Rumor: 1UP Hints that Shane Kim is leaving MS Options

[Xbox-Scene]

Rumor: 1UP Hints that Shane Kim is leaving MS Posted by XanTium | November 19 20:40 EST | News Category: Xbox360

From joystiq.com: [QUOTE] Last week, Shane Bettenhausen caused an internet uproar, an e-debacle if you will, when he hinted that an anticipated Microsoft first-party title would soon be canceled. The title turned out to be Marvel Universe Online, and while it hasn't been officially canceled, it sounds like production is at a standstill. The second, less sexy part of the rumor: A top Microsoft exec is on the way out. Towards the end of the 1UP Yours podcast while the topic was being discussed, host Garnett Lee asked guest host N'Gai Croal, "Do you watch any Nickelodeon like Something Possible?". If you're not as adept with afternoon TV trivia as we are, allow us to drop some knowledge: He's talking about Kim Possible. And that points squarely at Microsoft Games Studios boss Shane Kim. [/QUOTE] Full Story: joystiq.com | 1up.com

[readmore]

yawn

[itsme185]

yawn

lolz my thoughts exactlly?

Shane who?
lolz

This post has been edited by itsme185: Nov 20 2007, 03:36 AM

[Eddie_the_Hated]

Shane Kim? Oh, he's nobody, just the Vice President of Microsoft Game Studios...

But that's all.

This post has been edited by Eddie_the_Hated: Nov 20 2007, 03:40 AM

[Heet]

Peter Moore now this guy.


Wonder who's next in the "heads will roll" line of shit rolling downhill. Betcha there will be some better R&D next time around

[Bubbalynch]

Bottom Line.. What the hell does this mean?

[Looouky]

It means bigger exec feels that Shane failed by letting MGS lose Bizzare Creations and Bioware and Bungie becoming so upset that they wanted themselves bought out. A good exec never let that happens, and a good MS exec never lets other companies (EA and Activision) that don't have as much cash buy some could developers you could have easily bought with chump change. MS is correcting some mistakes by kicking out the door, it is about time.

[codecxbox]

Im quoting this guy cuz it kinds of make sense..

From Joystiq:

"If you ask me, all signs point to Microsoft getting out of the console business.
That's right, I'm almost certain we won't be seeing an Xbox 720.

I also predict that EA's recent buyouts of every third party developer in existance, points to EA planning on having a go in the console game.
There game exclusivity alone would destroy all competitors.

I don't think it was a coincidence that they hired Moore.
He launched Dreamcast, and Xbox, he's now been hired to launch EA's first console in the next few years

Mark my words, this industry will be looking at a new console leader in the near future. Unfortunately, that leader will be EA.
They will bring the same monopolization, they brought to the football genre.
All competition will cease to exist, and all we'll be left with is a lazy, money hungry corporation with no soul or interest in pushing the medium forward.

The ENd is Nigh!z"

[shodanjr_gr]

Im quoting this guy cuz it kinds of make sense..

From Joystiq:

"If you ask me, all signs point to Microsoft getting out of the console business.
That's right, I'm almost certain we won't be seeing an Xbox 720.

That's retarded beyond words. Gaming (less in its hardcore/more in its casual form) is the next BIG thing, and Microsoft WILL want to keep and grow their piece of the pie. We may see a shift in their gaming policy focus (cattering more to casual gamers) but we wont see them leaving the business any time soon.

I also predict that EA's recent buyouts of every third party developer in existance, points to EA planning on having a go in the console game.
There game exclusivity alone would destroy all competitors.

That is far more likely. EA owns most of the world's POPULAR francises. Heck, if they decided to keep Madden/NBA/Fifa/Sims exclusive, a HUGE part of the non-hardcore market would buy their consoles just to be able to play those subpar gamers.

However on the other side, they will probably meet MS and Sony, possibly joining forces (as developers have been asking for a unified platform for next gen ever since this gen started) and launch 1 universal console, with huge brand name recognition in Japan, Europe and the States, and content providing services that MS is already building. Just because theyll have most developers, doesnt mean that they will rule the industry. Their plan can very very easily backfire.

[Lordscr]

Im quoting this guy cuz it kinds of make sense..

I don't think it was a coincidence that they hired Moore.
He launched Dreamcast, and Xbox, he's now been hired to launch EA's first console in the next few years

I'm not jumping on you codecxbox, I just wanted to remind everyone that EA's first console came out 16 years ago, and it bombed.

