Support NeoGAF

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Via Instant Gaming​

To mark its 30th anniversary, Housemarque has treated itself to new premises, still based in Helsinki. Mikael Haveri, the studio's brand director, gave us a guided tour of these brand-new offices. The facilities include a gym, sauna, cinema, and ultra-modern canteen.​

​

 

[nial]

We gotta see Saros later this month.

 

[viveks86]

We gotta see Saros later this month.

Why this month?

 

[nial]

Why this month?

There's always a pre-TGS State of Play every year, and Housemarque already confirmed that we will be seeing gameplay for Saros this year.

 

[Sanepar]

In a place like that I would agree to go to the offices every week.

 

[ecosse_011172]

Problem with the Finns is that their English just isn't good enough.

 

[Guesclin]

A sauna, a gym, a cinema, the only thing missing is a massage parlor

 

[ReBurn]

So where do they do actual work?

 

[Loomy]

So where do they do actual work?

The place with all the cubicles and desks with screens showing things that are not ready to be shown to the public yet?

 

[Hudo]

So where do they do actual work?

As with most tech companies, the engineers are all thrown into a windowless open-office, where each has his/her own cubicle. What you've seen in the video is where the management and marketing people are "working" in.

 

[ReBurn]

The place with all the cubicles and desks with screens showing things that are not ready to be shown to the public yet?

They showed the barista. Literally the only person working on the tour.

 

[AJUMP23]

Must be selling lots of games. Quit watching movies and start crunching.

 

[Loomy]

They showed the barista. Literally the only person working on the tour.

Coffee isn't NDA'd lol

 

[Sebastian1295]

If Sony wants to cut cost in terms of lowering production costs for games then they should start by firing baristas and cutting back on all of the unnecessary bs that is raising the costs of their game production. Like a sauna in your workplace is completely unnecessary and ridiculous frankly.

 

[semiconscious]

So where do they do actual work?

yeah, when it comes to a game studio's 'tour of its new premises', this was sorta screamingly absent? what?...

 

[ecosse_011172]

If Sony wants to cut cost in terms of lowering production costs for games then they should start by firing baristas and cutting back on all of the unnecessary bs that is raising the costs of their game production. Like a sauna in your workplace is completely unnecessary and ridiculous frankly.

Google "Finnish sauna culture ".




Also, all this stuff, whether it's Google or anyone else doing it, is purely 100% to make you stay in the office and work longer hours, it's not remotely for the employee's benefit.

 

[Guesclin]

purely 100% to make you stay in the office and work longer hours

Just like Neil Cuckman free dinner soups and sleeping bags waiting to be used under the desk.

 

[The_hunter]

Sauna is hilariously out of place, but it is Helsinki...

 

[nowhat]

Sauna is hilariously out of place, but it is Helsinki...

It's not uncommon at all to have a sauna in an office. Or an apartment building. Or a home. Or just in general, wherever. It is estimated that there are some 3.3M saunas here (the population is about 5.5M).

 

[Clear]

Problem with the Finns is that their English just isn't good enough.

Huh? I know plenty of Finns and they speak better English than many actual English people!

 

[ecosse_011172]

Huh? I know plenty of Finns and they speak better English than many actual English people!

Yeah, I was being sarcastic, the Housemarque dude would put many native speakers to shame.

 

[kruis]

Huh? I know plenty of Finns and they speak better English than many actual English people!

Yeah, I was being sarcastic, the Housemarque dude would put many native speakers to shame.

Hmmm.

"We have an area where everything can be displayed throughout the thirty years of history can be visible and in a singular area where everybody arrives. It's a good lesson on history."

"It gives you a little different air of atmosphere as you come here."

"And now jumping off to the rest of the wellness area in the basement."

 

[MrTroubleMaker]

So much wasted money.

 

[dotnotbot]

In case you were wondering why are games so exepnsive to make these days, here's your answer.

 

[Lord Panda]

I guess these guys didn't watch Laura Fryer's video about Team Cherry.

 

[Jinzo Prime]

Housemarque makes great games, but they are not mainstream at all. I hope Saros and whatever else they have cooking can pay for all that.

 

[Gamer_By_Proxy]

As with most tech companies, the engineers are all thrown into a windowless open-office, where each has his/her own cubicle. What you've seen in the video is where the management and marketing people are "working" in.

Having your own cubicle and personal belongings is so 2010s. I have to check out a desk space and take all my crap in and out every day I go into work.

 

[Gojiira]

Good for them. Now show Saros goddamn it!

 

[nial]

Housemarque makes great games, but they are not mainstream at all. I hope Saros and whatever else they have cooking can pay for all that.

2M LTD at 60 USD will pay for it.

 

[ByWatterson]

So where do they do actual work?

