Microsoft is a Tyrant

[TekkenLord]

Do you agree or not, this is just someone's opinion so don't getting your panties in a knot.


http://gamingden.webs.com/ms-tyrannt

Peter Molyneux has recently left his former post at Lionhead studios; this has me wondering ‘why’? Although he publicly claims it was for normal reasons and a change of scenery—nothing is as it appears on the surface. Why would a creative genius like Petie leave his quaint British studio for other reason than a lack of professional freedom? Fable 3 seemed to have been rushed out the door, slightly unfinished (understandably in the name of profit margins); his innovative project Milo was banished to the distant memories of gamer’s everywhere; his RPG franchise was persuaded into becoming a Kinect-enabled game that would conveniently support Microsoft’s new device. If you add up all the evidence, it becomes clear that this decision has more to do with Microsoft than Molyneux’s restlessness.

For those who know how Microsoft deals with its in-house and second party developers: this should not come as a shock. After all, Microsoft has done this before. Dare I mention our much-grieved, tragic hero, Rare? After being boughten out from the safety of the Nintendo brand, Microsoft put their own handcuffs over the free-spirited developer (who also happens to be British; conspiracy perhaps?) in 2002.

Rare (under the relaxed reign of Nintendo) had released many of the highest reviewed and most innovated games of the Pre-Gamecube generation. Rare had released Goldeneye 007, Banjo Kazooie, Conker’s Bad Fur Day, Donkey Kong Country, Battlettoads, Perfect Dark and countless other amazing titles. However, after the Microsoft inquisition, the quality of their games began to drop. The released Viva Pinata, Banjo Kazooie Nuts and Bolts and Kameo: Elements of Power. These games were creative and purely joyful. Although they were far from flawless, they were good—but they didn’t sell like Microsoft expected. This is when the totalitarian governance over Rare began.

After seeing lackluster sales of creative Rare games, Microsoft decided to put them to creating a sports compilation entitled Kinect Sports. This game met poor reviews, and was essentially not that great. However, it sold big—it was a cash grab as a response to the success of Wii Sports. The game was clearly just a plan to sell hardware units, most likely not hatched from the minds of Rare, accordingly, the game was devoid of passion. Rare was forced to listen to their accountants rather than their hearts and that is why we now have a Kinect Sports Season 2, yet still no Killer Instinct 2.

It may not come as a surprise that just like Peter Molyneux in 2012, Chris and Tim Stamper (founders of Rare) left their beloved studios quietly in 2007. It`s strange that grown professionals don’t want to be puppeteered by greedy corporations—who would have thought?

Peter Molyneux has always had big dreams for his franchises, dreams that Microsoft clearly had no interest in pursuing. Instead of Fable 4, finely crafting an authentic experience, MS prefers to make 4 player cartoony and co-operative Fable based cash-grabs. Instead of a new intellectual property from the minds of the developers at Lionhead, MS went with a Kinect centric, hemmed in experience that is in direct contradiction to everything the franchise had once stood for.

There is no limit to the damage corporate greed can bring to a company. Even blind fan boys will not be able to stay ignorant to the fact that the MS CEO would happily sell his own mother to Somalian pirates for a royalty check. Which studio is next? Perhaps Turn 10 after their 12^th Forza game, or 343 Studios after they suggest a new IP rather than another Halo remake. Eventually MS will realize that the quality of the games is what sells systems, not marketing strategies and corporate baby-sitting.

[Yuuichi]

It isnt limited to just MS tho. All companies want big profit. You want to have creative freedom and be mainly hands on with no big brother watching you? Make a game for PC then.

[Sufi]

Sensationalist.

He's assuming a lot of things here. Passing them on as facts.

[Sub-stance1]

Ms is so evil. Shame on them.

[Fon]

The same can be said about, Nintendo and Sony. I'm pretty sure the developers behind Mario games are sick and tired of the fat plumber and want to make something completely new. Santa Monica probably wants to make something other then God of War(Which they probably are but we're still getting another God of War game). Naughty Dog is most likely working on Uncharted 4 but eventually they will grow tired of it. Heck, Insomniac themselves got bored of Resistance and most likely, Ratchet and Clank as well hence their deal with EA. Eventually every studio will lose enthusiasm over a franchise regardless of their success.

But unfortunately this is not an ideal industry. Decent games will become a great success while great games will be ignored and forgotten. It's gamers like us that push publishers into making sequels after sequels after sequels. The big three are not the tyrants here. It's us for allowing it to happen.

[THUGGEDOUT]

Yeah, this is nothing new, all big companies do things like this across all industries.

[podsaurus]

As long as people keep buying these games they'll keep making them. A lot of this is on us the consumer. If we stop buying these games they aren't going to make them. We kind of have to force them to allow creativity. If they figure out that's what sells they will allow. Right now it's 'Hey we can make the exact same game over and over and people will eat that up!'