[readmore]

Perhaps we're looking at a Microsoft/EA partnership for the next console. Maybe that's why MS said boo about EA gobbling up BioWare. After all MS and EA traded Execs and we all know EA games work better on the 360. Coincidence??

[codecxbox]

I'm not jumping on you codecxbox, I just wanted to remind everyone that EA's first console came out 16 years ago, and it bombed.

No problem , Lordscr. After all, its not mine, just a quote that could be a possibility. We have to remember that in a corporate world, where they dont think about you and me as much as maximizing profit, pacts and alliances could be formed. I wouldnt be surprised that the next Xbox, if theres going to be one, would be a EA/MS creation , as it could be infered by readmore. Now, that Sony/MS pacts up for a standard universal console, thats a no-no, too much antitrust and monopoly involved.

Dreamcast came from Sega, a software giant. A very good console and one of the best and easiest to dev. And we all know what happened when hardware is locked to certain GPU provider. Now MS is feeling the same, I guess. And the billion dollar repair thing didnt help either. So Xbox 360 are sold at a loss, and then a big loss. Not good for shareholders.

I believe that if EA considers adquiring the 360, it would license the design. You will see a whole bunch of 360's made by different hardware companies ( Sony?, Philips/Magnavox?)
That would be a first in the console world.

Gaming is not the next big thing, it should have been since Atari/Coleco. Where are they now?
Interactive gaming COULD be the next thing, depends how good games are, not everybody like to shoot arrows,hehe..

This post has been edited by codecxbox: Nov 20 2007, 05:39 PM

[TreFacTor]

I believe that if EA considers adquiring the 360, it would license the design. You will see a whole bunch of 360's made by different hardware companies ( Sony?, Philips/Magnavox?)
That would be a first in the console world.

it wouldn't be a first, there were monumental failures in the mid 80's called the 3DUO made by several companies, and all lost money any attempt at a universal set top box for gaming has been met with universial failure. simply because we as gamers can't decide on one clear winner.

[88 Ecko Unltd 88]

no big deal there are gonna be plenty of more execs that are going to be "paid-off" for their temporary work

[twistedsymphony]

I'm not jumping on you codecxbox, I just wanted to remind everyone that EA's first console came out 16 years ago, and it bombed.

Not exactly the 3DO pre-dates EA... both 3DO and EA were founded by the same guy, but at different times. EA basically came as a result of the 3DO's bombing... similar to Sega going games only EA sort of grew from the 1st party 3DO titles who's sequels would no longer have a home.

As for WHY it bombed it was mostly due to them licensing the hardware out to 3rd party manufacturers. unlike 1st parties they weren't making games so they HAD to turn a profit on the hardware, as a result the hardware became ridiculously overpriced and consumers didn't buy it... Since it was also their first entry into the console world 3rd parties were playing "wait and see" and since it wasn't moving to the price they lost out on 3rd party development efforts as well.

it wouldn't be a first, there were monumental failures in the mid 80's called the 3DUO made by several companies, and all lost money any attempt at a universal set top box for gaming has been met with universial failure. simply because we as gamers can't decide on one clear winner.

You got it almost right... it was called the 3DO, it was founded by the same founder of EA and it came out in the mid 90s not 80s (it was a direct competitor to the PS1, Saturn and N64). It was not trying to be a universal box, they simply licensed the hardware out to 3rd party manufacturers instead of manufacturing it themselves... see above.

----------------------------

As for EA getting back into the console race or a possible EA/MS merger... anything is possible really. I highly doubt MS is getting out of the console business, but I could be wrong... I could see MS liquidating their MGS division and leaving all 1st party development under EA mangement while they get all of EA's franchises as exclusives in return.

That theory makes sense to me because
-Despite the losses due to the warranty extension I don't think MS is ready to call it quits on the Game division, they're close enough to their profitability point that they're eather making profits now or they will be by the end of the generation despite the problems.
-EA and MS have been buddy buddy most of this generation
-They didn't say anything over Bioware and Bizarre teaming up with EA
-They let Bungie go... for all I know this was because Bungie didn't want to be part of EA.
-They're letting Shane Kim go... if they're getting rid of their games division this makes sense as well.
-EA has been complaning about the high difficutly of x-plat development and lackluster PS3 returns
-EA has made a few strong and creative efforts on the Wii but also saw lackluster returns.

There's no reason this merger couldn't happen before the end of the generation... for all we know next year EA will be making MS exclusives.

It's an interesting concept... if it does happen it will be one of the biggest upsets to the industry since the launch of the PS1.