Activision, EA , Microsoft and their mismanagement with studios over the years.

[Evangelista]

With mass layoffs going on @Activision mostly on Blizzard can we discuss these 3 companies and their mismanagement with studios along the years.

The worst one is EA destroyed Maxis, Bullfrog, Westwood, Dice, Criterion and now BioWare. Dead space, StarWars franchise.

I don't know I feel EA doesn't focus on consumers or to be pro consumers and they act the same way with theirs studios. They had so many great studios and look to their situation now.

Blizzard should not allow Activision to touch their staff. This is a partner that never made sense. Blizzard doesn't need Activision.

Microsoft doesn't have a good backlog with studios too. They have bought new studios now and what worry me is their story with studios.

Killed bizzare selling to Activision for being destroyed. Rare, Bungie, Lionhead...

Só in your opinion. Why these 3 companies have these mismanagement with their studios along the years?

Edit 1: let me clarify something I'm not talking about closed studios only or closing a studio. I'm talking about mismanagement with their studios.

If I was talking about closed studios I could bring all companies to this thread.

I'm talking about rushing products. Freedom to create their ips. Not forcing any kind of style of game. Bad release dates...

Well mismanagement.

 

[Asbsand]

Nintendo also closed CING. All big companies are bad at managing studios.

 

[LoNe_eXiLe]

Boo hoo. Welcome to being an adult.

 

[bangai-o]

Big companies close down studios for a number of reasons. It doesnt always have to do with mismanagement.

 

[Bundy]

Boo hoo. Welcome to being an adult.

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What?

 

[Barsi]

Nintendo also closed CING. All big companies are bad at managing studios.

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Yeah but one studio is not a good example. These 3 companies the op are talking about did that many times. It is not about to shutdown a studio. It is about to destroy their DNA.

 

[ToadPacShakur]

I love reading a post that gives me a headache trying to understand it


BUT, to actually answer it, I'm waiting to see how this new Microsoft handles the new and current studios. So far I have super high confidence that the people running the gaming division at Microsoft, like Phil Spencer and Matt Booty, are righting a massive ship.

 

[Betty]

Microsoft's mismanagment was down to poor decisions brought over from the 360 era.

They weren't as worried about quality as they were with fast turnarounds and chasing current fads, not to mention over-relying on gears/halo/forza which had worn thin with people during the last generation.

Things are improving for them now that they have new management, but I'll remain sceptical until we see the fruits of the new studio's labours.

 

[Sheepinator]

Typical EA-bashing topic.

I wasn't aware DICE and Bioware had been killed.

You also don't understand the Blizzard-Activision partnership.

 

[higemaru]

Yeah but one studio is not a good example. These 3 companies the op are talking about did that many times. It is not about to shutdown a studio. It is about to destroy their DNA.

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Was Cing closed or did it just run out of money? They were a contracted developer I believe and I think they just went bankrupt because I mean, its best selling product was either Trace Memory or hotel dusk.

Nintendo doesn't close studios often although NST being shifted to a support team is a real bummer. 1080 and Wave Race were great and had some of the best snow/water effects on the Gamecube.

 

[pswii60]

Nintendo also closed CING. All big companies are bad at managing studios.

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And Sony, typically known for their strong management of studios killed a whopping 7 studios all within a ten year period (989, BigBig, Evolution, Sony Liverpool, Zipper, Guerilla Cambridge and Incognito).

 

[garion333]

Nintendo also closed CING. All big companies are bad at managing studios.

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I don't believe they were owned by Nintendo though.

 

[Deleted member 8593]

Nintendo also closed CING. All big companies are bad at managing studios.

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For the record, no, they didn't. Cing was a privately held company that went bankrupt.

 

[Darkmaigle]

OP casually leaving out all the Sony studio closures.

👍

 

[Rodjer]

Sony closed 8 studio, did you forgot about them? Evangelista

Didnt know DiCE, Criterion and BioWare are dead.

