General Gaming News.

[sXeth]

Kind of a tough one to call really.

Any "Creative" industry is going to have signficiant ups and downs in the employment range, because very few are capable of a full-time job over multiple years of creative endeavours.

To continue keeping a large staff of game makers employed, if you're not actively making a game, is going to be a near impossibility (unless you have the royalties of some mega hit or a secondary actual treadmill like Steam/GoG/Epic/etc store. It'd be like trying to run a band with salaries, if they aren't actively recording/touring.

And if you just pump out whatever half-brained thing, your rep goes into the ditch and you're likely to start losing money even moreso.

Which is what led to a lot of middlish studios getting bought up (or just contract hopping), particularly in the mid-late 2010s. Where in between actual games the studio would just be doing mercenary work with an MP mode here, a DLC there, etc

 

[Specter Von Baren]

Which is what led to a lot of middlish studios getting bought up (or just contract hopping), particularly in the mid-late 2010s. Where in between actual games the studio would just be doing mercenary work with an MP mode here, a DLC there, etc

Ah, yes. The Great "Embracing".

 

[BrawlMan]

@Casual Shinji, @Specter Von Baren, @sXeth, & @CriticalGaming:

Naughty Dog is getting into this too now. The multiplayer is officially dead now! Then why even have these people, if you're just going to fire them later? So much for supporting your developers, ND & Sony.

Naughty Dog Lays Off Devs, Last of Us Multiplayer Game Stopped

Naughty Dog has reportedly laid off at least 25 developers, and production on the Last of Us multiplayer spin-off game apparently stopping.

www.escapistmagazine.com

 

[Casual Shinji]

@Casual Shinji, @Specter Von Baren, @sXeth, & @CriticalGaming:

Naughty Dog is getting into this too now. The multiplayer is officially dead now! Then why even have these people, if you're just going to fire them later? So much for supporting your developers, ND & Sony.

Naughty Dog Lays Off Devs, Last of Us Multiplayer Game Stopped

Naughty Dog has reportedly laid off at least 25 developers, and production on the Last of Us multiplayer spin-off game apparently stopping.

www.escapistmagazine.com

Well, there's a difference between firing developers because a project fell through, and firing developers because stockholders want to keep their interest up. Still sucks though, and in both cases reason why the industry should unionize. This freelancing doesn't seem to be doing anyone any good.

 

[BrawlMan]

, there's a difference between firing developers because a project fell through, and firing developers because stockholders want to keep their interest up.

Exactly!. As Jim has pointed out yesterday, most of these publishers are doing it just to please their stockholders and investors.

Still sucks though, and in both cases reason why the industry should unionize. This freelancing doesn't seem to be doing anyone any good.

Unionize indeed. Tell me about it.

 

[Chimpzy]

Dang

 

[BrawlMan]

Dang

I'm sorry to say, but I don't even know who the studio is. This is the first I've ever heard of them, but it's sad they're closing their doors too.

 

[FakeSympathy]

Well, there's a difference between firing developers because a project fell through, and firing developers because stockholders want to keep their interest up. Still sucks though, and in both cases reason why the industry should unionize. This freelancing doesn't seem to be doing anyone any good.

Yep. I get the feeling this happened because Neil got way above is head, pretending everything is fine and ignoring all those critics and concerns within the team.

The dude needs to learn difference between confidence and ignorance. Feel bad for the low-level employees who'll most likely be the ones getting axed. Not so much for Neil himself.

 

[Casual Shinji]

Yep. I get the feeling this happened because Neil got way above is head, pretending everything is fine and ignoring all those critics and concerns within the team.

The dude needs to learn difference between confidence and ignorance. Feel bad for the low-level employees who'll most likely be the ones getting axed. Not so much for Neil himself.

I mean, not really. If he had they would've continued on with this multiplayer game despite the guys they brought over from Bungie telling them it's not good enough. The fact that they did that, took their advise to heart and stopped the production right then and there, shows they're not overconfident and ignorant.