 

[Pasta la Vista]

When I was at EA, we had a Starbucks in the lobby, a full cafeteria with cooks, a full gym and a small soccer field in Playa Vista (near Marina del Rey), one of the more expensive places to live in LA.

 

[Bernardougf]

They are very good.. its a shame I really dont like that much their style of games .. I'll play them but will get bored very easily. Returnal was fun for like 4 hrs and then I noped out as usual for their games.

But again.. they are very good at what they do.

 

[ecosse_011172]

Housemarque makes great games, but they are not mainstream at all. I hope Saros and whatever else they have cooking can pay for all that.

I think after selling 1 million copies of Returnal they can afford an espresso machine.

 

[ADiTAR]

Is it underground? no windows.

 

[T-Reks]

Adult daycare

 

[simpatico]

Can you guys imagine the Firewalk studio? If I recall correctly, they actually built a new building when Sony bought them. I wonder if Sony held on to the property or what.

 

[semiconscious]

Is it underground? no windows.

not much to see? average sunlight hours, helsinki: 9h 48' per day in june, 0h 34' per day in december...
https://www.climate.top/finland/hel...ours of sunlight,longer than the shortest day.

 

[Beechos]

Day one 1 on anything they do next. Returnal is a masterpiece.

 

[Fbh]

It's a nice office, though it does seem a bit over the top for a dev that doesn't set the sales charts on fire. Though as long as they aren't doing mass layoffs good for them I guess.

 

[ForAcademicPurposes]

Hope that the market tilts so that they are allowed to create arcade games.

 

[Avid Reading Horse]

No ping pong table? I guess I'll have to apply for jobs in Sweden or something.

 

[ecosse_011172]

Hmmm.

"We have an area where everything can be displayed throughout the thirty years of history can be visible and in a singular area where everybody arrives. It's a good lesson on history."

"It gives you a little different air of atmosphere as you come here."

"And now jumping off to the rest of the wellness area in the basement."

Have you heard/read how bad the English is from many natives?
"would of", "payed" "I should have went", "I could care less" and a million others.

 

[Mr Reasonable]

Have you heard/read how bad the English is from many natives?
"would of", "payed" "I should have went", "I could care less" and a million others.

Nothing wrong with "I could care less" but it's not the British expression, "I couldn't care less."

"I could care less" is:

"I COULD care less, but it's really hard to imagine something I care less about than [whatever we're talking about]"

The rest, I agree. Extra points deducted for people unable to work out when to use "bought" or "brought."

 

[ecosse_011172]

Nothing wrong with "I could care less" but it's not the British expression, "I couldn't care less."

"I could care less" is:

"I COULD care less, but it's really hard to imagine something I care less about than [whatever we're talking about]"

The rest, I agree. Extra points deducted for people unable to work out when to use "bought" or "brought."

Nope, the American one is nonsensical, it's worse than calling main courses "Entrees".
In this one, UK 1 : USA 0

 

[Mr Reasonable]

Nope, the American one is nonsensical, it's worse than calling main courses "Entrees".
In this one, UK 1 : USA 0

...I literally just explained it to you...?

 

[Nintendo's Witch]

Returnal remains the best PS5 exclusive. Great team.

 

[ecosse_011172]

...I literally just explained it to you...?

It doesn't make sense.

If someone said "I could not like it more", what would you understand?

 

[Mr Reasonable]

It doesn't make sense.

If someone said "I could not like it more", what would you understand?

If you are only able to process literal meanings of sentences you'll be struggling with daily interactions in English often. Conversation might not prove to be your cup of tea, especially if the other person likes to speak colloquially or use a turn of phrase where the meaning is learnt through association. Of course it takes two to tango, but if you meet people half way, Bob's your uncle, you'll have a great time.

 

[ecosse_011172]

If you are only able to process literal meanings of sentences you'll be struggling with daily interactions in English often. Conversation might not prove to be your cup of tea, especially if the other person likes to speak colloquially or use a turn of phrase where the meaning is learnt through association. Of course it takes two to tango, but if you meet people half way, Bob's your uncle, you'll have a great time.

Leave my Uncle Bob out of this, he's a lovely man.

 

[DaciaJC]

Nothing wrong with "I could care less" but it's not the British expression, "I couldn't care less."

"I could care less" is:

"I COULD care less, but it's really hard to imagine something I care less about than [whatever we're talking about]"

The rest, I agree. Extra points deducted for people unable to work out when to use "bought" or "brought."

I have never heard this line of reasoning. Any time I've pointed out the fallacy behind "I could care less" with friends, coworkers, etc. they take a moment to think about it and conclude "Oh, yeah, that makes sense." It's a corrupted idiom, likely born from phonetic erosion of the original expression.