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re: Apparently massive layoffs incoming for Xbox Game Studios
Posted on 7/2/25 at 12:24 pm to CarolinaGamecock99
Posted on 7/2/25 at 12:24 pm to CarolinaGamecock99
shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
0
Posted on 7/2/25 at 12:25 pm to CarolinaGamecock99
quote:
Unfortunately most ‘conservatives’ support this H1B garbage
This is one area where very few politicians are aligned with their base. I understand using H1B visas for high-skilled workers, but that's not what this is. The main problem is the big money donors all want more cheap labor.
This post was edited on 7/2/25 at 12:26 pm
Posted on 7/2/25 at 12:30 pm to imjustafatkid
Perfect Dark officially dead
quote:
Earlier, we reported exclusively that Perfect Dark was on the chopping block as part of Microsoft's latest round of cuts. Now, we can confirm the sad news.
Today, Microsoft revealed broad layoffs hitting 4% of its global workforce, across every division at the company. Many of those layoffs are hitting Xbox, with staffers in various departments receiving notice today. Many of those affected include Xbox studio The Initiative, which is sadly being closed down.
quote:
Perfect Dark was set to be a revival of Rare's classic stealth IP from the early 2000s. The team at The Initiative was set up in 2018 with studio heavyweights including leader Darrell Gallagher, of Tomb Raider fame. Gallagher's former team at Crystal Dynamics was working together with Microsoft on Perfect Dark, and that partnership will now also conclude.
Posted on 7/2/25 at 12:35 pm to imjustafatkid
LINK
Looks like they're shutting down The Initiative and canceling the Perfect Dark reboot. I can't say that's very surprising given it's been in development for 7 years now. The MMO Zenimax Online was working on that was apparently canceled today has been in development for 8 years. Everwild has apparently been in development since 2014 and was announced publicly in 2019.
Matt Booty internal email:
ETA: I'm disappointed about Perfect Dark. Seems like that's a property that should print money. Don't really care about the other 2.
Looks like they're shutting down The Initiative and canceling the Perfect Dark reboot. I can't say that's very surprising given it's been in development for 7 years now. The MMO Zenimax Online was working on that was apparently canceled today has been in development for 8 years. Everwild has apparently been in development since 2014 and was announced publicly in 2019.
Matt Booty internal email:
quote:
Following Phil’s note, I want to share more about the changes to the Studios business units.
We have made the decision to stop development of Perfect Dark and Everwild as well as wind down several unannounced projects across our portfolio. As part of this, we are closing one of our studios, The Initiative. These decisions, along with other changes across our teams, reflect a broader effort to adjust priorities and focus resources to set up our teams for greater success within a changing industry landscape. We did not make these choices lightly, as each project and team represent years of effort, imagination, and commitment.
Our overall portfolio strategy is unchanged: build games that excite our players, continue to grow our biggest franchises, and create new stories, worlds, and characters. We have more than 40 projects in active development, continued momentum on titles shipping this fall, and a strong slate headed into 2026.
For those directly affected, we are working closely with HR and studio leadership to provide support, including severance, career transition assistance, and where possible, opportunities to explore roles on other teams.
To everyone across our studios: thank you. Your creativity and resilience continue to define who we are. I believe in the strength of our teams and the direction we're taking on the path ahead.
ETA: I'm disappointed about Perfect Dark. Seems like that's a property that should print money. Don't really care about the other 2.
This post was edited on 7/2/25 at 12:40 pm
Posted on 7/2/25 at 12:39 pm to imjustafatkid
The MMO makes sense. I think ESO is successful enough, and there are plenty of examples of getting a good foundation for an MMO and supporting that to perpetuity. I don't think there was a "need" for a new game.
That initial trailer looked promising. I played the crap out of the N64 game, and I guess it would have been fun to have another one, but I wasn't craving it.
quote:
ETA: I'm disappointed about Perfect Dark. Seems like that's a property that should print money.
That initial trailer looked promising. I played the crap out of the N64 game, and I guess it would have been fun to have another one, but I wasn't craving it.
This post was edited on 7/2/25 at 12:41 pm
Posted on 7/2/25 at 12:50 pm to sicboy
quote:
The MMO makes sense. I think ESO is successful enough, and there are plenty of examples of getting a good foundation for an MMO and supporting that to perpetuity. I don't think there was a "need" for a new game.
I can agree with this. Not sure why there needs to be a "new" Elder Scrolls Online. They can probably use some of the work on this new project to improve ESO.
ETA:
quote:
That initial trailer looked promising. I played the crap out of the N64 game, and I guess it would have been fun to have another one, but I wasn't craving it.
