So what happened to Thatgamecompany?

TSM · Feb 14, 2021

Mafro said:
Bayonetta 2 wouldn't have existed without Nintendo though.

dgamemaster said:
If Bayonetta 2 wasn't funded by Nintendo, there wouldn't be any more Bayonetta. Don't blame the developer for being literally unable to continue making games unless they switched platforms. The player base isn't forced to follow, but I don't think devs like Platinum ever want to abandon their player base.

ILikeFeet said:
Bayonetta 2 would have left the player base behind by not fucking existing

I never said otherwise? You guys are reading into that things I didn't say.

But if someone tried to say that any sales problems were the player base from the first game's fault for not buying a Wii U that would be ridiculous. Not everyone has to play on every gaming platform under the sun.

bitcloudrzr · Feb 14, 2021

Khrn said:
I'll reply just for clarification. My point from the very beginning was that if they have to go through bankruptcy and paying half a salary to their entire company, it's not worth pursuing console development first for the games they want to make. That's all.

Your point is understood, but it was the scope of the game that caused the financial issues and not console development.

Addleburg · Feb 14, 2021

Brazil said:
I would argue that it's the player base who left them behind by completely ignoring a game that's literally Journey but better in every sense because they're scared of playing on their phones.

As someone who enjoyed all their previous releases, I'd literally never heard of Sky until this thread. I don't enjoy playing games on my phone, but will at least look into this one.

Chettlar · Feb 14, 2021

Brazil said:
I would argue that it's the player base who left them behind by completely ignoring a game that's literally Journey but better in every sense because they're scared of playing on their phones.

Or maybe we just don't have phones that can run a game like that and would rather just play a journey like experience on a TV. A phone isn't even capable of giving me that experience. One of the best parts of playing through Journey in its entirety on a big screen TV was how it completely enveloped me. Put that on a tiny screen and give it microtransactions which absolutely take me out of the experience and you've just given me two things to completely destroy what would pull me into that kind of game. Why would that interest me then?

Brazil said:
There's no better way to describe how half of Era treats mobile gaming. I guess they're scared of being seeing as casuals or something. I dunno.

This is really pathetic. No, it has nothing to do with fear. I don't mind playing games on mobile. But an experience like this just does not do it for me. This is a weirdly superior position you're taking, and it's very offputting.

SCUMMbag · Feb 14, 2021

This a thread of some truly awful takes lol.

Sky is rad. Maybe not Journey rad but still very good. Releasing games on phones isn't leaving people behind anymore than each generational shift is leaving players behind.

You can be disappointed that the game isn't on your platform of choice but to say you're being left behind because they're no longer developing for your multi-hundred pound setup is just gamers being gamers.

wafflebrain · Feb 14, 2021

spman2099 said:
You are the one moving the goal posts. So now I have to go buy cables to transfer the image to my TV (and then cobble them together with a third party controller). Basically, I need to construct a console piece by piece. How is that a reasonable expectation? Seems to me I would just be better off playing games on a console which is a pleasurable experience out of the box (without engaging in some kind of DIY experiment). Your argument is asinine.

Especially since this game is coming to a console... so why would I bother with any of this? I will just keep buying good games on consoles.

"piece by piece" lmao...you're acting like you're literally being required to solder boards and chips together. Need to buy a compatible bluetooth gamepad (which are dirt cheap on Amazon) and maybe two cords, probably one. I have a tablet that I connect my Xbox one controller to via BT and use one of those tablet clamps you secure onto a nearby table. Takes maybe less than five minutes to set up. It's like some of ya'll just want to be as unresourceful as possible.

Also gotta love the cringe "betraylton Sony!" posts from OP...an indie company goes where they need to keep the lights on once whatever contracts they had fulfilled, which they did, and then decided to go mobile. They don't owe you anything, period. I don't prefer mobile to TV gaming either but what's with all the "bu-but why did it take them so long to make another game?" concern trolling posts? It's almost like studios of any size can run into financial issues or a slew of canceled projects, and no, the details aren't any of your business.

spman2099 · Feb 14, 2021

wafflebrain said:
"piece by piece" lmao...you're acting like you're literally being required to solder boards and chips together. Need to buy a compatible bluetooth gamepad (which are dirt cheap on Amazon) and maybe two cords, probably one. I have a tablet that I connect my Xbox one controller to via BT and use one of those tablet clamps you secure onto a nearby table. Takes maybe less than five minutes to set up. It's like some of ya'll just want to be as unresourceful as possible.

