Industry News / Upcoming Games

[Antimatter]

Well, probably there is something positive there, considering companies like Double Fine are not closed off. But harming the lives of 3200 people is very, very bad. It's always bad to lose a job, but to lose a job when thousands of people lose it as well, and the industry is relatively small... I don't know how those families will handle.

I'm hearing that ID Software laid off 95 employees today; that's just yikes for any new Doom game. For example, they let people like Colin Geller go - https://www.artstation.com/colingeller (iconic for the Doom franchise).

Here is a list of people who have been laid off from ZOS (Elder Scrolls Online) today:



As you can see, some amazing talent there, e.g. the whole writing/narrative department. Take a look at Bill Slavicsek, for example: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Slavicsek

I think for ESO this news doesn't mean anything good at all.

 

[Cahir]

Getting smaller to get bigger? Oooookaaaaaay....

But, I kinda feel like it is good news in a way. A bunch of the independents that MS sucked up now get to be independent again, right?

Yeah, I this is the difference between them and Sony, I guess. They are at least trying to save some studios in a way instead of shutting them down entirely.

On the other hand, gutting other studios (Zenimax Online, ID Software, Obsidian) doesn't make sense...

 

[JustKneller]

Yeah, I this is the difference between them and Sony, I guess. They are at least trying to save some studios in a way instead of shutting them down entirely.

I remember when both sides were gobbling up various smaller studios to build their 'army' for the anticipated console wars. Both sides definitely overextended themselves. I think giving studios back their independence is probably the best way to handle it. Less overhead for the individual companies might make more projects viable, and the reduced organizational needs might help improve product quality as opposed to catering to the lowest common denominator.

As for Obsidian getting gutted, I think its the curse of FU. Every studio that Feargus has run has ended in tears. I feel bad for id. They were leaders in the field long before Microsoft came along. I'm not sweating Zenimax, though. Fallout 76 was a never ending chain of bad choices, so I just can't muster the sympathy.