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[Jormatar]

The most puzzling thing for me is why Rare aren’t working on the game?

They are probably still busy figuring out what kind of game Everwild will be.

 

[Markio128]

It always seemed like it might take the studio a bit of time to gel. It was basically a who's who from various big studios, maybe that resulted in a bit of a tug of war internally.

The old saying, ‘too many chefs spoil the broth’, springs to mind.

 

[Ozriel]

Matt Booty and Andy seem to be on the same page here. Matt says teaming up with Crystal Dynamics wasn't a sign of issues and Andy corroborates that it was always planned they'd team up with CD.

I'm not sure this makes a case that Matt's lying here. Because the tweets in the previous thread were purely on the Crystal Dynamics integration and the rumors surrounding that.

Clearly they've had issues in the past, but that's not what Matt was addressing. Makes sense it comes from the Initiative part of things since slapping together big egos and experienced talent can often lead to friction.

This whole thread is really nothing new. It was widely reported in March with more details than this. Still listed as rumor, but discussed half of The Initiative staff leaving. Xbox went on a hiring spree hiring tons of senior level people and basically promising them leadership positions and more independence as developers. They may have even meant that since they seem to take an extremely hands off approach to their studios now in contrast to the 360 days. Then when it came time to actually make something, people saw the open structure as dysfunctional and not every single person was the leader of the vision.

Sounds like they tried a Valve style utopian development environment, and then people didn't like it when they tried to shift to a hierarchal structure to actually get something done. Who knows.

Yeah, they'd reported on this months ago. He's pretty much double-dipping.

 

[Banjo64]

You enjoyed Crackdown 2?

Absolutely, it was a great game.

 

[Punished Miku]

You mean another internal project from MS is having issues?
This isn't news.

They should spend some of the money they have on fixing their internal production already since they can't even manage that, instead of buying half the industry.

Honestly, I've always said the opposite. The issues they keep having show why their new strategy makes sense.

Studios that are highly efficient today almost all have a 30+ year history. They started making games when you didn't need 500+ people with super specific specialization. They figured out the kinks in their project management strategies because you could complete a game in 2-3 years, and have a trilogy on a single console gen. Now, you're looking at managing a studio with 500+ people that barely communicate with each other because of their specializations, many working from home on top of that, for 5+ years to complete one project. It will take a new studio 20 years to get experience making 4 games when Naughty Dog got the experience of making a trilogy on PS2 in 2001, 2003 and 2004. This is why Nintendo is so great, because they're the oldest developers and they hold on to all their employees. They have people in the top levels of management that have experience completing projects from the 1970s. When people are hired on to the company, they're joining a company culture that has experience completing projects for 50 years.

MS may have issues managing their studios, but it's become clear to almost everyone that you can't organically make an experienced studio overnight. That means the existing studios with a functioning company culture and experience are worth more, which is why they are becoming desirable for purchase. It's a function of development becoming exponentially more difficult and more time consuming today.

 

[Kimahri]

Absolutely, it was a great game.

We're not compatible, lol

 

[Markio128]

They are probably still busy figuring out what kind of game Everwild will be.

It’s flippin’ madness if you ask me. It’s like Sony saying, ‘right PD, we want you to make the next Ghost of Tsushima game’.

 

[Hendrick's]

https://gamingbolt.com/perfect-dark...e-to-leadership-and-cultural-issues-rumor/amp



Where's that damn Matt Booty? lol

I said to be cautious when taking what he said wholesale and people got on me for it, see? See what happens when you trust the Booty instead of the Brain?

Eddie-Griffin What's with the Booty hate boner?

 

[GHG]

I'd be interested to know which other studio these people moved to.

 

[Banjo64]

We're not compatible, lol

That’s fine. The way I saw it it was a brainless super hero romp just like infamous.

 

[Banjo64]

We're not compatible, lol

Sorry, I was thinking about Crackdown 1. Never played 2.

 

[prinz_valium]

A studio without cultural issues, or issues does not exists.
The culture I like, is disliked by others and vice versa

 

[Camreezie]

Arent the Initiative approaching 5 years now and one teaser to show for it? Id be worried about that not culture differences

 

[FergusFrost]

Man with vested interest in defending the company he works for defends the company he works for.

More at 11.

 

[Kimahri]

Sorry, I was thinking about Crackdown 1. Never played 2.

Ah, lol. That makes a bit more sense. C2 is dumb and boring.

I played C1 and C3 back to back, and C1 has not aged well. C3 was far more fun for me.

 

[Eddie-Griffin]

The most puzzling thing for me is why Rare aren’t working on the game?

Rare's working on Sea of Thieves and other projects that haven't been revealed, wouldn't make sense to stretch them thin.

Gears of War is nowhere of what it was 10 years ago,

10 years ago was 2012, gears 4 apparently had 6 million players, no numbers for 5, but I doubt either of those games did as bad as gears judgement did, people considered that the end of Gears when it came out.

They are probably still busy figuring out what kind of game Everwild will be.

I still can't get over the fact they put together an in-engine demo of a game they hadn't planned on what it would be.

