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My dreams of more Crash Bandicoot are forever shattered. Who thought a sequel to Prototype was a good idea. I knew it was DOA the moment I saw it at PAX.
Prototype didn't sell the 5 million we need and they don't pump out cheaply produced licensed cash-ins. Goodbye.
mario is missing
mario's time machine
independent day
Wayne's world
bebe's kid
the terminator
quite a list.
mario's time machine
independent day
Wayne's world
bebe's kid
the terminator
quite a list.
I don't like anyone losing their job (especially in the private sector) and I hope these people all find work again soon.
That said; Prototype was a terrible game. I hated it.
That said; Prototype was a terrible game. I hated it.
Shit. And fuck. Prototype was a fun, if flawed, game. Prototype 2 was considerably better, I thought.
And you wonder why all the big developers are jumping on the small dev/indie/mobile independent market now.
You just can't trust publishers anymore. Even if you make a game that makes profit, if it's not ENOUGH profit, then your company doesn't qualify for survival.
You just can't trust publishers anymore. Even if you make a game that makes profit, if it's not ENOUGH profit, then your company doesn't qualify for survival.
One Re-, erm Alan Argentina:
"but it's a hollow gesture when it's as much our fault as anyones that this keeps happening."
Wait what? how is Activisions over the top greed and insane "success benchmarks" our fault?
"but it's a hollow gesture when it's as much our fault as anyones that this keeps happening."
Wait what? how is Activisions over the top greed and insane "success benchmarks" our fault?
@EdgyDude
Because the situation that has lead us to this point isn't something that happened overnight. For years we soaked up all the most epic, set piece driven, huge budget blockbuster. Now that we're actually buying less games, we keep turning a blind eye to the shit happening around us.
We bicker and argue about the semantics of whatever, when the truth of the matter is, and has been, fairly clear. Publishers drove their entire business models to AAA games, let the middle of the market fall to pieces, built up DLC as a means of propping up this failing business model rather than curbing costs, and despite the fact it has been causing the software market to contract for years, we seem to refuse to accept any liability for it. We've actually been speaking with our wallets for years, what do we do now that no one has been listening?
It's not just an Activision thing, this stuff is damn near industry wide. We're watching less games being made for more money, with a greater emphasis on DLC/digital services meant entirely to prop up the fact that costs are still rising despite release slates are being chopped, and most of us either don't seem to notice or just don't care. It's a race to the bottom, and gamers in general seem to be celebrating it.
That's why some of the blame lands on our shoulders. We watched the AAA model choke the market and we didn't care about the long term effects any more than the publishers did.
Because the situation that has lead us to this point isn't something that happened overnight. For years we soaked up all the most epic, set piece driven, huge budget blockbuster. Now that we're actually buying less games, we keep turning a blind eye to the shit happening around us.
We bicker and argue about the semantics of whatever, when the truth of the matter is, and has been, fairly clear. Publishers drove their entire business models to AAA games, let the middle of the market fall to pieces, built up DLC as a means of propping up this failing business model rather than curbing costs, and despite the fact it has been causing the software market to contract for years, we seem to refuse to accept any liability for it. We've actually been speaking with our wallets for years, what do we do now that no one has been listening?
It's not just an Activision thing, this stuff is damn near industry wide. We're watching less games being made for more money, with a greater emphasis on DLC/digital services meant entirely to prop up the fact that costs are still rising despite release slates are being chopped, and most of us either don't seem to notice or just don't care. It's a race to the bottom, and gamers in general seem to be celebrating it.
That's why some of the blame lands on our shoulders. We watched the AAA model choke the market and we didn't care about the long term effects any more than the publishers did.
i better finish that last set of radnet challenges then. Im sure it wont affect it, but i still should regardless. It sucks cuz prototype 1 and 2 are 2 of my favorite games in recent years.
So maybe I am thinking entirely wrong here, seeing as I obviuosly must have no business sense in terms of modern business and micromanagement, but surely with Activision having such a fucking monster franchise as COD they could share the wealth with their other developers of games? Or does all of the COD money including its profits just go back into the COD franchise? If that is the case then no wonder the gaming industry fucking sucks ass for the FPS syndrome is all we see and the same games over and over again, with little tweaks here and there. Shame anyone has to get laid off in these conditions of greed by a publisher.
How long can this go on, developers of non-AAA titles being flushed down the toilet for not selling +3mil with a new IP? How many are left!?
Don't blame the consumers jeez. You see something cool, you feel you're getting your monies worth you buy it. That's how most people think and it's not what's causing these issues.
