4 ms·

> After evaluating our position in the games market, we’ve decided to shift LucasArts from an internal development to a licensing model, minimizing the company’

by ebbv 14y ago

> After evaluating our position in the games market, we’ve decided to shift LucasArts from an internal development to a licensing model, minimizing the company’s risk while achieving a broader portfolio of quality Star Wars games... In other words: by closing the studio we can just collect checks from licensing our IPs which gets turned into bonuses for our executives while we don't have to pay any developers, artists, designers or other filthy wage slaves.

macspoofing 14y ago
That's harsh and unfair.
- ebbv 14y ago
  Really? I think it's translating it to plain english and it's a lot nicer than what's actually going through my head about the people making that decision.
  - macspoofing 14y ago
    Disney closed down the studio, which yes, really sucks for the people who worked there. I empathize for all the guys and gals that lost their jobs from this decision. Having said that, it may have been the right call for Disney. Disney has a number of game studios, and this one may have been redundant. This is what happens when one company buys another and there is overlap in org-structure. LucasFilm animators and operations people already got the axe. I worry for them more than I do for game engineers (their skills are in high-demand).
- rje 14y ago
  It's certainly harsh, but which part is unfair?
obviouslygreen 14y ago
While this is true, it is still making work for said wage slave proletariat... and eventually it'll likely be the same people getting that money now, assuming they stay in the same industry. I'm not saying it's a great thing, and I agree that it's likely motivated at least in part by a reduction in cost to justify some lovely top-level bonuses, but the work isn't disappearing. It's just being sent elsewhere.
- ebbv 14y ago
  Let's say that everyone who got laid off today at LucasArts forms a new studio and somehow lands the contract to make the next Star Wars games. I guarantee you that their pay will be much lower from that contract, and their new independent studio will probably not get a favorable (if any) portion of the back end on sales. That means that not only will they get paid less to make the game, but even if it is successful, the result of their hard work will not result in much improvement to their situation and indeed they will then have to land a contract to make the next game. My point is this a move that favors only the executives and fucks over the folks who do the real work. And in reality rather than hypotheticals, they are all out of work today and must find new jobs, a shitty position for anyone to be in and my heart is with all of them.
  - madaxe 14y ago
    I'd wager that their just-terminated employment contracts explicitly prohibit them from doing such a thing.
    - pbhjpbhj 14y ago
      It would be interesting to see the details of this - surely if the contract is "terminated" then they're under no contractual obligations any longer. If the company who were the first party to the contract no longer exists then the contract is void surely. (Yes "or successor in title" probably covers that one).
      - jclarkcom 14y ago
        non-competes are not valid in California where LucasArts is located
  - danielweber 14y ago
    I guarantee you that their pay will be much lower from that contract Is this what 'patio11 means by video game developers being willing to deal with low pay? At least for now, no developers need to deal with their pay being cut. Go work someplace else instead. Unless you think you have to work on video games.
ctdonath 14y ago
"Golly this goose is delicious. Pity the thing refused to lay golden eggs faster..."
bhartzer 14y ago
Uhh, yeah. It's all about the money and the bottom line, isn't it?
Apocryphon 14y ago
If Project Eternity and the South Park RPG go well, does that mean that Obsidian might get a chance at KOTOR III?
- MrMember 14y ago
  That Star Wars license won't come cheap. Would the $4 million they raised on Kickstarter for Eternity even cover the licensing fees?
- crapshoot101 14y ago
  Be still my beating heart! But no, I doubt it - I'd love for a single player RPG, but expect nothing but MMO's here on out.

by ebbv 14y ago

macspoofing 14y ago

That's harsh and unfair.

ebbv 14y ago
Really? I think it's translating it to plain english and it's a lot nicer than what's actually going through my head about the people making that decision.
- macspoofing 14y ago
  Disney closed down the studio, which yes, really sucks for the people who worked there. I empathize for all the guys and gals that lost their jobs from this decision. Having said that, it may have been the right call for Disney. Disney has a number of game studios, and this one may have been redundant. This is what happens when one company buys another and there is overlap in org-structure. LucasFilm animators and operations people already got the axe. I worry for them more than I do for game engineers (their skills are in high-demand).
rje 14y ago
It's certainly harsh, but which part is unfair?

obviouslygreen 14y ago

While this is true, it is still making work for said wage slave proletariat... and eventually it'll likely be the same people getting that money now, assuming they stay in the same industry. I'm not saying it's a great thing, and I agree that it's likely motivated at least in part by a reduction in cost to justify some lovely top-level bonuses, but the work isn't disappearing. It's just being sent elsewhere.

ebbv 14y ago
Let's say that everyone who got laid off today at LucasArts forms a new studio and somehow lands the contract to make the next Star Wars games. I guarantee you that their pay will be much lower from that contract, and their new independent studio will probably not get a favorable (if any) portion of the back end on sales. That means that not only will they get paid less to make the game, but even if it is successful, the result of their hard work will not result in much improvement to their situation and indeed they will then have to land a contract to make the next game. My point is this a move that favors only the executives and fucks over the folks who do the real work. And in reality rather than hypotheticals, they are all out of work today and must find new jobs, a shitty position for anyone to be in and my heart is with all of them.
- madaxe 14y ago
  I'd wager that their just-terminated employment contracts explicitly prohibit them from doing such a thing.
  - pbhjpbhj 14y ago
    It would be interesting to see the details of this - surely if the contract is "terminated" then they're under no contractual obligations any longer. If the company who were the first party to the contract no longer exists then the contract is void surely. (Yes "or successor in title" probably covers that one).
    - jclarkcom 14y ago
      non-competes are not valid in California where LucasArts is located
- danielweber 14y ago
  I guarantee you that their pay will be much lower from that contract Is this what 'patio11 means by video game developers being willing to deal with low pay? At least for now, no developers need to deal with their pay being cut. Go work someplace else instead. Unless you think you have to work on video games.

ctdonath 14y ago

"Golly this goose is delicious. Pity the thing refused to lay golden eggs faster..."

bhartzer 14y ago

Uhh, yeah. It's all about the money and the bottom line, isn't it?

Apocryphon 14y ago

If Project Eternity and the South Park RPG go well, does that mean that Obsidian might get a chance at KOTOR III?

MrMember 14y ago
That Star Wars license won't come cheap. Would the $4 million they raised on Kickstarter for Eternity even cover the licensing fees?
crapshoot101 14y ago
Be still my beating heart! But no, I doubt it - I'd love for a single player RPG, but expect nothing but MMO's here on out.