Sounds like a giant pain in the ass to me. You do you, but I have plenty of great games across the many consoles that don't require any of this extra nonsense. If these good phone games release on consoles then that is great. I will happily buy them (as I plan to do with Sky). If they don't, that is the developer's choice. Whatever.

Chettlar · Feb 14, 2021

DC5remy said:
Which game company?

Ya know. Thatone.

I really wish you'd said, whichgamecompany? lol

7thFloor · Feb 14, 2021

The director of Journey left to form funomena right?

Chettlar · Feb 14, 2021

SCUMMbag said:
This a thread of some truly awful takes lol.

Sky is rad. Maybe not Journey rad but still very good. Releasing games on phones isn't leaving people behind anymore than each generational shift is leaving players behind.

You can be disappointed that the game isn't on your platform of choice but to say you're being left behind because they're no longer developing for your multi-hundred pound setup is just gamers being gamers.

It kind of did leave me behind. I'm not going to upgrade my phone for one game. I'm going to save up to buy a new phone that is actually current, which costs a ton of money. When buying a phone, I'm considering way more factors than most other purchases. Consoles are cheaper. PC's can be modified piecemeal. And as a gaming enthusiast on a budget, I have to carefully consider the place I play games, and I have to prioritize finding a space that facilitates that the best. For me, that has been consoles and PC. If I choose one, given my money is limited, that precludes another. That is the space I am in and the space they found me in when they curated me as part of their audience. A phone is a multipurpose device that I need to consider all my usecases for. It is a much bigger investment than any other electronic device in my life. It's not reasonable for me to upgrade just to play a game, the same way it would be to ask me to upgrade to a new generation of consoles. If them moving to a device that is not reasonable to ask me to just jump to, how is that NOT leaving the audience behind. Hell, if that isn't leaving an audience behind...what would be?

Where an audience is, and therefore, the thing you can leave, is...well, where they are. If you leave that space and go to another one...how is that not leaving your audience? If that's not leaving your audience, like again...what would be?

Your audience, and like, this is, like accepted in professional spaces I've been in, is comprised of people who occupy a space physically/virtually, and consume a type of content. Both matter. If you take your content to a new space, that is, on the whole, considered a new audience. People can be in both audiences, but because the space is new, the audience is different and has different needs and expectations and emotional experience, again even if some of the people exist in both.

TSM · Feb 14, 2021

SCUMMbag said:
This a thread of some truly awful takes lol.

Sky is rad. Maybe not Journey rad but still very good. Releasing games on phones isn't leaving people behind anymore than each generational shift is leaving players behind.

You can be disappointed that the game isn't on your platform of choice but to say you're being left behind because they're no longer developing for your multi-hundred pound setup is just gamers being gamers.

Changing platforms is leaving your player base behind. Even gen to gen on the same company's hardware is leaving at least part of your player base behind. To say otherwise is to say that people primarily owned the hardware for that company's games, and not that they bought that company's games because they owned the hardware. As people have pointed out there are a lot of old phones with a long life still left ahead of them. Not everyone wants to buy a new phone every year or even every other year. I just upgraded my galaxy S3 2 years ago. I'll run this one into the ground before upgrading as well.

Stoney Mason · Feb 14, 2021

This "leaving me behind" business is the dumbest thing in the world. This is a company that makes games. They aren't your parents. They owe no allegiance to you as a consumer or any specific corporation unless said corporations buys them or invests in them to make a game. The only arguable allegiance they owe is to their employees to try to maintain a business.

If you choose not to buy the games on the platform they put them out on cool. That's a perfectly fine decision for you to make. But "left behind" is the most naive childish way of looking at the world.

