Square Enix: Activision Was Crazy To Drop Sleeping Dogs

The Wooster

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Jul 15, 2008
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Square Enix: Activision Was Crazy To Drop Sleeping Dogs


Square's Mike Fischer explains why he's taking a risk on Sleeping Dogs.

First, let's talk about the game's tumultuous history. It started life in 2008 as an unnamed project from ModNation Racers developer, United Front Games. Around the same time, Activision canceled True Crime 3 after the arse-poor performance of the bug-ridden True Crime: New York City. Rather than abandon the franchise completely, Activision decided to re-brand United Front's project as True Crime: Hong Kong, but after a series of delays and budget issues, that game was canceled, too. Then, Square Enix swooped in and picked up the title, but not the rights to the True Crime name. Thus, the game was renamed Sleeping Dogs. Now, Square Enix's Mike Fischer is questioning why Activision dropped it in the first place.

"I can't speak to why [Activision] let that go. I'm not going to speculate on their behalf," he told Venture Beat. "All I know is, they've gotta be crazy. Because this game is just fantastic. The scale and scope of the game really encompasses all of everything you'd want to do in Hong Kong. The acting, the story, the characters are very deep."

Activision passed on the title because the company didn't believe there was a large enough profit margin to warrant its troubled development. That, apparently, isn't a problem for Square Enix. According to Fischer, the company makes enough bank on its triple-A blockbusters to allow him some leeway for experimentation in the NA market.

"The great thing for me is, because I have the benefit of these massive triple-A blockbusters," he said. "I don't have to try to replicate that. So I can go out and sort of seek lower-risk, smaller-scale intellectual property investments that obviously I hope will eventually, over time, grow into big franchises of their own."

Sleeping Dogs is due to be released on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 on August 14, 2012.

Source: Venture Beat [http://venturebeat.com/2012/05/25/square-enixs-mike-fischer-cherry-picks-the-games-to-westernize-interview/]

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gigastar

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Sep 13, 2010
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All the while everyone else might as well ask if anyone at Squeenix knows how to make a game thats not an RPG.

Though he does seem to be onto something with using profits from successful titles to cover losses from experimental titles. Activision could learn something from that.
 

FogHornG36

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Jan 29, 2011
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Activision dumped it because it wasn't safe enough, because as we all know, call of duty isn't exactly paying the rent... (EXTREME SARCASM!)
 

Zeckt

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Nov 10, 2010
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Ah, this is the one that originated from true crime streets of LA which is a perfect example of a game being so awful but so damn fun at the same time with its ludicrous cheesiness and fourth wall breaking.

I still remember that one part of the game

Kung fu master : Look for them where the giant bird docks.
Hero : Whoa!! what you mean, master? I don't get it!!
Kung fu master : They are at the airport, you stupid fucking dumb ass!!!
 

Ldude893

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Apr 2, 2010
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Oh so FINALLY the Escapist reports on Sleeping Dogs. Where the hell have you've been, Escapist? News of the project's been around for months.

Anyways, as someone from Hong Kong I'm eagerly awaiting this game. From the gameplay footage I've been seeing so far, at least it's a sandbox game which doesn't force you to go bowling with cousins every 30 minutes.
Hell, GTA's gameplay was tame compared to Sleeping Dogs combat footage. I've barely seen any blood in GTA IV, and in this game you can actually impale people with umbrellas.
 

getoffmycloud

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Jun 13, 2011
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gigastar said:
All the while everyone else might as well ask if anyone at Squeenix knows how to make a game thats not an RPG.

Though he does seem to be onto something with using profits from successful titles to cover losses from experimental titles. Activision could learn something from that.
It is something I think most publishers could learn from to be honest it is a really good idea as long as you don't go to over the top with it and blow all your money
 

Evil Smurf

Admin of Catoholics Anonymous
Nov 11, 2011
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FogHornG36 said:
Activision dumped it because it wasn't safe enough, because as we all know, call of duty isn't exactly paying the rent... (EXTREME SARCASM!)
last I heard it was only 100 dollars a month COD was bringing them.

.....

Nice avatar bro
 

Dr.Panties

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Dec 30, 2010
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In summary, PROFITMARGINERRORPROFITMARGINERROR.
 

Terramax

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Jan 11, 2008
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Weresquirrel said:
So, Square Enix is saying they should've...

*Puts on sunglasses*

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie...
This is why we need a 'thumbs up' tab on these forums.

OT We only have this PR guy's word that the game is even adequate. Instead of talking rubbish, why not give us a demo, THEN we'll see how much truth is in your words.

As for people above saying Squeenix is taking risks, how do we know this if the game hasn't been released yet? For all we know, besides being a completely new title, it could be some typical 3rd person game like GTA or Stranglehold. Wouldn't call that very risky.
 

Ldude893

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Terramax said:
OT We only have this PR guy's word that the game is even adequate. Instead of talking rubbish, why not give us a demo, THEN we'll see how much truth is in your words.
<youtube=CpKJhEt6HGw>
<youtube=TgiBiJoaQXo>

Release date's still a few months away, so they're still polishing it.
 

Terramax

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Jan 11, 2008
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Ldude893 said:
Terramax said:
OT We only have this PR guy's word that the game is even adequate. Instead of talking rubbish, why not give us a demo, THEN we'll see how much truth is in your words.
<youtube=CpKJhEt6HGw>
<youtube=TgiBiJoaQXo>

Release date's still a few months away, so they're still polishing it.
I've seen videos. Are these demos we can play?
 

Mysterious Druid

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May 27, 2012
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Ldude893 said:
Terramax said:
OT We only have this PR guy's word that the game is even adequate. Instead of talking rubbish, why not give us a demo, THEN we'll see how much truth is in your words.
<youtube=CpKJhEt6HGw>
<youtube=TgiBiJoaQXo>

Release date's still a few months away, so they're still polishing it.
Damn, that actually looks rather good. At the least, it'll be a fun diversion until GTA V lands.
 

Bvenged

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Sep 4, 2009
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I'm with Activision on this one.

You can't seriously think they can put "Call of Duty:", "Tony Hawks:" or "Guitar Hero:" in front of the title "True Crime". It clearly doesn't fit and therefore isn't a worthwhile investment.

Plain and simple economics really: No point wasting money on something where the title just doesn't add up. Nobody would buy it, and by nobody I mean not enough people will buy it so they can afford their million dollar annual mortgage payments.
 

Joe Deadman

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Jan 9, 2010
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Ah I saw this at MCM yesterday, didn't get around to trying the demo out but I did watch a presentation/playthrough of part of a mission on it.

Looks interesting although the demonstration of QTE's and mention of using them to get a cinematic look worries me a bit although at least it wasn't the sudden "quick press x to not die, whoops too late *dead* style of QTE. I did like the look of the combat and the parkor though, also the enviromental kills looked pretty cool although I could see them maybe getting boring after a while.

They also mentioned RPG mechanics with increasing stats although I don't think they actually showed any of it.

As for the actual article, it's Activision what did you expect?
This isn't the first time they've dropped something because it was a risk or didn't have sequal potential (Brutal Legend anyone?)