@scouserboots
It's cheaper and less risky to just take developers and money to established franchises. I mean, how many developers are working on CoD these days? Isn't it something like 5 or 6 dev teams?
@Phil
You and me both.
@Pencoin
The consumers are not completely to blame, but we definitely bear some of it. I don't know what consumer base you're thinking of, but its abundantly clear that the gaming consumer base is wildly apathetic and fiercely protective of the industry in almost a cult like fashion.
It's cheaper and less risky to just take developers and money to established franchises. I mean, how many developers are working on CoD these days? Isn't it something like 5 or 6 dev teams?
@Phil
You and me both.
@Pencoin
The consumers are not completely to blame, but we definitely bear some of it. I don't know what consumer base you're thinking of, but its abundantly clear that the gaming consumer base is wildly apathetic and fiercely protective of the industry in almost a cult like fashion.
"Although we made a substantial investment in the Prototype IP, it did not find a broad commercial audience."
Fuck. You. EA.
Fuck. You. EA.
@Alan Argentina: i get your point, still to me it's the large masses more than us (over time i've realized that the sanity found in most of Dtoid and it's members it's not present on the largest part of the gamer community out there), even bigger problem? they are still at it and don't show signs of stopping any time soon, every time i think something is a colossal transgression someone justifies it some how while most just shrug and accept it.
Honestly i'd really wish the industry crashed right now so we can purge this crap and start rebuilding, not even kidding.
Honestly i'd really wish the industry crashed right now so we can purge this crap and start rebuilding, not even kidding.
Another game studio closed down. Once again, under contract by Activision. How many is that now?:
Bizzare Creations
Neversoft (not dead, but severely truncated)
Raven Software (Same as in Neversoft)
RedOctance
Z-Axis
7 Studios
Seriously, Activision is toxic.
Bizzare Creations
Neversoft (not dead, but severely truncated)
Raven Software (Same as in Neversoft)
RedOctance
Z-Axis
7 Studios
Seriously, Activision is toxic.
As an American who went through the recession and saw so many people around them lose their jobs, it's always saddening when a developers closes its doors.
As a gamer, I'm not terribly upset by this. Even going back before Activision bought Vivendi, they never really put out any really great software. Activision didn't buy Radical. They bought their parent company and tried to do something with the team. It failed. Games are fucking expensive to make, and if the software isn't profitable I can't blame ActiBliz for closing the studio.
As a gamer, I'm not terribly upset by this. Even going back before Activision bought Vivendi, they never really put out any really great software. Activision didn't buy Radical. They bought their parent company and tried to do something with the team. It failed. Games are fucking expensive to make, and if the software isn't profitable I can't blame ActiBliz for closing the studio.
Are people actually blaming Activision for marketing the game too much?
That's what a publisher is supposed to do! A BAD publisher takes their cut WITHOUT putting out the cash to really market a game. Activision clearly tried hard to make the Prototype games sell. Gamers simply weren't interested enough.
Seriously, according to some of you, publisher doesn't market the heck out of a game = game failed because the publisher didn't back it. Publisher does market a game = game failed because publisher's expectations were too high. Sounds like publishers just can't win :/
That's what a publisher is supposed to do! A BAD publisher takes their cut WITHOUT putting out the cash to really market a game. Activision clearly tried hard to make the Prototype games sell. Gamers simply weren't interested enough.
Seriously, according to some of you, publisher doesn't market the heck out of a game = game failed because the publisher didn't back it. Publisher does market a game = game failed because publisher's expectations were too high. Sounds like publishers just can't win :/
Oh no. Prototype 2 didn't sell 10 million copies. If it's not as profitable as call of duty, then it's not good enough for us. Humph frumph.
Fuck Activision
Fuck Activision
@Edgy
Yeah, I use the word "we" loosely.
@lastdual
There's a limit before you start seeing a lessening ROI. When you spend many millions of dollars trying to make a game a larger hit than it is, and very possibly bigger than it even can be, then how is it not your fault when it blows up in your face?
Activision didn't market Singularity, and it "flopped". It would have been just as bad if they had spent way too much marketing it, and they didn't sell enough to cover all that overhead. It doesn't need to be one extreme or the other because both extremes are equally as bad. In an industry that is drowning in its own bloat, it stands to reason that overmarketing something that has never proven to be a mass market hit is even worse than barely marketing at all.
Yeah, I use the word "we" loosely.
@lastdual
There's a limit before you start seeing a lessening ROI. When you spend many millions of dollars trying to make a game a larger hit than it is, and very possibly bigger than it even can be, then how is it not your fault when it blows up in your face?