Chettlar · Feb 14, 2021

Stoney Mason said:
This "leaving me behind" business is the dumbest thing in the world. This is a company that makes games. They aren't your parents. They owe no allegiance to you as a consumer or any specific corporation unless said corporations buys them or invests in them to make a game. The only arguable allegiance they owe is to their employees to try to maintain a business.

If you choose not to buy the games on the platform they put them out on own cool. That's a perfectly fine decision for you to make. But "left behind" is the most naive childish way of looking at the world.

No one is saying they don't have a right to leave an audience behind or that they are bad people for doing it. You're attaching way too much emotional charge to the idea. It's not an inherently charged term. You are the one charging it. I'm just using it descriptively.

The fact is they left an audience behind. That audience could then chase them, and some will, but many won't, for many reasons, including financial, and it is what it is.

What they did is a separate conversation to why they did it. I can both acknowledge that they left an audience behind, and that they did so because it was more financially viable, and that's fine.

If someone wants to attach a feeling of betrayal to that description, well sure, that's kinda silly. But the term isn't inherently charged.

As some people have pointed out, it seems OP does have that feeling a bit, and has sort of hidden it, but it seems to come out a little in the things they say.

Ceerious · Feb 14, 2021

Sky is a hugely successful game in China. It has never dropped out of the top 30 in the last six months, reached top 3 several times. Since the main producer Chen is a Chinese descendant，it's easier for him to do business with Chinese company. Seen nothing wrong about that.

sredgrin · Feb 14, 2021

They "left their audience behind" because the indie space on Sony platforms is much different now that it was in the PS3 era. Indie devs frequently bounce around (see Supergiant's asssocation with Xbox, then playstation, then PC/Switch) because yes, the actual audience for indie games tends to move around, or own multiple platforms.

I'd wager a good chunk of Journey players are playing Sky. Low barrier to entry really.

Stoney Mason · Feb 14, 2021

Chettlar said:
What they did is a separate conversation to why they did it. I can both acknowledge that they left an audience behind, and that they did so because it was more financially viable, and that's fine.

If someone wants to attach a feeling of betrayal to that description, well sure, that's kinda silly. But the term isn't inherently charged.

Then lets frame it this way. Sony "left them behind" by not creating a good enough financial incentive for them to continue putting their games out solely on that platform. So they choose to expand to different platforms and expand their audience. So if we are going to toss out leaving people behind lets include all the people who left all the people behind since this is apparently a very important distinction to make.

UltraGashInferno · Feb 14, 2021

Mobile games can also sort of be like tipping the creator.

Don't tip them if they betrayed you though, friends don't tip friends who betray each other. It's right there in the EULA for Journey

Chettlar · Feb 14, 2021

Stoney Mason said:
Then lets frame it this way. Sony "left them behind" by not creating a good enough financial incentive for them to continue putting their games out solely on that platform. So they choose to expand to different platforms and expand their audience. So if we are going to toss out leaving people behind lets include all the people who left all the people behind since this is apparently a very important distinction to make.

Sony didn't move. This sounds like YOU feel emotionally about this situation and are trying to cast blame now, and I don't understand why that has to be in the conversation at all. Like, look. Maybe just, the space they were in wasn't where they needed to be, so they left. That's fine. There is no blame here.

Like, we can be accurate about what happened without it indicting thatgamecompany. Sony made a space, and invited thatgamecompany into that space. Thatgamecompany attempted to build something there, and while it was successful, it wasn't successful enough, so they left that space behind, because that's what they needed to do. You're still like, trying to tie "leave behind" to this idea of fault as if that is inherent, and it isn't; like...we don't need to ya know? It can be purely descriptive here.

The space they were wasn't good enough to support them, so they left it behind. That means leaving some audience behind, which sucks, but that's the way the world spins.

I don't know why you seem so caught on the idea of trying to tie "leave behind" to "at fault." Obviously there can be some negativity here, but like, negativity and downsides to a decision don't make that decision bad or the person making them a bad person. Thatgamecompany had to leave some of their audience behind. Sucks for the audience, but it was the right decision for thatgamecompany. We don't need to like, asign blame to thatgamecompany, or the audience, or sony. It is what it is.

spam musubi · Feb 14, 2021

Ceerious said:
Sky is a hugely successful game in China. It has never dropped out of the top 30 in the last six months, reached top 3 several times. Since the main producer Chen is a Chinese descendant，it's easier for him to do business with Chinese company. Seen nothing wrong about that.