[TekkenLord]

As long as people keep buying these games they'll keep making them. A lot of this is on us the consumer. If we stop buying these games they aren't going to make them. We kind of have to force them to allow creativity. If they figure out that's what sells they will allow. Right now it's 'Hey we can make the exact same game over and over and people will eat that up!'

So true pod, same thing can be said about developer today. It's like they all feel like they need to make a FPS and they think that it will sell.

[Tibiquera]

This article is an example of why I strongly dislike the so-called gaming "journalism". Not just because the article is shallow and contradictory with itself, but because if you're going to write something like this, you need to dig deeper to get your facts straight. In real journalism, you'd go out to find current or ex MS employees and interview them to get their point of view, probably offering them anonymity. I'm pretty sure someone under a "tyrant" company would love to spill a few details.

If gaming websites writers used the same amount of effort to back up their stories as they do to find out the latest round of rumours about next gen consoles, they would be a lot more worthy of being called journalists.

[MacP]

It's all to do with greed, the gaming industry has become more greedy as time goes by. It was better when it wasn't so popular as it is today.

[J3ff3]

wasn't rare a shell of its former self when ms bought them anyway?

wasn't fable one of peter's best games?

haven't MS done incredibly well breaking into the console market BY dictating new directions?

whether the opinion piece is well conceived or not, MS are clearly very astute. i think kinect is bollocks, i think their focus on kinect is bollocks, i think their PR to cover the fact that they have little interest in developing core games is also bollocks. but i have learnt that MS is a long term strategist - far more than i am.

3 years ago i was cursing their stupidity for not dropping their prices further - what were they thinking? but in reality, over inflated sku's made them money and cemented their position against the competition, regardless of the volume of games released. i was wrong, they were right. it sounds unsurprising now, but at the time they looked insane. and i'm sure that kinect IS a beta. and a very successful one at that. i'm not going to bet against its future direction, that's for sure.

ms are smart. if they are stifling certain departments or studios you can bet your bottom dollar there is a reason why. and in peter's case the reason is likely that his ideas are at best "innovative" and at worst a fucking pipe dream. i'm not sure the guy could make money if he shat £50 notes.

[radgamer420]

This article is an example of why I strongly dislike the so-called gaming "journalism". Not just because the article is shallow and contradictory with itself, but because if you're going to write something like this, you need to dig deeper to get your facts straight. In real journalism, you'd go out to find current or ex MS employees and interview them to get their point of view, probably offering them anonymity. I'm pretty sure someone under a "tyrant" company would love to spill a few details. If gaming websites writers used the same amount of effort to back up their stories as they do to find out the latest round of rumours about next gen consoles, they would be a lot more worthy of being called journalists.

I agree. Gaming "journalism" these days is all about getting hits with sensationalist articles using strong wording in their titles in order to grab peoples attention.

[Yungstar 2006]

in peter's case the reason is likely that his ideas are at best "innovative" and at worst a fucking pipe dream. i'm not sure the guy could make money if he shat £50 notes.

i think the man has talked a good game in recent times but has never delivered since the bullfrog days...

[Thorzilla]

It isnt limited to just MS tho. All companies want big profit. You want to have creative freedom and be mainly hands on with no big brother watching you? Make a game for PC then.

This. Companies are run by shareholders alone. Guess what they want? Money. Do they care about gamers? Not at all, they just want whatever sells the most.

[J3ff3]

This. Companies are run by shareholders alone. Guess what they want? Money. Do they care about gamers? Not at all, they just want whatever sells the most.

i agree with what you are saying, but what sells is influenced by gamers. its a bit of a catch 22. or at least it was.

with the move to mainstream we all have to worry. the general public are thick as two short planks and will buy anything that is branded and marketed correctly. all of a sudden quality doesn't matter quite as much.

its why i think we should be critical and skeptical of new developments in this industry, and not embrace them just because of who and where they have come from.

[radgamer420]

i agree with what you are saying, but what sells is influenced by gamers. its a bit of a catch 22. or at least it was. with the move to mainstream we all have to worry. the general public are thick as two short planks and will buy anything that is branded and marketed correctly. all of a sudden quality doesn't matter quite as much. its why i think we should be critical and skeptical of new developments in this industry, and not embrace them just because of who and where they have come from.

+rep

[Soldier 95B]

Damn all these console makers being evil and wanting money. DAMN THEM TO HELL!

[J3ff3]

if it means quality plays second fiddle, yes. its the difference between a short and long term view on profitability.

as i said, the mass market is pretty fucking thick. which provides a large opportunity to 'smash and grab', so to speak.