I'm not sure why people think companies should invest in studios that are bleeding money and not making return. Yes, retaining talent is good, but if they didn't show that talent (SimCity 2013), it's not a very convincing reason to keep them.

Heck, all of the media and gamers burned Maxis on the stakes for SimCity.

Almost every studio EA killed, was because EA pressured them into making game no one wanted, unecessary sequels, with terrible reboot/ game design/ filled with DLC/Micro transaction.

Sure it makes sens to kill an under performing studio, but almost everytime, EA ran them to the ground.

It goes like : " Go make the Sims 4. Here's all the features from the previous game you will cut to put in later DLC. Yes, that's 95% of the game. *2 years later* Oh it bombed ? Well, your fault not ours. "

 

[Maxim726X]

Eh, if a studio doesn't make a good game, it's a sound financial decision to let it go.

I'm not sure why people think companies should invest in studios that are bleeding money and not making return. Yes, retaining talent is good, but if they didn't show that talent (SimCity 2013), it's not a very convincing reason to keep them.

Heck, all of the media and gamers burned Maxis on the stakes for SimCity.

But the main issues with SimCity wasn't that the core game wasn't solid... It was the ridiculous, force-fed online component which basically broke the game. And from what we've read about the development of the game, it wasn't the intention of the designers to make it always-online.

 

[amardilo]

Not really related to the topic or content but I really liked the references to Unicorn and the ending with the Shoe People theme. Reminds me of the 80s.

 

[Handy Fake]

What? I didn't realise that they haven't shut down Bioware yet.

For a time I considered sparing your wretched little developer of Bioware. But now, you shall witness its dismemberment.

 

[Phamit]

But the main issues with SimCity wasn't that the core game wasn't solid... It was the ridiculous, force-fed online component which basically broke the game. And from what we've read about the development of the game, it wasn't the intention of the designers to make it always-online.

Uhm wasn't it heavily criticized for to small citys and there were also the broken Car traffic? thats just the stuff I remember

What? I didn't realise that they haven't shut down Bioware yet.

Why should they shut down a successful studio ?

 

[JadedWriter]

Hide your developers EA is coming.
Unicron Medley

 

[Azure Dream]

Only partway through the episode, Jim's Sim at around 3:30...

Spoiler

It looks like he's repeatedly "scaring" a kid in the park, otherwise crouching down behind the ship's edge, until he goes to give what may be the mom a rude greeting.

 

[Totobeni]

Hardline will still sell well. Obviously not as much as a mainline BF entry, but it'll put up solid numbers. And Visceral still has Amy Hennig's Star Wars game in the pipeline. So they should be fine.

Star Wars will sell too (Movie hype + Star Wars massive popularity), now Criterion Games on the other hand might be in a big trouble (racing genre/NFS popularity decline)

 

[Spineker]

If EA put a bullet in Viscerals head, especially after the Star Wars 1313 fiasco, I'm pretty sure the entire gaming community will lose their collective shit.

 

[Afrodium]

Just watched. This video communicates a shallow view (and probably an understanding as well) of the topic at hand. Presenting in a childish view doesn't help. But whether that's his intention or not, youtube likes stupid. He also presumes everything. He treats the studios closed under EA as going through the same 'EA is stupid and likes to delete things' face-palm level of understanding. Just to throw an idea to him and those who share his opinion: Some studios were under EA for a year, some for over two decades. Take into consideration the reasons a studio is purchased and what type of business agreements were agreed upon.

That's why I have a hard time finding good gaming industry pieces that are informative and insightful. Videos like these, however, I get nothing out of.

The thesis of the video isn't "EA is evil and shutters studios because they're evil." The point is that EA often forces purchased studios to add a bunch of unwanted "EA flavor" to their games in the form of microtransactions or always-online policies. When these corporate mandated features inevitably cause bad press and poor sales it's the studio, not EA, that is on the chopping block.

 

[DieH@rd]

IT BEGINS.

 

[Nibel]

Welp.

Edit: Beaten by fellow DieH@rd

 

[GlamFM]

IT BEGINS.

Amazing. Jim, will you re-edit and re-upload?

You probably just have to get rid of the gameplay footage - right?

EDIT: I can still watch it though?