 

[FakeSympathy]

I mean, not really. If he had they would've continued on with this multiplayer game despite the guys they brought over from Bungie telling them it's not good enough. The fact that they did that, took their advise to heart and stopped the production right then and there, shows they're not overconfident and ignorant.

IDK, why does it take big names like Bungie to tell them it won't work? Why couldn't they figure that out themselves? CP2077 multiplayer portion was scrapped because CDPR knew they screwed up the launch, really quickly too. And they figured this out on their own.

I bet it was a huge dent in Neil's ego too.

Anyways, GameStop's new CEO doesn't want anymore money wasted

GameStop's New Billionaire Boss Calls For 'Extreme Frugality' In Email To Staff

Ryan Cohen told workers the company has no use for 'delegators and money wasters'

kotaku.com

Extreme frugality is required. Every expense at the company must be scrutinized under a microscope and all waste eliminated. The company has no use for delegators and money wasters. I expect everyone to treat company money like their own and lead by example.

I mean iI'd personally argue it were crappy things like NFTs and selling low-quality merchs. No? It's the employees? Well alright. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Gyrobot]

Did a weeb gamer kill your dog or something?

He's a self-hating weaboo. Nothing more, nothing less.

I have an antipathy towards racist, misogynistic weeb gamers who act entitled. So I do this out of pure spite and cheer, clap and do the coffin dance at this kind of news.

 

[BrawlMan]

The I-Team: Video game helps researchers fight sex trafficking

One North Texas university is turning a video game into a crime-fighting tool.

www.cbsnews.com

Nintendo’s president says it will continue to support Switch next year | VGC

The company president says games are planned for the fiscal year ending March 2025…

www.videogameschronicle.com

Epic Games’ director of publishing strategy is leaving the company | VGC

Steam Spy creator Sergiy Galyonkin helped launch the Epic Games Store…

www.videogameschronicle.com

Gamers rush to buy new Zelda game for $25 off in rare discount

A POPULAR video game has seen its price slashed at Walmart and gamers are thrilled. The retailer is selling several gaming products at a discount, including The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdo…

www.the-sun.com

 

[Casual Shinji]

IDK, why does it take big names like Bungie to tell them it won't work? Why couldn't they figure that out themselves? CP2077 multiplayer portion was scrapped because CDPR knew they screwed up the launch, really quickly too. And they figured this out on their own.

I bet it was a huge dent in Neil's ego too.

Because Bungie is a big player on the multiplayer scene. When ND first dipped their toes into multiplayer with Uncharted 2 they brought in some help from Infinity Ward, even mentioned them in the credits. When Guerilla made the first Horizon game they brought in some quest designers from CD Project. Not every studio knows how to make everything, or is as trained in making certain games, that's why some are better at making singleplayer games or multiplayer games.

Also, why care so much about Neil Druckmann? He's just a dude.

 

[Satinavian]

IDK, why does it take big names like Bungie to tell them it won't work? Why couldn't they figure that out themselves? CP2077 multiplayer portion was scrapped because CDPR knew they screwed up the launch, really quickly too. And they figured this out on their own.

Usually because of sunk cost.

It is really difficult for people who have invested a lot of time and effort into a project to see and accept that it was all for nothing. That is why many projects drag on way too long or get horrible releases when they can't be saved. Some of them take their studio with them.

You can't be involved in developing a game and impartial when estimating its chances at the same time.

 

[hanselthecaretaker2]

IDK, why does it take big names like Bungie to tell them it won't work? Why couldn't they figure that out themselves? CP2077 multiplayer portion was scrapped because CDPR knew they screwed up the launch, really quickly too. And they figured this out on their own.

I bet it was a huge dent in Neil's ego too.