I was hoping it would be a Metal Gear Solid-type stealth game. I guess a lot of games are like that these days though, and it is certainly true that this game had been in development for a very long time. Exceedingly long for one studio to focus on just that one game.
This post was edited on 7/2/25 at 12:54 pm
Posted on 7/2/25 at 12:52 pm to imjustafatkid
Unless they wanted to go with a different genre, which would be...what, a shooter? Fallout 76 is essentially an MMO.
Posted on 7/2/25 at 12:55 pm to imjustafatkid
quote:
I'm disappointed about Perfect Dark. Seems like that's a property that should print money.
Loved the N64 game and thought Zero was ok for a 360 launch title but that was 20 years ago.. so not so sure it would be a hit. TBH I wish they would do a full on remake of the N64 game.
Posted on 7/2/25 at 12:56 pm to sicboy
quote:
Unless they wanted to go with a different genre, which would be...what, a shooter? Fallout 76 is essentially an MMO.
Yeah not sure. Microsoft essentially owns World of Warcraft, Fallout 76, and Elder Scrolls Online. How many MMOs do they need in their gaming portfolio? Surely they've scratched the itch here.
ETA: I forgot about Sea of Thieves, which is silly because my oldest enjoys it so it's the only one of these that gets played in my house.
This post was edited on 7/2/25 at 1:00 pm
Posted on 7/2/25 at 1:01 pm to ThuperThumpin
Didn't they remaster it for the 360? Was only sold on the marketplace or something.
Posted on 7/2/25 at 1:29 pm to sicboy
quote:
Didn't they remaster it for the 360?
Yes they did back when Xbox Live Summer games was a thing.
Posted on 7/2/25 at 2:58 pm to sicboy
quote:
I just want these studios to survive. I get it takes money to make games, but you sell yourself off and then you're at the mercy of people who don't understand the game market and eventually will make business decisions, not game decision. And the only thing they know to do is shutter it all.
I see what you are getting at. I’d like for some of the big names that “used” to make really solid games survive…but unfortunately they have just let too much garbage and too many terrible choices push them to a place where it’s going to be hard to recover.
I will forever associate Dragon Age with its most recent release. Like holy shite sic….i didn’t make it 15min into the game before uninstalling….and the thing is….the combat seemed like it was solid and fun but I refuse to be preached at while trying to escape the real world that’s constantly trying to preach.
That franchise deserves its death if things aren’t corrected. I just think the way forward is one of two things:
1.) Own up to the mistakes and promise to correct things moving forward and deliver on those promises.
Or
2.) Burn it to the ground and hope that solid devs can unite and deliver something good but maybe not under the DA name.
Posted on 7/2/25 at 3:08 pm to Blitzed
Expedition 33 has really changed the way I look at gaming devs.
My fear with them is also the same as yours. Big money investors come in and see the success and want to throw stupid money your way but then make terrible demands and timelines.
One of the most important things to learn in business is how to say “No”. No…we aren’t doing that. No, that goes against what our vision for the game is etc.
Just need more balls in the industry.
My fear with them is also the same as yours. Big money investors come in and see the success and want to throw stupid money your way but then make terrible demands and timelines.
One of the most important things to learn in business is how to say “No”. No…we aren’t doing that. No, that goes against what our vision for the game is etc.
Just need more balls in the industry.
Posted on 7/2/25 at 3:09 pm to Roaad
Budgets have gotten insane. The big boys listen to consultants more than they listen to actual gamers. I have no problem with them all failing. I have enough of a backlog to last the rest of my life.
People who care about making FUN games will eventually rise like a phoenix and make good games again. They already do at the Indy level. And yes, there is just as much garbage at the Indy level but it is cheap garbage as opposed to $100,000,000 losses on terrible games.
People who care about making FUN games will eventually rise like a phoenix and make good games again. They already do at the Indy level. And yes, there is just as much garbage at the Indy level but it is cheap garbage as opposed to $100,000,000 losses on terrible games.
Posted on 7/2/25 at 3:49 pm to TigerMyth36
Yes, there has been a lot of chatter over the past few years phrased as "Is the video game industry headed for another crash?" completely oblivious to the clear reality that we are already in long drawn out one over the past 3-4 years The massive wave of studio closures, layoffs, extremely huge failed projects, etc.
It's obviously different than the crash of the early 80's. The industry is MUCH, MUCH bigger now so even with the crash it's still huge and strong. And obviously this crash has a totally different set of reasons behind it. Some are crystal clear, others debatable, but to me they are
1. Development times and costs are too high. You simply can't take 5+ years and 200+ million dollars to make a game as the norm. It crushes your output and ultimately your sales and it makes any game that fails catastrophic. it's completely unsustainable. The industry must find a way to get development times and costs way down. These big AAA studios are too bloated and too slow. AA studios are making extremely great games in 1/3 the time and at 1/10th the budget. It clearly can be done. It's a matter of management and culture.
