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Game Studio Flight From Microsoft A Sign of Troubles?

Posted by Zonk on from the watch-out-for-the-stingers dept.

Newsweek's LevelUp blog continues to produce some highly interesting material. Today they have up a look at the 'flight' of game studios from Microsoft's corporate umbrella. BioWare's purchase by EA distances it a bit from their cosy relationship with Microsoft, as does Bizarre's purchase by Activision. Bungie's departure from the company itself goes without saying. So what does all this mean? Is this a sign of troubles in Redmond, or just more fallout from the huge undertaking required to get the Xbox 360 to the position it has today? "For us, the flight of the Killer B's is a clear indication that Microsoft as a whole is still shell shocked not only by the massive losses in the Xbox division, but also more importantly by the poor showing of Rare, which has to rank as not only one of the Microsoft's least successful purchases, but as quite possibly the worst acquisition in the history of gaming. Microsoft paid $375 million in cash for Rare, and based on the modest revenues from its ensuing titles--a Conker's Bad Fur Day remake, Grabbed by the Ghoulies, Kameo, Perfect Dark Zero and Viva Pinata--all they've got to show for it is that proverbial lousy T-shirt, completely stained with red ink."

2 of 122 comments (clear)

  1. Stick A Fork In The Xbox, It's Done by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

    4-5 billion in losses with the first Xbox for a tie for last place with Nintendo last gen
    Rushed out the door underpowered piece of shit follow up console
    1.1 billion in red ink just for one specific flaw in the 360
    Disc scratching/destroying lawsuits
    Peter Moore gets fired
    Internal studios being jettisoned
    Closely tied third party studios heading off to multiplatform companies like EA and Activision
    Cancelation of major Xbox conferences
    Almost complete silence on any plans beyond 2007

    Microsoft has finally had enough with the seven year long Xbox trainwreck. They have decided it is time to move on. Perhaps some of the non-hardware Xbox stuff will live on as part of Vista gaming.

    Regardless, the Xbox is done. Get over it.

  2. Endless cash. by Fantastic+Lad · · Score: 1, Troll
    The goal behind Microsoft isn't simply to do business as its primary feat of social engineering.

    Subversion of the masses through electronic drugs is the primary goal. If Microsoft dies, then it will be replaced by some other machine designed to make people dumb and slow and distracted.

    I'm sure all the MS employees, however, don't see it this way. But they're just expendable cogs in the works of a greater force.

    Among the best things I ever did for myself was to throw out my television set, to stop playing video games, and to start eating healthy foods.


    -FL