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Microsoft closes the sports video-game studio

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Microsoft closes the sports video-game studio

Old 08-20-04, 10:35 AM
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Microsoft closes the sports video-game studio (thread title edited. -namja)


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.
Old 08-20-04, 10:36 AM
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Phew...Links survived.
Old 08-20-04, 10:37 AM
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Well, so much for another High Heat baseball game.
Old 08-20-04, 10:40 AM
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Originally posted by Setzer
Well, so much for another High Heat baseball game.
Yeah, that really sucks. It's a good thing MS bought the rights to that series.
Old 08-20-04, 10:47 AM
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Can we get the title changed to something that isn't so childish?
Old 08-20-04, 10:50 AM
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Originally posted by Setzer
Well, so much for another High Heat baseball game.
First thing i thought of as well.
Old 08-20-04, 10:54 AM
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there goes all the theories that MS can just keep pumping as much money it wants into Xbox.
Old 08-20-04, 12:45 PM
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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.
Old 08-20-04, 12:51 PM
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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.
Old 08-20-04, 01:00 PM
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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.
Old 08-20-04, 01:06 PM
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No loss. MS and 989 offerings have always been pathetic compared to EA and Sega.
Old 08-20-04, 05:49 PM
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Good riddance. Like Josh said, these games are always inferior to anything Sega or EA makes.
Old 08-20-04, 06:29 PM
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That analysis is incorrect when it comes to basketball.
Old 08-20-04, 06:32 PM
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Originally posted by Copenhagen
Phew...Links survived.
My sentiments exactly. I was never a fan of Microsoft's other sports titles, but Links was a pretty good title. Good to hear we can expect future installments of the game.
Old 08-20-04, 09:19 PM
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Originally posted by mr.snowmizer
That analysis is incorrect when it comes to basketball.
I thought there Basketball game was terrible though NBA Live is nearly as bad.

ESPN is the only Basketball game I enjoy playing.

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