Activision didn't market Singularity, and it "flopped". It would have been just as bad if they had spent way too much marketing it, and they didn't sell enough to cover all that overhead. It doesn't need to be one extreme or the other because both extremes are equally as bad. In an industry that is drowning in its own bloat, it stands to reason that overmarketing something that has never proven to be a mass market hit is even worse than barely marketing at all.
Activision had to step in and remind all of us why we hate them, what with EA taking their attention away as of late.
Damn I thought Prototype was a huge hit with as much press as it got, maybe someone will see the potential in this team and give them another chance.
Prototype 2 sold more than people expected it would in April and May right? I guess there is no room in Activision's portfolio for any IP that does not do Call of Duty or Skylanders numbers to become a series. I enjoyed Prototype more than any CoD game to date.
Anybody remember the Platinum series back in the PS1 days? Back then, when they had a game that was anywhere between mid-range success to seriously mega-million seller, they would rake in a bit more money for themselves by releasing the game again, but at half the money. They get a second wave of income, and we get cheaper games.
These days, instead of doing that they just gut the fucking studio or crank out DLC constantly.
Gaming was provably better the previous two generations. This generation will be known as the one where the games themselves had moments of brightness, but the industry as a whole went to the dogs.
These days, instead of doing that they just gut the fucking studio or crank out DLC constantly.
Gaming was provably better the previous two generations. This generation will be known as the one where the games themselves had moments of brightness, but the industry as a whole went to the dogs.
That's a real shame. Going to be a little bit lonelier walking by their awesome building from now on.
Wow that fucking sucks. Love the Prototype games. Most fun ive had with sandbox games this gen. Did P2 ever release on PC? That would fucking suck hard if it hasnt. Serious untapped sales right there.
@Mark Allen no it did not get a pc release, I have been waiting for that for a while now, sure I could play it on my ps3 but I much rather play on pc, guess that is not gonna happen anymore, maybe I will buy it if its cheap on the ps3 sometime in the future but I much rather had the pc version.
@ Alan Argentina
"Now that we're actually buying less games... software market contracting"
so it's our fault because we buy less games?
well firstly the market isn't contracting, it's expanding. we spend more money on more (different) games year after year. the "middle section" of the market isn't abandoned at all, there are plenty of games doing fine and if Prototype 2 had been marketed as a "mid market" game it's success wouldn't have been seen as a failure.
this April was a bad month for the industry, yet Prototype 2 was the best selling game, so how you can blame the consumer for radical's demise is beyond me.
"Now that we're actually buying less games... software market contracting"
so it's our fault because we buy less games?
well firstly the market isn't contracting, it's expanding. we spend more money on more (different) games year after year. the "middle section" of the market isn't abandoned at all, there are plenty of games doing fine and if Prototype 2 had been marketed as a "mid market" game it's success wouldn't have been seen as a failure.
this April was a bad month for the industry, yet Prototype 2 was the best selling game, so how you can blame the consumer for radical's demise is beyond me.
my friend's mother made $263164 so far just working on the laptop for a few hours. Read more here N u t t y R i c h dot cOm
my friend's mother made $263164 so far just working on the laptop for a few hours. Read more here N u t t y R i c h dot cOm
I never played Prototype and was eventually planning to get around on it when it hit the bargain, bargain bin, but this is getting more then out of hand lately, it's simply the case however of the industry having gotten too cocky to hold up it's own glut, Kingdoms of Amalur is a great example of this. When shit hits the fan it seems publishers find it appropriate to blame the devs. Personally we really need to institute some better ownership laws for game devs, i'm sick of seeing the maker get fired while the Publisher or whoever else sees the cash first rakes the benefits.
This trend is frightening and as the hardware gets better it's only going to continue. Instead of pointing the blame and continuing to make the same mistakes, the industry as a whole really needs to sort this problem out first and foremost before gaming is only profitable for CoD and mobiles.
That said, I rented Prototype 2 and it felt like a poor mans inFamous so I took it back the next day and promptly forgot about it. Not at all surprised it failed really.
That said, I rented Prototype 2 and it felt like a poor mans inFamous so I took it back the next day and promptly forgot about it. Not at all surprised it failed really.
Home entertainment has become too mainstream at the moment. People are again trying to leave their homes and have fun or recreate somewhere else. I too after working 8 hours in front of the computer and playing for another 2 I don't feel like watching a movie. For example, last week I went for one of those tarot readings and this week I went to the amusement park.
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