It's likely that the audience for Sky is much larger than the previous audience of their games, so they likely aren't worried about "leaving anything behind" anyway as per the language used in this thread

DrScruffleton · Feb 14, 2021

I had absolutely no idea they released a game after Journey, Ill check it out

Stoney Mason · Feb 14, 2021

Chettlar said:
Sony didn't move. This sounds like YOU feel emotionally about this situation and are trying to cast blame now, and I don't understand why that has to be in the conversation at all. Like, look. Maybe just, the space they were in wasn't where they needed to be, so they left. That's fine. There is no blame here.

Like, we can be accurate about what happened without it indicting thatgamecompany. Sony made a space, and invited thatgamecompany into that space. Thatgamecompany attempted to build something there, and while it was successful, it wasn't successful enough, so they left that space behind, because that's what they needed to do. You're still like, trying to tie "leave behind" to this idea of fault as if that is inherent, and it isn't; like...we don't need to ya know? It can be purely descriptive here.

The space they were wasn't good enough to support them, so they left it behind. That means leaving some audience behind, which sucks, but that's the way the world spins.

I don't know why you seem so caught on the idea of trying to tie "leave behind" to "at fault." Obviously there can be some negativity here, but like, negativity and downsides to a decision don't make that decision bad or the person making them a bad person. Thatgamecompany had to leave some of their audience behind. Sucks for the audience, but it was the right decision for thatgamecompany. We don't need to like, asign blame to thatgamecompany, or the audience, or sony. It is what it is.

The basis of this thread is bullshit. It was from the first post. If you want to frame it as "leaving behind" whatever connotation you want to put on it, I think that's a dumb way to look at it. But you are entitled to it. And I'll leave it at that.

This thread was made because a console platform exclusive moved away from it being that, and the op wandered around trying to make some weird point to try to hide he wished they stayed a playstation exclusive without saying that. Actually just having that take from the jump would have been at least more honest. Still would have been a bad thread though.

AuthenticM · Feb 14, 2021

Hopefully they release the game on PC or consoles. I'd love to try it out.

Adulfzen · Feb 14, 2021

Switch being the first platform they choose to port after mobile makes sense (besides PC) if you consider where indie games are currently thriving.

But it sounds like this is also a timed exclusive ? That definitely sucks for other platforms. Hopefully it's not much longer than 6 months.

Still as a Switch owner I can't wait to give it a spin as I'm pretty sure my phone wouldn't be able to run it.

Chettlar · Feb 14, 2021

Stoney Mason said:
The basis of this thread is bullshit. It was from the first post. If you want to frame it as "leaving behind" whatever connotation you want to put on it, I think that's a dumb way to look at it. But you are entitled to it. And I'll leave it at that.

This thread was made because a console platform exclusive moved away from it being that, and the op wandered around trying to make some weird point to try to hide he wished they stayed a playstation exclusive without saying that. Actually just having that take from the jump would have been at least more honest. Still would have been a bad thread though.

It's bad because OP is acting like being left behind was some sort of betrayal, which is immature, but I'm trying to clarify because I feel like you're attacking the phrase in general, but there are a lot of people in this thread using it more reasonably, so I'm covering that that concept isn't the problem here. It's the feeling of betrayal that OP is describing. In that way we agree. I just don't agree with how you've chosen to cover it, because it's a bad argument against OP, and dismisses a lot of more reasonable opinions that exist in this thread.

Richietto · Feb 14, 2021

I'll happily play their new game when it comes to consoles.

entrydenied · Feb 14, 2021

NinjaScooter said:
I imagine they took some good upfront money from Apple. As this thread/forum often shows, gamers can be incredibly fickle so putting your company's future solely in their hands and ignoring business deals that might help you keep the lights on might not always be the best idea for people actually trying to run a business, no matter how "noble" a vocal minority of message board gamers might think it is.