Anyways, GameStop's new CEO doesn't want anymore money wasted

GameStop's New Billionaire Boss Calls For 'Extreme Frugality' In Email To Staff

Ryan Cohen told workers the company has no use for 'delegators and money wasters'

kotaku.com

I mean iI'd personally argue it were crappy things like NFTs and selling low-quality merchs. No? It's the employees? Well alright. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

This…actually makes me want to play CP2077 more. It’s showing that CDPR is learning something and listening to customers more again vs just being corporate pawns.

As an aside, TLoU2’s single player alone was outsourced to 14 other studios.

Over 2,000 People Worked On The Last Of Us Part 2—But That Number Should Have Been Higher

The Last of Us Part 2’s production was made possible by 2,169 developers, as noted on the title’s MobyGames credits and reported by VG247 Monday.

www.forbes.com

 

[Casual Shinji]

As an aside, TLoU2’s single player alone was outsourced to 14 other studios.

Over 2,000 People Worked On The Last Of Us Part 2—But That Number Should Have Been Higher

The Last of Us Part 2’s production was made possible by 2,169 developers, as noted on the title’s MobyGames credits and reported by VG247 Monday.

www.forbes.com

I reckon that's pretty much customary now. I think even with Horizon: Zero Dawn they were outsourcing a shitton to Chinese studios. And I'm sure when Spider-Man 2 gets released it won't be solely an Insomniac game.

 

[CriticalGaming]

I reckon that's pretty much customary now. I think even with Horizon: Zero Dawn they were outsourcing a shitton to Chinese studios. And I'm sure when Spider-Man 2 gets released it won't be solely an Insomniac game.

Iirc a lot of Starfield was made by other studios and sort of pieced together

 

[XsjadoBlaydette]

Apparently a spiritual successor to dino crisis just came out.

And it.

Looks.

so bad.

not 'so bad it's good' before any sickos (you know who you are!) start brandishing their bank cards at the graphics, dire voice acting, poor editing, shonky animation and dull environments...it just looks bad to play. --- drop the card. hold your breath. count to 1000. give me your pin number. count to 2000. walk away and forget this ever happened

 

[FakeSympathy]

Reviews for AC Mirage are rolling in

They all seem to agree that stealth is finally back with Mirage, and gone are the levels, xp, and gear level. It finally feels like an AC game.

The story is rather lackluster and Basim's character feels flat. It's non-sequential, meaning some story bits can be completed in any order.

That means nothing will really feel concise, because you could be investigating for one target and end up killing another.

The city of Baghdad is a great location, with each district having its own identity. No significant landmarks, though.

The tools and weapons (sword + dagger) you have are fun to experiment with. While there are no gear levels, you can still upgrade them.

During open combat, the enemies will have different styles you must counteract

Skill trees are short, but the upgrades are meaningful


IDK, personally I think I'll wait for sale on this one.

 

[hanselthecaretaker2]

Reviews for AC Mirage are rolling in

They all seem to agree that stealth is finally back with Mirage, and gone are the levels, xp, and gear level. It finally feels like an AC game.

The story is rather lackluster and Basim's character feels flat. It's non-sequential, meaning some story bits can be completed in any order.

That means nothing will really feel concise, because you could be investigating for one target and end up killing another.

The city of Baghdad is a great location, with each district having its own identity. No significant landmarks, though.

The tools and weapons (sword + dagger) you have are fun to experiment with. While there are no gear levels, you can still upgrade them.

During open combat, the enemies will have different styles you must counteract

Skill trees are short, but the upgrades are meaningful


IDK, personally I think I'll wait for sale on this one.

See, this is something where I have to take Skill-Up reviews with a grain of salt. He makes a point of pointing out in the description,

“It might have got across the finish line had the writing done its job, but this is the worst written AC game I've played. Sadly, I can't recommend this.”

But, if the game got rid of a lot of the garbage that’s been accumulating on the series and brought it back to feeling “like an AssCreed game” to play, then is it really that bad? What is he reviewing here, a game or a movie?