Eddie-Griffin What's with the Booty hate boner?

Andy's the one that quoted the news reporting on Booty's statement, pushing back against Booty's claims there aren't any issue. I had nothing to do with it.

Ah, lol. That makes a bit more sense. C2 is dumb and boring.

I played C1 and C3 back to back, and C1 has not aged well. C3 was far more fun for me.

I think people who like C1 have nostalgia for the Halo demo that put a spotlight on it.

 

[SJRB]

Internal struggles? At a Microsoft studio? Well I'll be damned.

The most puzzling thing for me is why Rare aren’t working on the game?

Galaxy brain IQ, you'll see. It's a 4D chess move.

 

[Spukc]

 

[Snowdonhoffen]

I mean, there is obviously something going on with the studio. I get they're a new studio and all that + the pandemic. But let's look at 2 AAA games.
Death Stranding, independent Koji Pro created around December 2015, game announced on E3 2016, and from there on we got cinematics from the game and gameplay every year until release on November 2019.
Now with The Callisto Protocol, Striking Distance founded on June 2019, game announced on December 2020. Trailers and gameplay released throughout 2022 with a released date of December 2022.
I think these are examples of new studios developing a new game/IP "smoothly".

 

[RoboFu]

At the end of the day, its up to the studios management, people like Booty can try and avoid disasters but they cant do to much otherwise they would end up micromanaging the project.
Weather its sony or Microsoft who pays the bills at the end of the day its depends on the teams ability to deliver.

Its a bit like picking players for a team, you get varrying quality of players.

Sometimes you need to step in and micromanage . Sometimes you don’t …knowing when and when not is being a good manager.

 

[Punished Miku]

I mean, there is obviously something going on with the studio. I get they're a new studio and all that + the pandemic. But let's look at 2 AAA games.
Death Stranding, independent Koji Pro created around December 2015, game announced on E3 2016, and from there on we got cinematics from the game and gameplay every year until release on November 2019.
Now with The Callisto Protocol, Striking Distance founded on June 2019, game announced on December 2020. Trailers and gameplay released throughout 2022 with a released date of December 2022.
I think these are examples of new studios developing a new game/IP "smoothly".

I think the more focused you are when starting up, the better. If you're the guy who lead development of Dead Space, and you start up a new studio to make Dead space basically, and then make it in a similar fashion to how you previously made Dead space, that's going to help. KojiPro is basically just his old studio on a new engine. The Coalition seemed to do better since they had a mandate from the start as the "Gears" studio, and they all knew what to make and followed a very predictable template for multiple games before ever trying to branch out.

I hope we get more details someday on how Perfect Dark shit the bed.

 

[Sosokrates]

And what happens when those players don't deliver?

They get closed down, people get fired, new people come onbaord etc

 

[IndianaJack]

I wonder if The Initiative head was some super woke person that alienated the hard-core game designers and software people.

 

[Sosokrates]

Sometimes you need to step in and micromanage . Sometimes you don’t …knowing when and when not is being a good manager.

But even then its not always going to work. Sony game studios have a reputation for being the best and even they have some stinkers.

 

[oldergamer]

Show me a single game development studio where one or many people have left without any of them being disgruntled at management.

 

[Snowdonhoffen]

I think the more focused you are when starting up, the better. If you're the guy who lead development of Dead Space, and you start up a new studio to make Dead space basically, and then make it in a similar fashion to how you previously made Dead space, that's going to help. KojiPro is basically just his old studio on a new engine. The Coalition seemed to do better since they had a mandate from the start as the "Gears" studio, and they all knew what to make and followed a very predictable template for multiple games before ever trying to branch out.

I hope we get more details someday on how Perfect Dark shit the bed.

I also think what really helped them to work fast was having a strong vision about what they wanted to do with their projects. With The Initiative, judging by this report, there's a lack of that. I don't know if they chose Perfect Dark or if it was given to them but probably the best thing for them was to let them create something entirely new.

 

[IndianaJack]

This whole thread is really nothing new. It was widely reported in March with more details than this. Still listed as rumor, but discussed half of The Initiative staff leaving. Xbox went on a hiring spree hiring tons of senior level people and basically promising them leadership positions and more independence as developers. They may have even meant that since they seem to take an extremely hands off approach to their studios now in contrast to the 360 days. Then when it came time to actually make something, people saw the open structure as dysfunctional and not every single person was the leader of the vision.

Sounds like they tried a Valve style utopian development environment, and then people didn't like it when they tried to shift to a hierarchal structure to actually get something done. Who knows.

Assuming that story is true, they could have worked it out. Sounds like more sinister things were happening.

 

[IndianaJack]

Show me a single game development studio where one or many people have left without any of them being disgruntled at management.

I don't ever hear these stories about SIE studios. Just sayin', I only hear it about Xbox studios and EA, Activision.

 

[Stuart360]

That maybe the case, but as a gamer what am I suppose to do with this information? My only response to it is, "oh man that sucks I hope they get it together and make a great game".

To troll with it on forums.

 

[SLB1904]

Xbox studios can't catch a brake.

 

[MOTM]

You mean another internal project from MS is having issues?
This isn't news.

