ReBurn
Gold Member
As God intendedThis AI is fueling console warz
Mass layoffs are underway at Virtuos, the studio behind Oblivion Remastered and Metal Gear Solid Delta
- Thread starter Draugoth
- Start date
Ashamam
Member
So a studio with known contracts to MS in your eyes had no future work in the pipeline from MS that might have been impacted by MS product pipeline changes? You must be high up in MS to be so sure of that.
Strange take imho, I would have thought the most obvious take is they have many projects lined up and at least some of them were impacted when the biggest game publisher in the world took a hatchet to their program. I mean by definition unannounced games and/or contract work are what we will know the least about and will also form the bulk of their work. Also being a blindingly obvious target to cut with the least friction to MS. Is it all about MS? Probably not but I'll bet its a big part.
adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Just as easy for me to say that they had known contracts at Sony as well and their recent GAAS and various project cancellations would likely have impacted them all the same, considering VIrtuos has done work on Sony's first party IP as well.
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Arsic
Loves his juicy stink trail scent
Ashamam
Member
What a strange thing to say? You literally said what does it have to do with MS? I pointed out it was an obvious link to make and then you come back with a whataboutism? So what if some of it was Sony? It may well have been, but like I said I'll bet MS is a big part of it. You on the other hand hold to an absolute position that it has nothing to do with MS. Need a heimlich maneouver? Thats the problem with people like you, totally unable to apply logic if it gets in the way of tribe.
adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Put your burning passions aside for a moment, the post that started this chain of discussion likened Virtuos's layoffs to Tango's closure as the poster was mistaken that Virtuos was a 1P Xbox studio, and he/she wasn't the only one, other posters on page 1 were also under the same impression.
Virtuos is a third party company, they have multiple contracts with many studios and per some insider gossip as early as last week, the supposed Fallout remaster they're working on is still coming along and is to be revealed in the relatively soon future.
I know it's the hip thing right now to blame MS for all gaming woes, but this ain't it chief.
Journalist reports that there are layoffs related to MS cuts at external studios like Iron galaxy and Virtuos that are not being covered by the press. Day later report comes out that there are layoffs at Virtuos. Adam comes out and says "those were just examples and not related". You couldn't make this shit up. I'm curious to know who he thinks the Journalist was talking about if "those were just examples" and these aren't "the real ones".
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Ashamam
Member
Nice attempt to paint me as a warrior. I just have a low tolerance for bullshit.
adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Gp1
Member
Both.
LavitzSlambert
Member
This won't fix the problem, just like it didn't fix Hollywood. it will just set expectations for this model to become the norm. Games also take far too long to create for this to be practical, and if anything one bad stinker will doom a team forever compared to being part of a stable company that can absorb a commercial failure and provide opportunities for redemption.
Last Hearth
Member
It take too long because the current financial structure allows it.
If you switched to a project model then will be forced to figure out a way to make games that can be made in 2-3 years instead of 5-6. Necessity is the mother of all inventions,
Pagusas
Elden Member
While I don't disagree in principle, I just want to point out the Movie Industry still puts out a ton of crap projects.
Last Hearth
Member
That they do. But I'll also point out a lot of the big movie studios (like Disney, Warner really work more like a conveyor belt system with constant need to pump out new projects, I mean that's why they fell in love with the whole cinematic universe idea.
Felessan
Member
They are outsources, it's their job to keep portfolio of projects. Blaming MS is ridiculous here.
It's not a Romero situation where MS published them and suddenly pulled out funding, they have tens of projects and just because one of customers pulled out (that is perfectly normal in outsource industry) shouldn't have a big impact.
But overall news is not a big issue, outsources expand or contract all the time adjusting to demand and self-ability to secure contracts.
Signalis
Member
Grifting probably pays more and she can beg for more money while grifting
Ashamam
Member
How could you possibly know? MS are literally the biggest publisher in the industry now, if any one publisher can make a dent in future work its them. Sure its probably not just MS, but people keep waving MS away as inconsequential in this story. Its not true, they are enormously important in the industry now. It wont be black and white, there will be other internal factors for sure, but spoiler, MS will be a big item.
From experience if one of your main customers changes cadence or goes elsewhere you have to very quickly make changes in staffing. Especially when you are just paid for hours worked and see no potential windfalls based on sales that could carry you through a bad patch like publishers can potentially fall back on.
consoul
Member
Even at their best, Lady Decade and her husband Top Hat Gaming Man's content was padded out and half-assed. It was always clear they cared more about farming engagement than videogames.
Felessan
Member
It's all basic risks of outsource that on the outsource company side, not on the customer side - company may lose big contract, staple customer may reduce contract or close it because it doesn't need large-scale development anymore and hired in-house team for support etc. Outsource company should think to how mitigate this risks and not blame customers because it happens all the time and customers not obliged to keep you afloat. You were paid to fix a pipe, there are no more pipes to be fixed, farewell.
And given circumstances that team overbudget with no benefits, i.e. lost money, and it didn't led to big juicy contract from MS they probably hoped for, their demise is understandable.
Ashamam
Member
They aren't complaining they are just getting on with it, layoffs included.
How do you know that they didn't already have intent letters etc? Bottom line is its very likely MS has made a sudden about turn, plenty of evidence of that. From that its hardly a stretch to say partner studios are seeing significant impact. Why are people rushing to defend MS? This isn't a personal attack on them, just pointing out the most likely cause and effect.
EDMIX
Writes a lot, says very little
Sad really.Make game in top 3 sellers since release. With another releasing next month.
Still get layoffs.
Hourly should never be the end goal, work hourly to acquire assets to get passive income. Regardless of how much a company pays me, I still buy real estate cause anything can happen and time is limited, you and I are not getting any more of it. I feel for them and its a reminder to not trust your life, family, future etc on any company.
Klayzer
Member
Good luck fighting off their cult members. Auto defense of criticism towards Microsoft, is the normal.
Nobody is blaming MS. It's not MS's responsibility to look after those employees and they are only a client. It's the idea that it's not related at all to the cost cutting at MS that's in dispute.
PlayStaytion
Member
Don't they understand consumers? WTF is happening? I'm supporting these games anyway, don't they have any patience?
CliffBronger
Member
I'm just praying it was only the entire DEI department that was canned .....
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LavitzSlambert
Member
I see where you're coming from, but I still don't agree. Film is less complicated than game development and even they have changed the goal posts. What we get are 8 episode seasons of a few subplots that barely move, and a completely stagnant film industry that churns out even more generic than your trend chasing games. We barely get multi part movies anymore because of the risk that has been offloaded to TV series, and those get treated with the Netflix shotgun approach that leads to unfinished stories.
Telltale tried the episodic development model and it didn't work out well. Given how much goes into setting up an engine, or even setting up a basic platform using a licensed engine, the front loaded costs are far too great in the gaming industry and any efficiencies born from necessity will not be enough to overcome. I don't want to see gaming turn into guaranteed safe standalone projects. As much as layoffs suck, I think it's a natural part of this industry and will continue to be unless more devs unionize, which will have other affects on the industry and how games are made.