 

[CosmicSea]

Damn OP what have you done..all companies close studios..it's business unfortunately.

 

[higemaru]

Typical EA-bashing topic.

I wasn't aware DICE and Bioware had been killed.

You also don't understand the Blizzard-Activision partnership.

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come back in a year with the first one and we'll see. I think ERA is underrating Anthem's chances but if it doesn't perform, Bioware is probably in a little trouble, downsizing at least. DICE is safe barring any insane background shit.

The Acti-Blizzard partnership is so old that whatever non capitalist spirit remained of either company back in the day has long since been crushed. Overwatch and Diablo 3 are fun though

 

[rras1994]

Sony closed 8 studio, did you forgot about them?

Didnt know DiCE, Criterion and BioWare are dead.

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Maxis not dead either, they still make the Sims

 

[Kelanflyter]

Bizarre was owned by Microsoft ? I don't remember that

 

[skeezx]

some of it is mismanagement but more of it is nature of the beast. gotta deliver that 10+ million seller on a schedule and on budget, sucks and i especially feel for studios caught in between the transition before AAA became all or nothing, but it is what it is

 

[Rodjer]

Bizarre was owned by Microsoft ? I don't remember that

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Bizzarre worked for MS but they never owned them.

 

[Fizie]

With mass layoffs going on @Activision mostly on Blizzard can we discuss these 3 companies and their mismanagement with studios along the years.

The worst one is EA destroyed Maxis, Bullfrog, Westwood, Dice, Criterion and now BioWare. Dead space, StarWars franchise.

I don't know I feel EA doesn't focus on consumers or to be pro consumers and they act the same way with theirs studios. They had so many great studios and look to their situation now.

Blizzard should not allow Activision to touch their staff. This is a partner that never made sense. Blizzard doesn't need Activision.

Microsoft doesn't have a good backlog with studios too. They have bought new studios now and what worry me is their story with studios.

Killed bizzare selling to Activision for being destroyed. Rare, Bungie, Lionhead...

Só in your opinion. Why these 3 companies have these mismanagement with their studios along the years?

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Microsoft never sold Bizarre?

 

[Asbsand]

For the record, no, they didn't. Cing was a privately held company that went bankrupt.

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It was Nintendo that convinced them to file for bankruptcy when they ran into financial trouble mid-development, claiming that their market wasn't there, their co-founder said at some point. Probably reasonable but I can still say it was Nintendo that convinced them to do it.

 

[Liliana]

And Sony, typically known for their strong management of studios killed a whopping 7 studios all within a ten year period (989, BigBig, Evolution, Sony Liverpool, Zipper, Guerilla Cambridge and Incognito).

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OP casually leaving out all the Sony studio closures.

👍

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Sony closed 8 studio, did you forgot about them?

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I was thinking the same thing, but I remember a few people in an old thread posting some of the OPs tweets and it all made sense.

That said, business is business and there are GENERALLY good reasons when a studio is shut down.

FYI, most of N64-era Rare left before they were owned by Microsoft, and they are actually the most successful they've ever been right now.

 

[Remo Williams]

And Sony, typically known for their strong management of studios killed a whopping 7 studios all within a ten year period (989, BigBig, Evolution, Sony Liverpool, Zipper, Guerilla Cambridge and Incognito).

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Also one of the two pretty much separate Sony San Diego studios, and not in a nice way either.

 

[mas8705]

Microsoft doesn't have a good backlog with studios too. They have bought new studios now and what worry me is their story with studios.

Killed bizzare selling to Activision for being destroyed. Rare, Bungie, Lionhead...

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So wait... Are you implying that Microsoft killed off these three? Or that they got passed off to Activision to be killed off? The reason why I question this part is how Rare is still in operations (Sea of Thieves is still ongoing) while Bungie didn't really shut their doors as much as terminate their publishing deal with Activision while still hanging onto the rights to Destiny. No argument about Lionhead, but I think by the time Peter left and the lack of games afterwards (and other canceled projects), that one kind of ran its course.