They should spend some of the money they have on fixing their internal production already since they can't even manage that, instead of buying half the industry.

Gears of War is nowhere of what it was 10 years ago, Halo...let's not go there, Fable...that game was announced in 2020 or 2018 and it's still barely a game. This one they had to hire an entire studio...the same studio that gave us the latest Tomb Raider trilogy (which was basically every single idea from better 3rd person games crammed into one) to make a game that's not even theirs. What could possibly go wrong here?

Can't wait to see what they do once they have Activision, lmao.

You’re really trying aren’t you

 

[Deerock71]

IMPerfect Dark?!

 

[MOTM]

Absolutely, it was a great game.

Loved Crackdown 2 (like wtf?) but hated Crackdown 3

I smell BS here.

 

[coffinbirth]

More


Of course, this is a game of they said them said, since Matt Booty didn't provide proof, and we have only words from the Yooka Laylee guy but it's clear there's more to it than 'everything's "fine" like Matt Booty implied.

Hopefully the finished product, assuming it doesn't end up like Fable Legends or Scalebound, will be good inspite of these issues.

While I unfortunately think this is all too true, this guy completely contradicts himself in that last tweet.

 

[Markio128]

I think MS need a showcase more than Sony do at the moment, just to assure us all that the games are coming along nicely. I appear to have bought the Series X on a promise not yet delivered.

 

[Banjo64]

Loved Crackdown 2 (like wtf?) but hated Crackdown 3

I smell BS here.

Sorry, I was thinking about Crackdown 1. Never played 2.

 

[Stare-Bear]

Can’t wait to see what Microsoft’s leadership will do to Activision

 

[DenchDeckard]

Matt Booty you're talking doo doo straight out ya booty!

 

[SlimySnake]

Never trust a suit. No matter which team he plays for.

 

[Topher]

Never trust a suit. No matter which team he plays for.

We should believe rumors from anonymous sources instead? At least the "suits" don't hide behind some journalist.

 

[DeaDPo0L84]

Honestly if you're main motivation is changing the company from within culturally and not simply helping the project push forward and by its release being a quality product, then fuck off. It's really not that complicated. Stop coddling these people, they're supposed to be adults.

 

[Black_Stride]

Man with vested interest in defending the company he works for defends the company he works for.

More at 11.

Matt Booty doesnt work for The Initiative?

While I unfortunately think this is all too true, this guy completely contradicts himself in that last tweet.

He just worded it weirdly.
He clarified in the replys.

The problems with The Initiative was the management at The Initiative.
People who left the company wanted to stay within Xbox Games Studios but NOT at The Initiative.

Im guessing Gallagher or other higher ups there had a different style and the "team" MS put together didnt meld well with his style.
So he basically got his old team at Crystal Dynamics to come in, he has worked with them before, and they get his style.....who knows.
Just speculating.

 

[coffinbirth]

Matt Booty doesnt work for The Initiative?

He just worded it weirdly.
He clarified in the replys.

The problems with The Initiative was the management at The Initiative.
People who left the company wanted to stay within Xbox Games Studios but NOT at The Initiative.

Im guessing Gallagher or other higher ups there had a different style and the "team" MS put together didnt meld well with his style.
So he basically got his old team at Crystal Dynamics to come in, he has worked with them before, and they get his style.....who knows.
Just speculating.

Fair enough, I didn't click through and read any more. That makes way more sense.

 

[Hendrick's]

Xbox studios can't catch a brake.

Certainly not on this site. XGS is just fine and is going to have a massive 2023. They have so many studios and projects now that they can afford to have misses. Not that any of this points to any real issues with PD.

 

[Moses85]

Next cancelation and closing studio incoming

 

[AmuroChan]

Wasn't The Initiative touted as a quadruple A development studio? Why do they need Crystal Dynamics to make the game for them?

 

[FergusFrost]

Hes the head of Microsoft Studios lmao.

Matt Booty doesnt work for The Initiative?

He just worded it weirdly.
He clarified in the replys.

The problems with The Initiative was the management at The Initiative.
People who left the company wanted to stay within Xbox Games Studios but NOT at The Initiative.

Im guessing Gallagher or other higher ups there had a different style and the "team" MS put together didnt meld well with his style.
So he basically got his old team at Crystal Dynamics to come in, he has worked with them before, and they get his style.....who knows.
Just speculating.

 

[Captain Toad]

Matt Booty - every Microsoft studio is running perfectly. Employee satisfaction is at 100%. Every game is on track to release on time and all will co-share all GOTY awards.

 

[Yoboman]

Matt Booty seems to have a long career of failing upwards. Ran Midway into the ground as CEO then landed a sweet gig at Microsoft and has spent half a decade Overseeing arguably the poorest period of first party output from Xbox first party while being given more and more studios to manage

 

[Chronicle]

No real concrete info was given in that article. Just that some people have left. I have yet to work a job where people did not bitch about leadership. I can only imagine what the problems are and that's an issue here. We can discuss them but we really have no idea other than perhaps our own experiences on our own jobs of what they old be. We need more concrete info in order to pass judgment