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Microsoft closes the sports video-game studio (thread title edited. -namja)
:o
Microsoft laying off 76, cuts production of own Xbox games By Brier Dudley Seattle Times technology reporter In the latest adjustment to its Xbox business, Microsoft is closing its sports video-game studio in Redmond and laying off 76 employees. The cut is the division's largest single layoff since Microsoft launched Xbox in 2001, but it has shed hundreds of games jobs over the past year. A Microsoft spokeswoman said the company no longer has to make as many Xbox games itself, now that the console has support from the games industry. "The business has grown and a vibrant ecosystem of third-party developers has emerged," said spokeswoman Molly O'Donnell. "These developers are filling the pipeline with an abundance of great games." Microsoft's game-development group, which started out making games for PCs, grew from 350 employees to a peak of 1,200 after the Xbox was launched. Changes were under way earlier this year and the group was down to 1,000, division chief Robbie Bach said in May. "When we got to that point, we started looking around and started realizing, wait, we've got tons of third-party support," he said. "We shouldn't be the bulk game provider." There were other hints about the sports game studio's future. Microsoft announced in March that it would not produce any new editions of its sports titles this fall. Then in May it formed a partnership with Electronic Arts under which the game company is producing about 15 Xbox titles. Microsoft is also refining its Xbox business to make it profitable. Last month, executives told financial analysts that its entertainment business is on track to be profitable by the 2007 fiscal year. The sports game studio being cut produced titles such as "NFL Fever," "NHL Rivals" and the "Inside Drive" baseball game. O'Donnell said the 77 employees being laid off were notified verbally starting Wednesday. Their jobs end Oct. 25. Job specialists are helping them look for work elsewhere in the company. A separate studio in Utah that produces the "Links" golf game and "Amped" snowboard game is unaffected by the cuts, she said. |
Phew...Links survived.
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Well, so much for another High Heat baseball game. :(
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Originally posted by Setzer Well, so much for another High Heat baseball game. :( |
Can we get the title changed to something that isn't so childish? :rolleyes:
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Originally posted by Setzer Well, so much for another High Heat baseball game. :( |
there goes all the theories that MS can just keep pumping as much money it wants into Xbox.
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Even though I don't play their sports games, I think this kinda sucks. Hope this doesn't become a trend. I disagree with the idea that they have support so they can stop making their own titles. The do have support, but I think it's important for them to keep making their own software. Maybe not so important for the sports titles since there are plenty other publishers making similar things, but it seems they've been dropping a game here and there.
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God I just wish this had been about 989 Studios instead.
This is really just proof of how dominate EA is. MS probably had this in mind when they got EA to support Xbox Live. Its too expensive to develop sports games that are only going to sell 100,000 copies or less. |
Too bad. I like some of Microsoft's sports offering, at least there were some competition to EA. Trust me, the day that only EA makes sports game is the day I stop playing that genre.
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No loss. MS and 989 offerings have always been pathetic compared to EA and Sega.
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Good riddance. Like Josh said, these games are always inferior to anything Sega or EA makes.
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That analysis is incorrect when it comes to basketball.
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Originally posted by Copenhagen Phew...Links survived. |
Originally posted by mr.snowmizer That analysis is incorrect when it comes to basketball. ESPN is the only Basketball game I enjoy playing. |
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