As Bizarre, Bungie and BioWare Flee Microsoft, What Does This Mean For Options

[Xbox-Scene]

As Bizarre, Bungie and BioWare Flee the Redmond Hive, What Does This Mean For MGS? Posted by XanTium | October 15 23:20 EST | News Category: Xbox360

From newsweek.com: [QUOTE] Three is a trend, or so the saying goes among journalists. So what are we to make of the steady exodus of highly acclaimed developers from the warm embrace of Microsoft Game Studios into the arms of others? Last Thursday's news that Electronic Arts had acquired BioWare Pandemic from Elevation Partners for nearly $800 million marked the third time in just three weeks that a top developer of multiple Xbox games has jumped ship. First, on September 26th, Activision announced that it would be purchasing the previously-independent U.K. studio Bizarre Creations, which made four Project Gotham Racing games for MGS between 2001 and 2006. A week later, rumors began to mount that Bungie--the brightest light in the MGS firmament by virtue of its three best-selling Halo games and the only one of the three Killer B's actually owned by Microsoft--had repurchased its independence from the Redmond giant. The rumors proved true, and by the end of the week, both parties released statements attesting to that fact. When EA made its announcement not even a week later, that BioWare--makers of the MGS titles Jade Empire and the forthcoming Mass Effect--and Pandemic would be joining its Murderer's Row, much of the focus was on whether or not EA overpaid (we'll tackle that in a subsequent post) and was it good or bad that EA's already formidable power was spreading unchecked throughout the industry like the baleful Eye of Sauron. Left relatively unexamined, with the exception of a few message boards, fansites and podcasts, was this: what does it say about Microsoft Game Studios that three of the industry's most renowned developers have slipped through its fingers in less than a month's time? [/QUOTE] Full Story: newsweek.com

[flashfreak]

Wow, that sucks. MGS is obviously in charge of the first party titles so we're not gonna be seeing as many of them now. Ouch.

They still have epic though, bring on GOW2 and UT3! And rare. More pinatas. Just what we want *sarcasm*

[Slag Bag]

They still have epic though, bring on GOW2 and UT3! And rare. More pinatas. Just what we want *sarcasm*

Epic abandoned them long ago for numerous reasons thus the UT3 release on PS3. Guess you missed the news article about Rare being pissed about marketing being spent elsewhere than on their game, look for an exodus there soon. I think we could be seeing the slow death of the Xbox and MGS. Wall Street has all ready dropped the hammer on the Gaming Division and if Halo 3 doesn't pull it out the the red for the first time it could cost MS alot of money.

[ghettojetta]

who really cares. Not like they aren't making 360 games anymore. Microsoft is in good shape. They have the best system out right now.

[slipstream]

last time I checked Bungie was the only one with official ties to MS. The others are 3rd parties, who happen to release exclusive content for the 360. The didnt "flee" (except Bungie) cause they were never there to begin with.

[andi_06]

Its simple, owning a company is always going to be more profitable then being owned by another. Hope that makes sense, couldnt think of the right words.

[Takieda]

What this means is that their flagship developer, Bungie, can now produce non Halo titles for other systems (think Marathon 2 if they really want to stab MS in the back, as Marathon 1 was unofficially set in the Halo universe and does not have official ties with MS). Adding to that, companies that previously produced exclusive content for MGS such as Jade Empire and Mass Effect are no longer going to be doing Exclusives, and while this is good for the industry, it can only prove bad for MS' big 360. Mass Effect and Jade Empire, as they are licensed specifically for MS and the Xbox brand, won't be jumping ship, but this does mean (more than likely) no sequels, unless MS is willing to give up its stranglehold on the IPs, allowing for crossplatform Mass Effect and Jade Empire. I'm not sure how it will work with KOTOR, as Star Wars itself is a Lucasarts IP, I don't know what, if anything, MS owns as far as KOTOR. As far as Bizzare is concerned, consider no more PGR, which had a fairly large niche market, but fortunately was nowhere near the power of Gran Turismo or Forza Motorsport when it comes to pushing console sales.

All of this is, as they say, Heresay, as MS can always still just slip a few bills into their back pocket (or legally, even) and we could enjoy more content from them. Somehow I doubt exclusivity will remain, however.

As far as Rare... I hope they stink up MS... I LOVE Viva Pinata (if you haven't tried it, give it a go... it is a sadistic pleasure to be playing a kids game and realize just how adult the inuendos really get. That and making the children of one creature feast on that creatures entrails to evolve just... well... rocks IMO). I want MS to know that the Xbox 360 truly IS good for more than just GOW and Halo 3 (both of which do rock, just... well we need some non damn FPS games and some goooooood story games as well. With the end of Halo 3, I need some good story. I hope Mass Effect delivers).

