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[Gonzito]

What a shitshow

Xbox divided over its future, and do people even buy physical PlayStation games?

Plus, we’re joined by Midwest Games CEO Ben Kvalo to discuss a flexible future for game publishing

www.thegamebusiness.com

"Today, the mood is different. Xbox is looking to reallocate where it spends money. The company wants to invest in its big franchises, and to do that, it needs to cut from elsewhere. Studios such as Compulsion, Ninja Theory, Double Fine, Obsidian, Undead Labs and others are deep in negotiation with Microsoft to avoid closure. The impact of this will likely reverberate across the business"

 

[LordCBH]

Obsidian is like their most efficient studio by far

 

[ChuckeRearmed]

Well, don't produce garbage like Avowed with non-interactive NPCs and TOW2 with ugly female characters.

 

[RoboFu]

seems like typical corporate bs , not our fault.. it's their fault! Going on a lot these days.

 

[ADiTAR]

I know they might not have the ability anymore, but in theory, just a theory, since they are former Black Isle, and did do Pillars of Eternity, Microsoft can work with Wizards of the Coasts and give Obsidian an actual good franchise like Baldur's Gate 4.

Or if Obsidian is smart, they say bye bye MS and work with the Wizards themselves.

 

[Gonzito]

Well, don't produce garbage like Avowed with non-interactive NPCs and TOW2 with ugly female characters.

I agree

At the same time Microsoft, is fully infested with the woke virus so not only Obsidian is at fault here, but Microsoft too.

That being said, the Grounded franchise is actually quite great so I thought Microsoft was happy with their performance

 

[SHAKEZ]

I just want them to announce whatever layoffs they have in store, so these useless rumors can stop for good.

I do believe Obsidian has a good chance of keeping itself alive thanks to Grounded, they can negotiate actually making games people want to play. Push the New Vegas button, M$ won't say no to that, even if Todd doesn't want it.

But studios like Double Fine and Ninja Theory? They're done done.

 

[Simply Sami]

I thought they were moving to Fallout

 

[Mownoc]

Obsidian really? Sure avowed and Outerworlds 2 were disappointments but I believe grounded did well and grounded 2 EA is soon.

Edit: just realised grounded 2 already came out on Xbox/PC lol, probably didn't do as well as the first.

Would be brutal.

 

[Hollowpoint5557]

I really liked Avowed and it laid the groundwork for a very solid sequel.

 

[squidilix]

Oh yeah.. totally forgot Microsoft is on fking hell now... Good job Sony.

 

[Peroroncino]

Hopefully it's a black dude that tells him studio's dead.

 

[Zacfoldor]

Mild success is not what they are looking for. They want tentpoles. It's gone or they are going to make NV2.

 

[LordCBH]

Hopefully it's a black dude that tells him studio's dead.

Hopefully that crusty white dude can't find another job in the industry.

 

[coachmcguirk91]

Obsidian is like their most efficient studio by far

The most frustrating part of Obsidian is that they refused to make bigger games. Both Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2 are decent RPG's, but they feel like 75% of a full AAA game. The studio has stated in the past they don't want more than 100 developers working on a game. It is such a massive fail that they didn't move the entire studio to a Fallout Spinoff after Avowed and TOW2 flopped. Reportedly they are working on an Avowed 2, which no one is asking for

 

[Arachnid]

I love Obsidian for past games, but they really missed with Avowed and TOWs1/2. Not even sure if it's the same team as yore anymore. Still, I hope they make it.

Just don't fucking touch Arkane, Microsoft. Literally all I ask.

 

[ValiantInstance]

There's no point in them making New Vegas 2, their last couple of games have proven that they're not capable of it anymore.

 

[Sigizmundo]

Obsidian only ever made good games when they had a magnum pressed to the side of their heads to make a game in 16 months and 50 bucks do it with. They've long since stopped making anything worthwhile. And no, FNV2 won't save them because the Obsidian of 2026 is a very different beast in terms of management and talent then the one from 15 years ago.

 

[firegamer273]

idiots just put them on a new fallout game .

 

[BigBeauford]

At least now if a tree falls in the woods, Matt can tell us about the sound.

 

[Sephimoth]

lmao!

 

[DonkeyPunchJr]

Good riddance. We don't need anymore mediocre, underwhelming RPGs with Modern Audience sensibilities.

 

[Darkness_Arises]

I am not an MS or Obsidian fan. I absolutely despise the wokeness in Obsidian games. Having said that, we really need to calm down with these threads. Most of these rumours are not helping anyone and seem like baseless insider speculation. These rumours and speculations are not in good taste and this is probably the worst time to be laid off as a tech worker. I hope that these layoffs are not as drastic as rumoured and those affected can bounce back from it. Studios should stop chasing the Modern audience, it doesn't exist.

 

[Polaris]

idiots just put them on a new fallout game .

If The Outer Worlds is any indication? No.

 

[SEGAvangelist]

Obsidian is like their most efficient studio by far

But their games don't sell. If they made companions that people wanted to actually sleep with, they'd be incredibly successful.

 

[ChuckeRearmed]

I know they might not have the ability anymore, but in theory, just a theory, since they are former Black Isle, and did do Pillars of Eternity, Microsoft can work with Wizards of the Coasts and give Obsidian an actual good franchise like Baldur's Gate 4.