2. Stop trying to force games that the suits deem most profitable.Companies have identified the type of games that have the most potential for the most profits and try too hard to make those happen, even when vocally told by gamers they don't want it. Trend chasing has always been a thing in the video game but given the budgets and development cycles, it's become a much more fatal thing.
3. Reign in the activists. 90% of your writers and artists may be gay but 90% of your playerbase isn't. There was a time when alternative people could work at a company and still produce mainstream material and not attempt to hijack the whole thing. Let's get back to that model. It's going to take major courage for the people in charge to actually push back at the stupid ideas and I don't think they have the stones for it.
It's obviously different than the crash of the early 80's. The industry is MUCH, MUCH bigger now so even with the crash it's still huge and strong. And obviously this crash has a totally different set of reasons behind it. Some are crystal clear, others debatable, but to me they are
1. Development times and costs are too high. You simply can't take 5+ years and 200+ million dollars to make a game as the norm. It crushes your output and ultimately your sales and it makes any game that fails catastrophic. it's completely unsustainable. The industry must find a way to get development times and costs way down. These big AAA studios are too bloated and too slow. AA studios are making extremely great games in 1/3 the time and at 1/10th the budget. It clearly can be done. It's a matter of management and culture.
2. Stop trying to force games that the suits deem most profitable.Companies have identified the type of games that have the most potential for the most profits and try too hard to make those happen, even when vocally told by gamers they don't want it. Trend chasing has always been a thing in the video game but given the budgets and development cycles, it's become a much more fatal thing.
3. Reign in the activists. 90% of your writers and artists may be gay but 90% of your playerbase isn't. There was a time when alternative people could work at a company and still produce mainstream material and not attempt to hijack the whole thing. Let's get back to that model. It's going to take major courage for the people in charge to actually push back at the stupid ideas and I don't think they have the stones for it.
Posted on 7/2/25 at 3:56 pm to StansberryRules
You can't really say an industry with $190 billion in sales has crashed. This isn't 1980s Atari building too many shitty ET games and going out of business. Video games account for more than double the revenue of Hollywood and the Music Industry combined.
They layoffs are a result of non stop merging for the last decade with little to no payoff from the studios that were purchased.
They layoffs are a result of non stop merging for the last decade with little to no payoff from the studios that were purchased.
This post was edited on 7/2/25 at 4:06 pm
Posted on 7/2/25 at 4:32 pm to imjustafatkid
Looks like they're shutting down a Warcraft mobile game called "Warcraft Rumble" also. Honestly, this is the first time I've heard of that game.
Not seeing any other game cancellations other than "unannounced titles." Seems everything shown at the most recent direct is safe.
ETA: Honestly, the rumor mill made it seem like today was going to be some sort of mass casualty event at XBox and that just hasn't come to fruition. I don't like that they're doing layoffs while looking to hire more H1Bs, but I don't think any of these game cancellations are shocking. I wish Perfect Dark would have worked out though. Maybe they'll let Crystal Dynamics take that one to the finish line.
Not seeing any other game cancellations other than "unannounced titles." Seems everything shown at the most recent direct is safe.
ETA: Honestly, the rumor mill made it seem like today was going to be some sort of mass casualty event at XBox and that just hasn't come to fruition. I don't like that they're doing layoffs while looking to hire more H1Bs, but I don't think any of these game cancellations are shocking. I wish Perfect Dark would have worked out though. Maybe they'll let Crystal Dynamics take that one to the finish line.
This post was edited on 7/2/25 at 4:47 pm
Posted on 7/2/25 at 4:42 pm to TigerMyth36
"crash" is a little bit too dramatic of a a term but there is clearly some major bile that industry is trying to eject form its system. And yes, the spree of acquisitions was a big part of the problems that have been going on.
Posted on 7/2/25 at 5:03 pm to imjustafatkid
Perfect Dark was shaping up to be another game with a shite story in an uncompelling world that would have gone nowhere on its own so they shoved it in an existing IP to try and weaponize nostalgia
No one loves the franchise more than I do and I’m not remotely sad. The writing was on the wall what this was going to be
No one loves the franchise more than I do and I’m not remotely sad. The writing was on the wall what this was going to be
This post was edited on 7/2/25 at 5:07 pm
Posted on 7/2/25 at 5:31 pm to RemouladeSawce
Gaming (entertainment in general) has become such a corporate sterile passionless slog.
Leave it to a bunch of suits to frick up the idea of having fun.
Maybe the next billion dollar acquisition will right the ship.
Leave it to a bunch of suits to frick up the idea of having fun.
Maybe the next billion dollar acquisition will right the ship.
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