I'm sure there are better examples that can be pulled to showcase Microsoft shutting down studios, but honestly I feel like you would have a much easier time making a case against other companies before them. Hopefully, their investments will pay off, and I like to think they will let the studios do their thing rather than take the EA approach of "Squeeze out as much as you can out of a studio" before tossing them to the curb. Still, if we were to say that Microsoft had some mismanagement this generation, you wouldn't be wrong, but I don't know if it would be for these specific reasons.

 

[hussien-11]

Nintendo also closed CING. All big companies are bad at managing studios.

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CiNG were independent, they went bankrupt (sadly).

and not all companies manage their studios in the same way.
Nintendo is very well managed in my opinion.

 

[Windu]

this thread will go well.

 

[Deleted member 8593]

It was Nintendo that convinced them to file for bankruptcy when they ran into financial trouble mid-development, claiming that their market wasn't there, their co-founder said at some point. Probably reasonable but I can still say it was Nintendo that convinced them to do it.

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An interesting take, for sure.

 

[daniel77733]

Development studios get shutdown either because they're not making any money for the publisher, they suck or both. Every publisher goes through this. It's business and simply what it is. All you can really do is support the games that are developed by developers you care about. That's probably the only thing that anyone can really do.

 

[Gamer @ Heart]

How on Earth did you forget Sony's rampage last gen, OP?

Gran Turismo team is allowed to fuck around for years but they close the foreign studios who produced twice as many games that sold millions.

 

[Hailinel]

It was Nintendo that convinced them to file for bankruptcy when they ran into financial trouble mid-development, claiming that their market wasn't there, their co-founder said at some point. Probably reasonable but I can still say it was Nintendo that convinced them to do it.

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Even if that is the case, that hardly puts Nintendo up there with the ranks of companies like EA, who has shuttered so many studios that there's an art meme personifying them as a serial killer.

 

[Detective]

OP have know idea what he is talking about. Bungie? Rare? Like seriously?

 

[Dimple]

With regards to Microsoft, there's a clear realisation from Phil and Matt that things need to change, obviously time will tell but if what Rod Feargussen says in this interview is anything to go by then things are looking up.

 

[The Living Tribunal]

Killed bizzare selling to Activision for being destroyed. Rare, Bungie, Lionhead...

Click to shrink...

-Bizarre was never owned by MS so not sure what you're talking about.

-Sea of Thieves is fucking great and is even experiencing a reinassance on Twitch.

-Bungie wanted to go third party, MS knew the heads of the studio would just leave anyway so gave them the opportunity to "buy" themselves. During their time as a Microsoft studio their output was phenomenal.

 

[Barsi]

And Sony, typically known for their strong management of studios killed a whopping 7 studios all within a ten year period (989, BigBig, Evolution, Sony Liverpool, Zipper, Guerilla Cambridge and Incognito).

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But the op is not talking about closing studios but mismanagement of them or I missed the point.

 

[Reddaye]

Bizarre was owned by Microsoft ? I don't remember that

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That's because they were never owned by Microsoft, TC has their facts incorrect (a lot of them, in fact).

I won't bother going over most of your post, TC, because other people are doing a fine job of it already. However, you have shown a lack of fundamental knowledge about several things, particularly Blizzard 'partnering' with Activision. There was no partnership. Blizzard had no say in it. They're the same company, and have been for over a decade following the merger, and eventual buyout of Vivendi's stocks in the company.

 

[Stardestroyer]

But the op is not talking about closing studios but mismanagement of them or I missed the point.

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If they are getting closed that means they were mismanaged. Successful studios rarely get shut down, especially third party studios.

You don't get to bend the rules because of Sony studios.

 

[CosmicSea]

If they are getting closed that means they were mismanaged. Successful studios rarely get shut down.

