Nice, I hope this means Undead Labs stays healthy and productive for the rest of my natural life. They make my favorite zombie games in the world.
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Microsoft acquires Playground games, Undead Labs, Compulsion games, Ninja Theory for first party
- Thread starter Theorry
- Start date
I think that's pretty much guaranteed. Talented studios get more resources and more stability.
Man I can't wait to see what Ninja Theory can do with more resources. If they can do Hellblade with only around 20 people.....
dayum.
dayum.
I don't know why this always gets paraded around. Sony did great work for/during PS2, yes they stumbled with early PS3 but recovered, and have been doing great work since.
You likely meant that comment in a lighthearted way but I see it way too often, and it's weird because it has undertones of "arrogant Sony", which is a comical notion this site would be better off without.
After watching that Ninja Theory video, it seems like they needed to be bought out or they would have had to potentially suffer job losses or worse.
I really hope Microsoft listens to people who enjoy AA and AAA games and fosters the studios they acquired, rather than being reactionary if they release one dud.
I really hope Microsoft listens to people who enjoy AA and AAA games and fosters the studios they acquired, rather than being reactionary if they release one dud.
Strong first party support is integral to long term success in the console market. Good to see everyone has embraced this instead of going with the "Third parties will handle it" approach. You never know when you will lose major third party support in favor of a competitor.
Its not strange, its quite simple, Lionhead was a mess of a studio working on a game that looked bad from the start. No one had confidence in them at that point. Playground are talented, and are delivering some of the best games in the industry.
Remember when everyone was salivating over Microsoft buying EA? Haha great to look back on now.
They just finished Hellblade not too long ago and the Xbox port came out very recently. I'm guessing we're still a couple years off from a new Ninja Theory game, maybe even longer if Microsoft is pushing them toward much bigger projects.
I wouldn't be surprised if they start work on a next gen launch title honestly.
Bit disappointed at the Ninja Theory one. What made Hellblade great was that they had complete creative freedom as they funded the game themselves. It's not the type of game you would expect a big studio to greenlight.
With that said I do hope Microsoft gives them that same creative freedom.
With that said I do hope Microsoft gives them that same creative freedom.
Look at what happened with Bizarre Creations, Bioware, Double Helix ...
They were all working very closely with Ms until someone purchased them.
Not to mention they are on top right now and this is the best they've ever been (IMO) in terms of first party titles
Yeah, it might not be some megaton announcement on the surface, but Playground is one of the best studios in the world. They would've eventually been bought or made games for someone else. Super important long term move by MS.
You should watch their response video where they say MS is giving them creative freedom + additional resources. Here's hoping they stick to their word.
At least put some effort in your trolling.
Exactly. Playground has been pumping out high quality games for years, it was just a matter of time until a different publisher decided to make an offer for the studio. I'm actually surprised it took Microsoft this long to acquire them.
I watched it but I've seen MS mishandle one too many first party studios/games to believe them.
Will take a wait and see approach on this one
They are getting trounced by the two competitors. What do the other two have that Microsoft doesn't? That's why they have to step their game up. Also management is way different now
They were working on a game that was forced upon.
They wanted to do a new traditional Fable and Microsoft told them no.
Studio was in a mess? Glad you worked for them. They were told to work on a stupid Kinect game and a Fable online game that nobody wanted to work on.
https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2016-05-12-lionhead-the-inside-story
To be fair to the poster, Press Play and Lionhead Studios were shut down during the time while Phil Spencer was head of the Xbox division.
Well, Hellblade came out nearly a year ago so I'm sure they have something brewing up already. Question is, will we see these game next year or does MS want to save them for next gen?
Yet all you point might be true, Lionhead was a disaster on its final form. That cancelled Fable game was complete barebones even after years of work and high budgets.
On topic, great acquisitions from MS, specially Playground. Also, now that Undead is part of MS Studios, it makes me more optimistic about more ambitious SoD2 updates in the future.
This is what irks me. Apparently Lionhead wanted to make a proper Fable and MS wasn't having it. Now rumors are circulating that Playground is making a Fable lol. Maybe MS realized they messed up?
Understandable, but the buck stops with Phil Spencer, as he is the head of Xbox.
EDIT: I'm hopeful for Ninja Theory, as they have a track record, but I am somewhat worried for Compulsion Games as they were formerly an independent studio, and they will need to prove their worth.
That's because they hired tons of multiplayer people. They had people at the studio who never worked on multiplayer games or games as a "service" type games. It shows when one of the ex studio members was saying they couldn't wait to finish Legends because nobody at the studio didn't want to work on it.
Lionhead was simply not delivering and the studio became a massive money sink. The cancelled game was a disaster and it didn't help that Fable III was poorly received, also most of the talent that made the first games a success had already left. It sucks, but it's not like the studio was closed down because of the lulz.
From the above Eurogamer article I posted
This what happens when you force staff to make games you want and not they want.
So I hope MS have learnt their lesson and give these companies the creative freedoms like Sony do with their studios. Otherwise it will be the same shit again.
This what happens when you force staff to make games you want and not they want.
So I hope MS have learnt their lesson and give these companies the creative freedoms like Sony do with their studios. Otherwise it will be the same shit again.
Wait people are upset they are being brought out ? Concern trolling/Fanboyism has changed. This is like being upset that Kojima got brought out by Sony.
We should all be happy Microsoft is investing heavily into good studios. Healthy competition is good everyone. If you love a developer so much, you should be able to understand that they have to decide what makes the most business sense for their future.
We should all be happy Microsoft is investing heavily into good studios. Healthy competition is good everyone. If you love a developer so much, you should be able to understand that they have to decide what makes the most business sense for their future.