Comments?
-Takieda

P.S. I know GOW is not an FPS, but as the system is close enough TO an FPS, I'm categorizing it as such.

[punkjuice]

I for one would like to know what caused all of this in the first place. I have no ideal between ms or sony who is going to win this war. Before ps3 launched ms seemed to have been getting the upper hand and now i don't know what to expect blueray is out selling hd-dvd and micorsoft is looseing it's big hitter devs and petter moore also the red ring of death has not helpped matters much. Ps3 is startomg t get some good exclusives out their but by all means none as big has the halo series. Also to the guy who posted above me M$ does not own rights to Knights of the old republic at all they was on both the PC and orignal xbox and when they asked bioware why their wasent a ps2 port they said cause ps2 dident have the hard drive like the orignal xbox to cach.

This post has been edited by punkjuice: Oct 16 2007, 05:43 AM

[No_Name]

To be honest who knows if the team in the MGS actually tried to buy out any of those companies or not.

Maybe they did and they where told no thanks.

EA is a giant and I am not surprised they are buying same with Activision buying Bizarre and as fot Bungie, they still have a chunk oof the company which os still owned by MS.

This is speculation and we dont know what the future will hold but I dont see any problems, Bioware where a multi-plaform publisher anyway, same with pandemic this changes nothing.

[iceman72]

The reason this is happening is because the days of a game coming out for just one system is coming to an end. The developers are realizing that it behoves them to make a game for every system. It's all about the money. It really has nothing to do with quality or loyalty. Soon every game will come out for every system that can support it. Then people will truly see which system is the best. It's that simple.

[Bad_Ad]

The reason this is happening is because the days of a game coming out for just one system is coming to an end. The developers are realizing that it behoves them to make a game for every system. It's all about the money. It really has nothing to do with quality or loyalty. Soon every game will come out for every system that can support it. Then people will truly see which system is the best. It's that simple.

You dont just make a game then go compile it for other consoles, theres plenty of work especially with consoles this different, for them to use any of the systems potential (and therefore "truly see which system is best") then the creators will need to put alot of time into rewriting alot of the game.

Time is money remember, and you dont want to make a version that looks like crap as it ruins you rep too.

[vanxman]

Didn't someone from MS become some bigshot at EA relatively recently? Some personnel swap, where MS got some EA guy, and EA got some MS guy? (I read the XBOX news out of interest, but not enough interest to actually consider remembering names. I like the games, and could care less than a shit about the people or "personalities". Wassup with that anyway???)

Just a theory... What if all these developers aren't jumping ship, but being kicked out??? Or, moved out under some binding contracts??? Who says it is THEIR idea/plan to leave???

One way I see it, MS is strategically moving it's "assets" out. Once completed, MS could BUY the other company/s (for example EA) and recoup their assets. Or close down the money-draining MS division whilst still retaining the developers under a new umbrella (and some binding contracts, for sure). Or, by distancing themselves "legally" from the "MS" developers, indirectly produce MS games (Halo, for example) for the PS3 without the "omg, zorg, MS is developing for the HAXZORZ Waitstation 3" comments?

Thoughts?

This post has been edited by vanxman: Oct 16 2007, 08:35 AM

[bucko]

This happened to Sony at the time of the PS3 launch, it happens in the industry but everyone bitch slapped Sony and though it was because of the PS3 delays. It's only 3 studios, compare that to how many great games there are for the 360..

[d-range]

If I had some money to break, I'd invest in Japanese developer stock now. I can see MS buying one of them in particular, namely Capcom, seeing they make games that seem to appeal to both the Japanese and the US/EU markets. Been predicting this for about a year and a half already and now I seriously think it may happen.

[Bubbalynch]

One way I see it, MS is strategically moving it's "assets" out. Once completed, MS could BUY the other company/s (for example EA) and recoup their assets. Or close down the money-draining MS division whilst still retaining the developers under a new umbrella (and some binding contracts, for sure). Or, by distancing themselves "legally" from the "MS" developers, indirectly produce MS games (Halo, for example) for the PS3 without the "omg, zorg, MS is developing for the HAXZORZ Waitstation 3" comments?

Thoughts?

Quick question: Huh?

This post has been edited by Bubbalynch: Oct 16 2007, 09:25 AM