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Going to play devils advocate here...I don;t think it is that simple...a company, studio can be well managed and just not be sucessfull due to various market and other factors....


OP though singling out these 3 is...weird. Thread backfire.

 

[Asbsand]

Even if that is the case, that hardly puts Nintendo up there with the ranks of companies like EA, who has shuttered so many studios that there's an art meme personifying them as a serial killer.

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I agree. The EA way is to shutter an entire studio as soon as a franchise's popularity isn't retained. It's like every EA game production is a death march for its studio.

 

[ThisIsBlitz21]

And Sony too, remember they've closed half a dozen studios in the last decade, too.

 

[DisturbedSwan]

With mass layoffs going on @Activision mostly on Blizzard can we discuss these 3 companies and their mismanagement with studios along the years.

The worst one is EA destroyed Criterion

Click to shrink...

Criterion are still going.

 

[Podge293]

If they are getting closed that means they were mismanaged. Successful studios rarely get shut down, especially third party studios.

You don't get to bend the rules because of Sony studios.

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Or people. Didn't like the games they produced and as such they didn't make budget back.

Market trends shift. Can't blame that on management

 

[Stardestroyer]

Going to play devils advocate here...I don;t think it is that simple...a company, studio can be well managed and just not be sucessfull due to various market and other factors....


OP though singling out these 3 is...weird. Thread backfire.

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The same applies to all those companies. If they make products that no one buys, that is a mismanaged of resources and thus, they are mismanaged.

Money and time are the most important resources a company has, those two are extremely limited. Mismanaged both and no company alive can survive.

Or people. Didn't like the games they produced and as such they didn't make budget back.

Market trends shift. Can't blame that on management

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So who do you blame?

Part of being a well managed company is predicting or directing trends. The goal of a company is to stay in business. If they aren't making money then they are mismanaging the most important resources a company has, money and time.

 

[tyfon]

> EA destroyed Maxis, Bullfrog, Westwood, Dice, Criterion and now BioWare. Dead space, StarWars franchise.

This is such a sad list :(
Maxis, Bullfrog and Westwood made some of my favourite games ever.

 

[CosmicSea]

> EA destroyed Maxis, Bullfrog, Westwood, Dice, Criterion and now BioWare. Dead space, StarWars franchise.

This is such a sad list :(
Maxis, Bullfrog and Westwood made some of my favourite games ever.

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Bioware?

 

[rras1994]

> EA destroyed Maxis, Bullfrog, Westwood, Dice, Criterion and now BioWare. Dead space, StarWars franchise.

This is such a sad list :(
Maxis, Bullfrog and Westwood made some of my favourite games ever.

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Maxis still exists: https://www.ea.com/studios/maxis

 

[Liliana]

Possibly the biggest thread backfire I've seen in a long time, lol.

 

[ThisIsBlitz21]

Microsoft doesn't have a good backlog with studios too. They have bought new studios now and what worry me is their story with studios.

Killed bizzare selling to Activision for being destroyed. Rare, Bungie, Lionhead...

Click to shrink...

While I do agree that MS has historically had shaky management, the examples given here dont make any sense. MS never owned Bizarre, therefore it wasnt in their hands to sell them. A lot of talent walked out of Rare in during 2000 or so, and it's not nearly all the fault of Microsoft.
Bungie wanted to go indipendent, and MS let them. What was wrong in that?
The examples that shouldve been listed were the closures of Lionhead, Ensemble, Press Play, and the MechAssault studio.

 

[Gloomz]

Big companies close down studios for a number of reasons. It doesnt always have to do with mismanagement.

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I always see the word 'mismanagement' thrown around by gamers and I'm curious how they come to that conclusion without seeing inside sales figures, how departments / studios are run and the reasons for shutting down or otherwise re-structuring a studio.

Closing down your fav studio doesn't auto = mismanagement.