Uhh the article clearly indicated that the acquisition request was some time before they went with Microsoft so not sure where you are getting that I thought it was happening simultaneously.
My response was to his comment about making a deal with someone that you could have a beer with.
"Your uneducated way of thinking" Stopped reading right there. Calling some stupid for stating the obvious. MS made them an offer they could not refuse.
I guarantee you that partnerships that show a record of great work being done together is equivalent to money in these talks. There's a big difference with say offering simply tons of money and resources...and offering money, resources along with a track record of great projects that both have worked in together.
@lelo2play. Not everything is a console war discussion! What this Obsidian exec is saying is that Microsoft wanted to buy the team and keep it intact, not, like the unnamed published wanted to do which is break it up so it could acquire the staff for pre-existing projects. So yes money is important but it isn't everything, so that's why he sold to Microsoft because it would retain his team and its culture. Sony has bought studios recently too, including Insomniac, Housemarque and Bluepoint specifically because it too wants to keep them as distinct teams.
Insomniac always stated they wished to stay independent so they can make whatever they want. Then Spiderman happens, and they're a Sony studio soon after.
@TheRealTedCruz I can't say if Insomniac was forced to work on Marvel's Spider-Man or if the studio had the option to decline the project. But I would think that as a development team there is something so alluring, so exciting, about being able to work on one of the biggest, best loved comic book franchises ever and facing the challenge of putting your own spin on it and making a great product that the public might love... or hate! The game turned out alright! It received much praise from critics and became the best selling first party game on PS4. I would think that the individuals who worked on it feel a lot of pride from helping craft this.
I never said it didn't have to do with money I said they got Insomniac for a great deal cause they did. Sure it had to do with money just like it did with MS buying Obsidian.
Whats is your number? like money What do they want to do with it - the aquasition? Whats the cultural fit? - do you want to have a beer with them.
Yeahh you just had to reduce it so sole money. Even though it is part it is not all. But I guess it hurt some people that developers actually like MS aproach to these aquisitions and have Minecraft to show for it.
Sure when does money not play a role in any buyout? But in the article, he turned down money because it wasn't a right fit. So obviously their was more going on with MS than just money. I would imagine, working on games they want to make, keeping there own culture, making their own decisions, and staying put were also major factors.
The beer statement is a figure of speech, in other words, it has got to be someone you can work with and get along in a business and also friendly mindset.
Pretty sure he doesn't mean he wanted to sell to someone to go to the pub lol.
Hope they got a good sense of a lot of people they would like having beers with, then, given that big corporations always have fairly cyclical turnover. Phil seems like a guy you could grab a beer with, but he could be replaced at any moment by a Peter Moore or Bobby Kotik type who don't seem much like they'd as easily fit that description. Not uncommon for figureheads to change and cultures to shift from when initial acquisitions happen and sort of getting the rug pulled out from under you.
You kind of hope someone takes that kind of offer if they are struggling financially - either in terms of doors potentially closing, or simply just not having enough to achieve the vision you have for projects. I certainly don't blame anyone for taking offers they otherwise wouldn't when the money is just too good. Sort of feels like that happened this time, but I can only call it as I see it as an outsider. Regardless, hope it works out for everybody in the long run.
They need to. Phil sucks. It must be exhausting hyping non-stop “best ever e3’s” every damn year without anything substantial to actually show for it. Microsoft stopped pushing the medium forward outside of Forza a long time ago. Now it’s just the best place to play top downs and sports titles. Lol. I’d love one good AAA narrative experience, just ONE. Finally another Halo campaign coming out that sounds promising. Without that this Christmas, my SeriesX would make a better book-end or space heater.
But, in the video they actually talk about why they refused the previous offer and they accepted the MS one. And it sounds like the reason they refused the first one, was that the publisher was just looking for them as people to work on the publisher projects, whereas MS is letting them work on the Obsidian projects. Seems like MS just relieved financial burdens from them so that they can be the type of studio they are. In Obsidians case a RPG studio. This has been a theme that we have heard on all the MS takeovers since Mojang.
In the video he said things like: Whats is your number? like money wise that is your first thing. Then what do they want to do with it - the aquasition? And lastly Whats the cultural fit? - do you want to have a beer with them.
Yeahh you just had to reduce it so sole money. Even though it is part it is not all. But I guess it hurt some people that developers actually like MS aproach to these aquisitions and have Minecraft to show for it.
That’s the lamest thing I’ve ever read. So they can put on a ball cap and chug a Bud Light and that’s it? They’ll let themselves get bought out? That’s a low bar to meet for handing over your soul.
They've always said they wanted to remain independent so they can work on whatever project they wanted.
Then Spider Man happens and, all of a sudden they're a Sony 1st party.
If they came right out with a new IP, maybe I'd see things a little differently; but it feels like they sold out. They're a great developer. They make great games; but it's questionable when a studio adamantly states they want to be an independent developer ... then doesn't. Especially when you know they have more than enough capital to do so.
Or cut us a check that we couldn’t refuse.
Hope they got a good sense of a lot of people they would like having beers with, then, given that big corporations always have fairly cyclical turnover. Phil seems like a guy you could grab a beer with, but he could be replaced at any moment by a Peter Moore or Bobby Kotik type who don't seem much like they'd as easily fit that description. Not uncommon for figureheads to change and cultures to shift from when initial acquisitions happen and sort of getting the rug pulled out from under you.
You kind of hope someone takes that kind of offer if they are struggling financially - either in terms of doors potentially closing, or simply just not having enough to achieve the vision you have for projects. I certainly don't blame anyone for taking offers they otherwise wouldn't when the money is just too good. Sort of feels like that happened this time, but I can only call it as I see it as an outsider. Regardless, hope it works out for everybody in the long run.
@GamingSinceForever
In the video he said things like:
Whats is your number? like money wise that is your first thing.
Then what do they want to do with it - the aquasition?
And lastly Whats the cultural fit? - do you want to have a beer with them.
Yeahh you just had to reduce it so sole money. Even though it is part it is not all. But I guess it hurt some people that developers actually like MS aproach to these aquisitions and have Minecraft to show for it.
"They have to be people you can sit down and have a beer with"
The bloke in the video looks like the last person you would want to have a beer with, he looks boring af.