Obsidian Took Pay-Cuts to Avoid Job Losses

[Logan Westbrook]

Obsidian Took Pay-Cuts to Avoid Job Losses

Obsidian had to lay off a number of staff members last year, but according to Chris Avallone, it could have been much, much worse.

Early last year Obsidian was forced to lay off a number of employees, but according to Fallout: New Vegas [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/reviews/previews/7505-First-Look-at-Fallout-New-Vegas] lead designer Chris Avallone, it could have been much worse, and that the company took pay-cuts in an effort to keep as many people as possible.

"That was not good times," said Avallone. "That is never a conversation you ever want to have with employees."

"I guess if I could express some sort of frustration, is that we didn't have the full finances to support the staff we had after just the general economic problems, and the frustrating thing was we didn't really have anyone at the studio that we wanted to let go. Everyone was performing great, but we actually had to reduce our staff and that totally sucked. Like, we took pay cuts, and we were like. 'If we do this we could keep more staff.' But we just couldn't keep everybody."

"It was a pretty miserable time," he added.

Source: VG247 [http://www.vg247.com/2010/05/04/obsidian-took-pay-cuts-to-avoid-lay-offs-last-year/]


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[addeB]

Huh, was that before their deal with bethesda?

 

[SniperWolf427]

That's very unfortunate. I absolutely adore Obsidian and would be heartbroken if they were ever forced to close their doors.

However, you can bet that Fallout: New Vegas will increase their revenue, regardless of quality. Simply because it has the Fallout name.

 

[edgeofblade]

My wife ended up taking a pay cut. The real crux of the issue is whether or not you and your co-workers would take a paycut across the board, or spin the layoff wheel and hope it doesn't land on you.

I'll take a paycut every time.

 

[Loonerinoes]

Really hope things turn out well for them with their 2 upcoming releases. Losing a developer like this would hurt their field far more than most might be willing to imagine. Most people only notice the big boys and automatically assume that big means impactful. However, media publicity aside, it may not always be so when it comes to developer competition and ideas for creation.

Erm...and isn't it Chris AvEllone? Sorry to be a nitpicker, just pointing it out.

 

[Krantos]

Gee, I wonder why Obsidian is doing poorly? Could it be because they only make crappy knock-off games in series that better studios have already done (See Icewind Dale, NWN 2, KOTOR 2, etc.)

Personally I think that Alpha Protocol (their only original IP to date) is the company's last chance. If it doesn't end up being a AAA title, then I'm guessing Obsidian will have gone the Pandemic route but this time next year.

I can't say I'll be sad to see it. While not wishing anyone to lose their job, as a developer, they've always underperformed and quite frankly I'm tired of them buying rights to good titles and producing sub-par sequels.

 

[hazabaza1]

That sucks. Let's hope a lot of people buy F:NV and let people get their jobs back.
Even though I've never played their games, I'd hate to see a company shut down.

 

[Dr. wonderful]

I hope that New vegas, do really well so they can get their lost members.

As sherpard said once:

"WE WILL FIGHT FOR THE LOST!"

 

[Loonerinoes]

Gee, I wonder why Obsidian is doing poorly? Could it be because they only make crappy knock-off games in series that better studios have already done (See Icewind Dale, NWN 2, KOTOR 2, etc.)

Personally I think that Alpha Protocol (their only original IP to date) is the company's last chance. If it doesn't end up being a AAA title, then I'm guessing Obsidian will have gone the Pandemic route but this time next year.

I can't say I'll be sad to see it. While not wishing anyone to lose their job, as a developer, they've always underperformed and quite frankly I'm tired of them buying rights to good titles and producing sub-par sequels.

Or it might be because they decide to remain an independant company rather than get bought out by one of the giants? No I don't think that level of integrity every occured to your thick skull, did it?

Oh why the hell do I bother...

 

[ProfessorLayton]

Well at least they'll make it all back and more on New Vegas. They really need our support.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

I can't say I'll be sad to see it. While not wishing anyone to lose their job, as a developer, they've always underperformed and quite frankly I'm tired of them buying rights to good titles and producing sub-par sequels.

Don't blame them for KOTOR2, that was LucasArt's fault for wanting a sequel in one year. They never had a chance to finish the game and are frequently undervalued by the people who HIRE THEM to work on projects ala Atari (NWN2) and Microsoft/LucasArts (KOTOR2). Thankfully it looks like they're being given the time and money they need to Alpha Protocol and New Vegas.

 

[Krantos]

[
Don't blame them for KOTOR2, that was LucasArt's fault for wanting a sequel in one year. They never had a chance to finish the game and are frequently undervalued by the people who HIRE THEM to work on projects ala Atari (NWN2) and Microsoft/LucasArts (KOTOR2). Thankfully it looks like they're being given the time and money they need to Alpha Protocol and New Vegas.

