Is Microsoft in panic mode after Sony's PS4 reveal?

[DirtyP2002]

Weedlab said:

DirtyP2002 said:

Weedlab said:

hatmoza said:

Microsoft is really losing touch with developers. Listen to what this guy is saying. He basically said he doesn't like the approach that Microsoft is taking. He also makes it very clear that Microsoft has communication issues with developers.

This isn't new news of course. We've been hearing for quite some time from several developers that they didn't like Microsoft's working conditions.

Microsoft has to win some support with their reveal (whenever it is) as to not let Sony runaway with a huge advantage. Sony is already winning the hearts of developers.

Pretty much this (with respect to some devs). Sony seems to be reaching out to devs of all shapes and sizes.

You guys amaze me. You really do. All you need is one statement, by one indie dev and you form your opinion, totally ignoring what happened in the past 2 years.

Ask Zipper, BigBig or Sony Liverpool if Sony really reached out to all devs. All three studios were closed by Sony in the past 18 months.
Ask Thatgamecompany who were almost broke, because they signed a exclusive contract with Sony and will do games for Xbox now.
Ask SuperBot Entertainment, which are now dead, because they developed PSABR for Sony. Sony stopped the relationship with them and they are dead now. How do they feel about Sony?

On the other hand MS opened a shitload of studios, bought Twisted Pixel and BigPark Games and hired the best talent in this industry.

But yeah, there is still that one indie dev you will stick to no matter what.

Ummmm .. Did my post suggest I was basing my argument on the single comment of a dev? I think not. Check again. Notice I had with respect to some developers, and I stand by that.

Uhhh ... your point? It seems quite moot and your argument is disingenuous. Don't get me wrong it is horrible when any dev has to close down, but it happens and will continue to happen irrespective of the party behind them. If the games don't sell then it is inevitable these things will happen. Also, didn't Sony absorb a lot of those guys in other studios? (That was rhetorical).

Thatgamecompany went broke, so because their games didn't sell as well as they would have liked is that an instance of Sony mistreating them? Didn't they thank Sony on a multitude of occasions for their assistance on a plethora of things? Heck they even thanked them on Spike TV when they accepted the award for Journey. One can argue that the fame their obtained from making games on the PS3 will yield dividends later. They are extremely well known now.

Now we are going from relationships with third party studious to a first party studio buying 'talent'. Focus your argument instead of tangentalizing.

Nice way to cherry pick points by the way. I guess you forgot to include events like developers leaving Microsoft for ‘greener’ pastures (including people from RARE) and devs leaving their studious because of a lack of innovation. Why isn’t Bunjie making games exclusive to Microsoft again? Don’t get me wrong none of the big three are perfect, they all have their issues with respect to third parties, but I think the point was relatively speaking Sony is better than Microsoft.

 

It is not about about a few developers leaving, like you mentioned with Rare (Or Naughty Dog and Sucker Punch developers joined MS), it is about closing entire studios. And no, Sony did not just relocate most of the devs. They offered some of them a new position, but they did not absorb a lot of them.

Imagine you are in the situation of a developer of Zipper and you actually get an offer from Sony to work. You can chose between bein unemployed or work in a new city miles away. This is still a very bad situation to be in.