 

[Haunted]

IT BEGINS.

oy vey

 

[Maxim726X]

Uhm wasn't it heavily criticized for to small citys and there were also the broken Car traffic? thats just the stuff I remember

The cities were small in part because of the ridiculous requirement to be part of someone online 'world' in which you were allotted a small part of it, so that you could work with the other cities in your area for trade and whatnot.

Which of course is a terrible idea when the servers crash and you can't access your game at all, and when it greatly restricts the size of the city you can build.

Again, issues stemming from what is mainly the always-online implementation.

 

[K' Dash]

If / when EA kills Visceral I won't have a reason to buy anything from them ever again, as I doubt they will continue the Dead Space IP without them.

 

[Staf]

IT BEGINS.

EA being assholes? I am shocked!

 

[Overside]

Jim Sterling, Prophet for Profit.

 

[Steroyd]

IT BEGINS.

Well it looks like we have next week's content to.

 

[Coulomb_Barrier]

This is great from him again.

"EA is like a big vampire, like a Galactus vampire, Tyrannid Hive Fleet, or, indeed, Unicron".

I agree with him that BF: Hardline is looking like being a huge commercial and critical flop and it will be Visceral's head on the chopping block when that happens unfortunately.

 

[Totobeni]

If / when EA kills Visceral I won't have a reason to buy anything from them ever again, as I doubt they will continue the Dead Space IP without them.

After Dead Space 3 missing sales forecasts and selling only 605K in February 2013 I doubt EA want more of it, also Visceral getting a Star Wars project mean might already mean that Dead Space IP is over(or at least on hold).

 

[Magnet_Man]

For a time I considered sparing your wretched little developer of Bioware. But now, you shall witness its dismemberment.

This post needs more acknowledgement.

 

[GlamFM]

After Dead Space 3 missing sales forecasts and selling only 605K in February 2013 I doubt EA want more of it, also Visceral getting a Star Wars project mean might already mean that Dead Space IP is over(or at least on hold).

A Dead Space HD Trilogy remaster could be a great opportunity to check if there is any interest in more Dead Space.

 

[Kinyou]

This would be tragic.

But they passed Army of Two: Devil's Cartel to Visceral (I loved that entry by the by), and that seemed odd to me after their mega hit of Dead Space. Now the passed a Battleifield spinoff to them, and what I'm getting at is it seems like they're "phasing them out" to me by giving them more "B Projects" after taking the risk with their new IP. Like they're giving them less to work with but expecting more, which is a recipe for failure.

And Hardline isn't exactly setting the world on fire, while Army of Two: Devil's Cartel was practically a stealth release.

I hope both Jim and I are wrong though.

Army of Two was actually developed by Visceral Montreal, which was mostly a fresh new team, and after the game was done the entire team was let go :/

 

[Cess007]

IT BEGINS.

Yeah EA, i'm sure that will work :/

 

[R_thanatos]

For a time I considered sparing your wretched little developer of Bioware. But now, you shall witness its dismemberment.

I would laugh at this , if i wasn't looking at more mass effect, dragon age.


Hopefully they will manage to keep doing their things "their" way as i was sucessfully pleased with DA:I delivery.

 

[Handy Fake]

IT BEGINS.

Proceed, on your way to oblivion.

 

[BibiMaghoo]

Devs that make bad games for EA are Galvatron confirmed.

 

[Raxus]

IT BEGINS.

Shit, they know.

If this does turn out to be true then EA has the worst PR firm of all time.

 

[Armaros]

Is this the first time a major Game publisher has used Content ID to shut down a well known critic?

 

[Handy Fake]

Devs that make bad games for EA are Galvatron confirmed.

Will anyone else attempt to fill his shoes..?

Spoiler

RIP, Mr Nimoy.

 

[BibiMaghoo]

Will anyone else attempt to fill his shoes..?

Spoiler

RIP, Mr Nimoy.

Totally forgot about that....

Fuck. RIP.

On topic, that makes Peter Moore Starscream.

 

[Tripon]

Shit, they know.

If this does turn out to be true then EA has the worst PR firm of all time.

ID content is automatic.

 

[psykobunny]

They just shutdown the original studio(physical location),and everyone was move into The Sims Studio

 

[psykobunny]

Amazing. Jim, will you re-edit and re-upload?

You probably just have to get rid of the gameplay footage - right?

EDIT: I can still watch it though?

conten ID doesn't take down the video It takes the money