I'm sure it's good for NT, but, it feels like a bummer to me.
With Hellblade, they really went all out on selling us the narrative that they needed us to help them prove that AA indie studios can exist. And, like, it certainly felt like we did prove that, across all platforms. Hellblade wasn't just a good game, but, proof that if you have the talent and ambition, your indie studio *can* succeed. But then they just get bought out.
Ah well. I'm legit glad they have security now. I'm sure they'll continue to make some good games, and maybe they truly have paved the way for other indie studios to stay indie and successful, as they say in their video.
With Hellblade, they really went all out on selling us the narrative that they needed us to help them prove that AA indie studios can exist. And, like, it certainly felt like we did prove that, across all platforms. Hellblade wasn't just a good game, but, proof that if you have the talent and ambition, your indie studio *can* succeed. But then they just get bought out.
Ah well. I'm legit glad they have security now. I'm sure they'll continue to make some good games, and maybe they truly have paved the way for other indie studios to stay indie and successful, as they say in their video.
playground and undead were already basically first party studios, the title lacks the iniative, the new studio they're making.
overall i think these are good moves as ms needs more and more varied first party offerings.
overall i think these are good moves as ms needs more and more varied first party offerings.
They took a gamble and it worked. There's no telling if that would happen a second or third time etc. that's not something you want to keep doing if you don't have to. Imo you need to do what they did multiple times to prove they can exist
Ninja Theory wanted this, they said they were held back due to lack of funding, MS will not only give them that, but the security of knowing their not going to fold.
Re: Ninja Theory
I think any Ninja Theory fan has the right to be a little cautious. The main reason I bought a One - my first Microsoft console period - was because of their partnership with Insomniac on Sunset Overdrive. I bought the bundle. With SO, Insomniac had creative control. Yet here we are, over three and a half years later, and despite good reviews and decent sales - especially when you consider the One's install base at the time - the promising IP is pretty much dead.
Still, kudos to Microsoft for actually listening to peoples' complaints about their anemic first party. I know I've been vocal. Even if they wouldn't have been my choices, I like that they went with a variety of developers from large scale to indie. It's a great move to rival Sony's massive first party and over time will help Microsoft get to a more level playing field when it comes to exclusive software. Maybe they can actually start using the term exclusive properly instead of just whoring it out on technicalities every chance they get.
I think any Ninja Theory fan has the right to be a little cautious. The main reason I bought a One - my first Microsoft console period - was because of their partnership with Insomniac on Sunset Overdrive. I bought the bundle. With SO, Insomniac had creative control. Yet here we are, over three and a half years later, and despite good reviews and decent sales - especially when you consider the One's install base at the time - the promising IP is pretty much dead.
Still, kudos to Microsoft for actually listening to peoples' complaints about their anemic first party. I know I've been vocal. Even if they wouldn't have been my choices, I like that they went with a variety of developers from large scale to indie. It's a great move to rival Sony's massive first party and over time will help Microsoft get to a more level playing field when it comes to exclusive software. Maybe they can actually start using the term exclusive properly instead of just whoring it out on technicalities every chance they get.
I'm curious, why did Microsoft let Twisted Pixel go and shudder Press Play and Lionhead? Was there a mass exodus in talent that the studios were just shells of their former selves?
I definitely feel, sans Bungie, that NT and Playground are upgrades compared to the aforementioned.
Does anyone feel the announcement by Phil was a bit, shall I say out of touch? They touch upon the NT acquisition in the middle of the announcement when it was probably the biggest next to Playground and arguably the most fan-friendly. And then they close the announcement with Compulsion and everyone was like, "who?" It's almost as if they didn't know themselves how big of a get NT was.
I definitely feel, sans Bungie, that NT and Playground are upgrades compared to the aforementioned.
Does anyone feel the announcement by Phil was a bit, shall I say out of touch? They touch upon the NT acquisition in the middle of the announcement when it was probably the biggest next to Playground and arguably the most fan-friendly. And then they close the announcement with Compulsion and everyone was like, "who?" It's almost as if they didn't know themselves how big of a get NT was.
Im sorry, but Fable 3 was shite as well, the writing was on the wall, im happy Fable was taken away from them, rather MS direct resources to more capable teams. Lionhead were on a downward spiral, they cut their loses.
Might raise some anger by venting my thoughts on this.
I think Playground, unread Labs and Compulsion are fine since they were working so tighly with Microsoft already, almost as they already were first party.
But the aquistion of Ninja Theory doesn't feel ok since it was an already established third party studio who was (slightly) more associated with playstation (Heavenly Sword and Hellblade).
It is that kind of aqustition I've been fearing Microsoft would go for: "Why incubate a completly fresh studio when we can just buy an established one instead? Oh and we can hurt their fans who don't play on Xbox at the same time."
I hated it when Nintendo did it with Monolith soft and I'd hate it if it had been Sony who did it (They probably already have but I just woke up and can't think of any similar examples on top of my head).
I think Playground, unread Labs and Compulsion are fine since they were working so tighly with Microsoft already, almost as they already were first party.
But the aquistion of Ninja Theory doesn't feel ok since it was an already established third party studio who was (slightly) more associated with playstation (Heavenly Sword and Hellblade).
It is that kind of aqustition I've been fearing Microsoft would go for: "Why incubate a completly fresh studio when we can just buy an established one instead? Oh and we can hurt their fans who don't play on Xbox at the same time."
I hated it when Nintendo did it with Monolith soft and I'd hate it if it had been Sony who did it (They probably already have but I just woke up and can't think of any similar examples on top of my head).