XMNR: The 38 Studios saga continued on Monday as Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee confirmed that the studio has laid off employees following issues with paying the first installment of a $75 million from the state of Rhode Island.
Why do game studios keep imploding?
Dysfunction is baked into the video game production process, as it currently exists. The big-budget games industry is dominated by a few large companies, the publishers. Like book publishers, they are responsible for distributing and marketing games (much but not all of this is entirely digital now, but most of the publishers established themselves when game distribution meant getting physical discs and cartridges on retail store shelves). Games are actually made by studios, which are generally either owned directly by the publishers or independent. Making big-budget video games takes an enormous amount of highly specialized labor. It is possible for one person to make a game, and even for that game to be a hit, but the biggest, most profitable games released each year are nearly always made by enormous teams of people, working directly or indirectly for those publishers.
Create their own studio ala Activision but never forget where they came from ala Activision
Unions breed garbage product no matter what’s being made. Passion and drive to make awesome stuff goes out the window and it’s replaced by laziness, seniority over skill, office politics and all around horseshit. As a welder of 23 years, I’ve seen it first hand, over and over again.
I’d say there’s a time and a place for unions. If work conditions have gotten so bad because the company is run by tyrants, unions will help.
But, on the contrary, I work for one of those rare companies that is better for the employee than a union is. Family owned, we purchased a new facility in Jersey and the workers voted the union out based on the offer (pay, hours, benefits, etc). Now we have UNION scabs, hired by the union, to protest against us at various locations.
The 4-year investigation of video game developer 38 Studios comes to an anti-climatic conclusion.
The Rhode Island Attorney General announced today that it would not be filing charges against individuals involved in the failed 38 Studios loan in Rhode Island.
Great game, but I stopped playing due to a major glitch before a boss fight.
It was a fight inside a cave and I placed all my saves inside the cave...approaching the boss would start a cut scene but my game glitched and the scene never starter. I could not exit the cave too... :(
Was probably 3/4 done the game too.
Makes me sad. :/ Loved Curt in baseball and love him now in gaming.
I just want them to finish the game. I wanna see that art style on new tech. I loved kingdoms of amalur and i know hoe great a follow up would be on next gen. Im just lost as to their arrangement. Were they supposed to use all koa's $ to make payment, or just give back a million. How do u begin to pay back a loan a year b4 release? Thats why these games need "evil" corporations. It must feel great to b outed by a states government. Now, can they please explain what happened to the other 99% of our (taxpayer) money.
Its just rediculous that they can spend our $ anyway they want with no oversight, making election promises, deals with corps to make themselves rich while in office, but after asking a game company to come to rhode island, they embarrasingly out them, knowing that this alone will harm the company thats trying to make $. Why dont they out themselves for being spending addicts, sending us into an oblivion of debt that will never be wiped clean. Remember, in 6 months we have to up the debt ceiling again (yes, again without any cuts to spending) and no federal budget in 2 years. I dunno, maybe when we up it another 2 trillion, we can find a tiny bit to help out 38 studios...i mean, we r simply printing more $ backed by nothing of real value so...why not? Because its rediculous. Dont ever get in bed with the government. Maybe they can shop thier idea to a company that is willing to take a risk. Heres to hoping a great product isnt another casualty of our rapidly imploding government.
Well their 1st game wasn't awful but it was very generic considering all the talent they have so I'm not surprised they are having difficulties, next time make a game that hasn't been made a 1000 times before and you're good to go.