Yeah. I mean, refusing to try a f2p game just because it is f2p and not on the platform that allows one to play on a 65" screen, and saying that the company failed, when it in fact succeeded in keeping their employees paid, is just peak Gamers™.

All this thread does is reminding me that I need to go play Sky.

petethepanda · Feb 14, 2021

As much as I loved Journey as a singular thing, the simple feel of playing it was so good that I wanted another game from them with similar mechanics, and Sky is... pretty much exactly what I wanted! I really need to get back to it, I played a few hours in a few scattered months during the beta but haven't gone back since 1.0.

Clowns · Feb 14, 2021

I can't remember ever hearing of this new game. My phone is also not good enough to run it apparently, Google Play won't even let me install it 😢

TooBusyLookinGud · Feb 14, 2021

They are still making successful games is what happened. They made a business decision for their company like Sony makes for their company.

BlackheartVinyl · Feb 14, 2021

Magog said:
That's another confusing aspect of NuThatgamecompany. Why bring it to Switch and not the PS4 which was the home of your previous games after Sony gave you a huge leg up in the industry with a 3 game deal for some unknown college students. PS4 has a larger install base as well if money is all they love.

It'll sell better on Switch.

You need to stop thinking of developers as loyal to console makers. Don't work that way.

Hailinel · Feb 14, 2021

TSM said:
I never said otherwise? You guys are reading into that things I didn't say.

But if someone tried to say that any sales problems were the player base from the first game's fault for not buying a Wii U that would be ridiculous. Not everyone has to play on every gaming platform under the sun.

Platinum also didn't abandon the playerbase by putting the game in Wii U, regardless of how many Bayonetta 1 fans missed out on it by not having a Wii U (or a Switch, for that matter).

BlackheartVinyl · Feb 14, 2021

"Left me behind" is such a silly-ass thing to say.

KingM · Feb 14, 2021

spman2099 said:
You are the one moving the goal posts. So now I have to go buy cables to transfer the image to my TV (and then cobble them together with a third party controller). Basically, I need to construct a console piece by piece. How is that a reasonable expectation? Seems to me I would just be better off playing games on a console which is a pleasurable experience out of the box (without engaging in some kind of DIY experiment). Your argument is asinine.

Especially since this game is coming to a console... so why would I bother with any of this? I will just keep buying good games on consoles.

Most modern TVs have screen mirroring for android and ios. And I know for a fact dual shocks connect to mobile devices through Bluetooth. I believe newer Xbox controllers do as well. It's a pretty easy setup and doesn't require much, if any, third party accessories that a console or PC gamer doesn't likely have.

hydrophilic attack · Feb 14, 2021

Brazil said:
There's no better way to describe how half of Era treats mobile gaming. I guess they're scared of being seeing as casuals or something. I dunno

i love playing games on my phone but i just hate the free to play business model. i do support mobile games that with the traditional pay-up-front model

styl_oh · Feb 14, 2021

love watching this brazil guy have a meltdown over people having preferences

you work for the company or something guy

Striferser · Feb 14, 2021

Tried Sky. It is damn good and have quite active community. I've seen a lot of players when i'm playing it.

Man, its kinda obvious some user still stuck in early 2010.

One of the biggest game last year is Genshin Impact, a BOTW inspired game from mobile dev that so good it got ported into console.

Dev now even implement gyro or controller support for people who want precision.

No android or ios? Install bluestacks to play them on pc.

CaviarMeths · Feb 14, 2021

Lol @ how much of this thread are just people mad at being called the fuck out by Brazil in the first post.

But yeah, weird premise for a thread. What happened to them? They're doing what they've been doing for the last 10 years.

SlickVic · Feb 14, 2021

This thread reminded me I really need to check out Sky at some point. Remember hearing in passing they made a mobile game, but kind of slipped my mind until now.

Earvin Infinity · Feb 14, 2021

Thanks to this thread, I decided to check out Sky on my iPhone 12 and it's... freakin' amazing and relaxing. After getting my ass kicked in Nioh 2 and Risk of Rain 2, this is the perfect game for me to unwind on.

asmith906 · Feb 14, 2021

Magog said:
Huh? Rocket League and Fall Guys both made it big because of Playstation Plus.