Like I said, I see Alpha protocol as their last chance. They've been given plenty of time (It's even been delayed several times) and it's their first original title. If it turns out to be fantastic I'll change my opinion of the studio, but if a developer has only made sub-par games, you can't really expect me to think very highly of them.

For the record, I actually do hope Alpha Protocol is good. There's some really great ideas behind it, and it has serious potential. Obsidian's track record (and the horrible voice-acting we've seen in the trailers) is the only thing keeping me from a pre-order.

Edit: Oh and don't expect too much from New Vegas, they've barely had the rights for a year (if that) and it supposedly comes out this fall.

 

[NeutralMunchHotel]

[
Don't blame them for KOTOR2, that was LucasArt's fault for wanting a sequel in one year. They never had a chance to finish the game and are frequently undervalued by the people who HIRE THEM to work on projects ala Atari (NWN2) and Microsoft/LucasArts (KOTOR2). Thankfully it looks like they're being given the time and money they need to Alpha Protocol and New Vegas.

Like I said, I see Alpha protocol as their last chance. They've been given plenty of time (It's even been delayed several times) and it's their first original title. If it turns out to be fantastic I'll change my opinion of the studio, but if a developer has only made sub-par games, you can't really expect me to think very highly of them.

For the record, I actually do hope Alpha Protocol is good. There's some really great ideas behind it, and it has serious potential. Obsidian's track record (and the horrible voice-acting we've seen in the trailers) is the only thing keeping me from a pre-order.

Edit: Oh and don't expect too much from New Vegas, they've barely had the rights for a year (if that) and it supposedly comes out this fall.

Considering they already have the correct engine in place, I'm expecting a great deal from it. And, if the countless interviews and articles I've read are true, I shouldn't be disappointed.

 

[Jared]

I hope that New vegas, do really well so they can get their lost members.

As sherpard said once:

"WE WILL FIGHT FOR THE LOST!"

Well put, well, at least they are still puttign forward a good game for the near future!

 

[addeB]

Gee, I wonder why Obsidian is doing poorly? Could it be because they only make crappy knock-off games in series that better studios have already done (See Icewind Dale, NWN 2, KOTOR 2, etc.)

Personally I think that Alpha Protocol (their only original IP to date) is the company's last chance. If it doesn't end up being a AAA title, then I'm guessing Obsidian will have gone the Pandemic route but this time next year.

I can't say I'll be sad to see it. While not wishing anyone to lose their job, as a developer, they've always underperformed and quite frankly I'm tired of them buying rights to good titles and producing sub-par sequels.

Why would Alpha Protocol be their last chanse? New vegas makes lots of headlines and are second in ign's list of upcoming games for 360. http://xbox360.ign.com/index/upcoming.html

 

[Starke]

Gee, I wonder why Obsidian is doing poorly? Could it be because they only make crappy knock-off games in series that better studios have already done (See Icewind Dale, NWN 2, KOTOR 2, etc.)

Nice to see you remembered these guys used to work for Black Isle. Also nice of you to remember that KOTOR2 was shafted by Lucas Arts by changing the production deadline mid-project, and NWN2 was shafted by Bioware giving them a shitty build of the Aurora engine and then not passing on the code. But fortunately none of that matters because you've got a hate on going, and you don't want to let pesky little facts get in the way of that.

Personally I think that Alpha Protocol (their only original IP to date) is the company's last chance. If it doesn't end up being a AAA title, then I'm guessing Obsidian will have gone the Pandemic route but this time next year.

Well... seeing as you've already brought up their Black Isle days there may have been another you've heard of... oh, what was it called... right, Fallout.

I can't say I'll be sad to see it. While not wishing anyone to lose their job, as a developer, they've always underperformed and quite frankly I'm tired of them buying rights to good titles and producing sub-par sequels.

You really don't get how this industry works, do you? They're hired to produce these projects. You think if Bioware had a choice they'd have "sold off" the rights to KOTOR2? Hell, you think they could? The only one buying the rights to properties and producing a knock off sequel in this conversation is Bethesda, buying Fallout from Interplay.

 

[thenamelessloser]

Obsidian is cool with things like KOTOR II and that some of the people working for the company worked on Fallout 2 and Planescape: Torment... Yet, even though I don't have much knowledge about the video game industry when is the last time Obsidian had a game that was released? Isn't it hard for a company to make money when they haven't made any new products in a while? Was it a NWN2 expansion pack and when? Is that enough for a developing studio to make a profit?

 

[Starke]

Obsidian is cool with things like KOTOR II and that some of the people working for the company worked on Fallout 2 and Planescape: Torment... Yet, even though I don't have much knowledge about the video game industry when is the last time Obsidian had a game that was released? Isn't it hard for a company to make money when they haven't made any new products in a while? Was it a NWN2 expansion pack and when? Is that enough for a developing studio to make a profit?

Mask of the Betrayer. I think it was fall 2007, but I could be mistaken.

I don't think they were involved in Storm of Zehir or Mysteries of Westgate, but I'm not sure. Zehir was 2008, I think.