C@LAg said:
bluefire579 said:
Xbox and Live are more Microsoft specific issues. Other things you mention apply in a lot of these layoffs, but looking at the EA situation, it feels a lot different, considering they went through a similar restructuring this time last year, have since staffed up to higher numbers, continue to have great financial numbers, and then still made these layoffs. I don't have firsthand knowledge of their workings, but something feels off about this one in particular.
Some of the titles they sunset make sense (that LotR game looked awful), but killing a Star Wars title by a studio that's built a lot of consumer trust in making Star Wars titles is a real headscratcher to me, especially so soon after announcing it.
Sony just did a bunch of layoffs this week, many of those tied to their GAAS push that was a HUGE priority for Jim Ryan. And now that he is gone, they are doing a big course correction. And Sony has been making money, unlike Microsoft.
Oh yeah, like I said, it applies in a lot of layoffs. EA has been successful in its GAAS pushes, though. Madden and whatever the new soccer title is called both make money hand over fist with their microtransactions. Sony, on the other hand, specifically acquired Bungie because they wanted an established GAAS product. You can also probably point to, especially since they were named in the report, of the cancelation of Naughty Dog's multiplayer game. I will say, though, that Sony's also seemed to have a lot to do with the underperformance of their VR 2. The London studio, which focused on VR games, was outright closed.
Since this is a Star Wars thread, though, I'll bring it back around and just say that the cancelation of yet another Star Wars game under the EA banner makes me glad that they no longer have exclusive use of the license. What an absolute disaster that was.