I doubt anybody is touching BG4 any time soon. BG3 was just too successful for anybody to hold a mantle.

Or if Obsidian is smart, they say bye bye MS and work with the Wizards themselves.

You know that you need money to go independent, no? If Obsidian cannot find funding they are so cooked - especially due to them being in California.

At the same time Microsoft, is fully infested with the woke virus so not only Obsidian is at fault here, but Microsoft too.

Woke has been plague everywhere. At least this time chickens are coming home to roost.

That being said, the Grounded franchise is actually quite great so I thought Microsoft was happy with their performance

The issue is that it was developed by a small faction of people - not enough to sustain a studio. Not to mention games like this can be made by third parties too.

 

[Stuart360]

All the people saying Avowed is shit, how many of you have actually played it, truthfully i mean?.

 

[LordCBH]

The most frustrating part of Obsidian is that they refused to make bigger games. Both Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2 are decent RPG's, but they feel like 75% of a full AAA game. The studio has stated in the past they don't want more than 100 developers working on a game. It is such a massive fail that they didn't move the entire studio to a Fallout Spinoff after Avowed and TOW2 flopped. Reportedly they are working on an Avowed 2, which no one is asking for

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed Avowed for what it was, and would absolutely play a second one. But I also fully agree with your post here too. The amount of people who would play a second one like I would is likely exceptionally small.

 

[GymWolf]

Cant say i'm gonna miss their modern output that much.

 

[Polaris]

I'm actually surprised they lasted this long.
With how broken Fallout New Vegas, KOTOR 2, Alpha Protocol, and Dungeon Siege 3 were, they were bound for the guillotine for a while.

 

[wolffy66]

Is MS saying make the Fortnite, Elder Scrolls or 2k or were simply shutting you down here?

Like is there no room for a game thats just ok?

 

[cireza]

Compulsion, Ninja Theory, Double Fine, Obsidian, Undead Labs

Can't say I ever wanted to play any game made by these studios.

 

[Plague Doctor]

Damn... Capitalism has no chill.

Obsidian was right for villianizing it.

 

[winjer]

...and nothing of value will be lost.

 

[Darkness_Arises]

I'm actually surprised they lasted this long.
With how broken Fallout New Vegas, KOTOR 2, Alpha Protocol, and Dungeon Siege 3 were, they were bound for the guillotine for a while.

Dungeon Siege 3 is my favourite Obsidian game and it plays quite well on the Steam Deck. I did not know that it was broken on launch.

 

[Magic Carpet]

Obsidian produced a bunch of games this generation. All Solid 'C'.
Not good, not bad. Passing entertainment.

I don't think they will get rid of them.

 

[Dorago]

"Obsidian" is run by a bunch of geriatric homosexuals who shit out a minimum viable product every couple of years. They should have been taken out to pasture after Avowed.

 

[ThesaurusRex]

All the people saying Avowed is shit, how many of you have actually played it, truthfully i mean?.

I played it. It was a solid 8/10. Had its flaws, but I had fun. Shame it didn't sell more.

 

[LiquidMetal14]

I think these companies should get all this crap out of the way now and not delay.

Then people can have their temper tantrums and those of us looking forward to good games.

Try and keep the hobby same and upbeat in spite of some bad news

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

"another one"

 

[coachmcguirk91]

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed Avowed for what it was, and would absolutely play a second one. But I also fully agree with your post here too. The amount of people who would play a second one like I would is likely exceptionally small.

Combat was a lot of fun, but too bad it had a mediocre story and terrible open world. It felt like a game that was half cooked. You can't sell that for 70$ in today's gaming landscape. I truly believe they would be considered a top tier studio if they dedicated all their resources towards one project

 

[LordCBH]

Obsidians problems are relatively easily fixable, I think. The issues fixing it requires a harder choice than just closing the studio. It's easy to shut something down. It's hard to cast out the rot and bring in people that care.

 

[xanaum]

By the end of the year, Activision will be the only one left.

 

[Donald mac Ronald]

The woke cancer studio can burn for all I care

 

[LordCBH]

Combat was a lot of fun, but too bad it had a mediocre story and terrible open world. It felt like a game that was half cooked. You can't sell that for 70$ in today's gaming landscape. I truly believe they would be considered a top tier studio if they dedicated all their resources towards one project

100%. I think they have the capabilities of making something special, but they refuse to dedicate themselves to actually doing it.

 

[SomeNorseGuy]

Only way I'd feel anything but apathy for this would be if they announced a new big-boy RPG lead by Josh Sawyer and that they throw money at Avellone until he agrees to help them out.

...and publicly fire that retarded Art Director.

 

[jm89]

They want to go back to only halo, gears and forza.

 

[Moriarty1889]

Hopefully it's a black dude that tells him studio's dead.

aT

Hopefully it's a black dude that tells him studio's dead.

That piece of shite is the problem with all of these woke studios…..they all need to be sacked asap. Purge this virus from existence.

 

[Blantyre]

THANK GOD

Get woke, go broke!

 

[Sohurmk833]

Good riddance. You won't be missed.