Sony stopped promoting indie games as heavily as they once did. There's a lot of data that switch owners buy way more indie games than other systems. I'd argue the portable nature of the system makes buying indie games on it more appealing. Considering how long it took them just to get the game out on only the iPhone first it's no wonder they chose the switch first and will probably release on other consoles later. Sure we might not like it if you're looking for the best of the best graphics but there's nothing that can be done about it, so no use getting upset.

TSM · Feb 14, 2021

Hailinel said:
Platinum also didn't abandon the playerbase by putting the game in Wii U, regardless of how many Bayonetta 1 fans missed out on it by not having a Wii U (or a Switch, for that matter).

Now you are just being pedantic. Nintendo funding the Bayonetta 2 was absolutely the only way it was ever happening, but the franchise also left the player base behind. Especially since it was on the Wii U which was a huge flop by any metric. To be clear there was no way it couldn't leave the player base behind given how it happened, but left behind they were. No reasonable person expected fans to buy a Wii U just to play Bayonetta 2. Just as no reasonable person expects fans to buy a new smart phone just to play Sky.

dabri · Feb 14, 2021

Magog said:
Details on this bankruptcy you speak of? Their first three games were all funded by Sony. What happened to them after that? Did Sony not offer to publish their next game or did they choose to go off on their own? What was the project? What happened to it?

Journey took thatgamecompany into bankruptcy

Went one year over budget Jenova Chen’s D.I.C.E. Summit talk on my favorite game of last year, Journey, was moving...

www.destructoid.com

Chettlar · Feb 14, 2021

CaviarMeths said:
Lol @ how much of this thread are just people mad at being called the fuck out by Brazil in the first post.

But yeah, weird premise for a thread. What happened to them? They're doing what they've been doing for the last 10 years.

I'm not mad at him for "calling me out." I'm annoyed at him for his superior attitude that completely disrespects and misunderstands people he's trying to describe. It's asshat behavior.

KamenSenshi · Feb 14, 2021

styl_oh said:
love watching this brazil guy have a meltdown over people having preferences

you work for the company or something guy

Yeah he derailed the thread immediately with that ridiculously antagonistic stuff. Would get banned for that in any thread for PS/Xbox.

Gibson · Feb 14, 2021

I really want to play Sky.
One day I'll have a phone good enough to play it. Pretty sure my iPhone7 would struggle with it.

Stoney Mason · Feb 14, 2021

KamenSenshi said:
Yeah he derailed the thread immediately with that ridiculously antagonistic stuff. Would get banned for that in any thread for PS/Xbox.

Lol. He "derailed" a port begging fanboy concern troll thread.

Green Mario · Feb 14, 2021

CaviarMeths said:
Lol @ how much of this thread are just people mad at being called the fuck out by Brazil in the first post.

But yeah, weird premise for a thread. What happened to them? They're doing what they've been doing for the last 10 years.

Lol @ thinking that people are "scared" of playing games on their phones.

KtSlime · Feb 14, 2021

KamenSenshi said:
Yeah he derailed the thread immediately with that ridiculously antagonistic stuff. Would get banned for that in any thread for PS/Xbox.

The thread kind of started off in an antagonistic way, it would be like making a thread asking "what happened to Insomniac, they haven't done anything since Sunset Overdrive", or some other thing when you can easily look up on Google what a particular company/development team has made.

DC5remy · Feb 14, 2021

John Kowalski said:
This joke is fourteen years old and you should be ashamed

It felt like a drunk post.. I was sober

aiswyda · Feb 14, 2021

lol at everyone interpreting Brazil's "scared" so literally. It's obvious they meant "highly adverse" or smth like that, which based on the responses in this thread seems on the money.

So what happened to Thatgamecompany?

Prophet of Truth - Chicken Chaser

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account

Son Altesse Sérénissime

One Winged Slayer

Saw the truth behind the copied door

Graphics Engineer

Shamed a mod for a tag

Fallen One-Winged Chicken Chaser