Bungie, Microsoft Part ways. :(

[Lando81]

Bungie has now become an Independent Developer and is no longer owned by Microsoft. This is some news that I personally didn't expect and quite frankly im disapointed.

 

[WhatsHisFace]

In a sense that Bungie is now independent, yes, they have parted ways.

But in the sense that Microsoft is still publishing as many Bungie games as they want, they're still very much together.

Effectively, the only result of this is that Microsoft can't directly tell Bungie what to do. Bungie is free to all the creative control they want. Now they don't have to make Halo until they die.

 

[SouLeSS]

Source?

 

[hippie_hunter]

Microsoft is still going to be publishing Bungie's games and they still have some interests in Bungie, therefore their games will still be exclusive to the Xbox 360.

The only difference now is that Bungie won't be forced to make nothing but Halo, Halo, Halo. They can do what they want now. If it's Halo 4, so be it. If it's a new IP so be it.

In the end, it's a win-win situation.

 

[WhatsHisFace]

Source?

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2007/oct07/10-05BungieEvolvesPR.mspx

 

[Zenien]

According to Bungie it's just Halo that Microsoft retains publishing of. But chances are that Bungie will continue to choose to use Microsoft as their sole publisher, but they can apparently make games for any platform as long as it isn't Halo.

 

[WhatsHisFace]

According to Bungie it's just Halo that Microsoft retains publishing of.

Bungie has the same press release as Microsoft.

KIRKLAND, Wash. — Oct. 5, 2007 — Bungie and Microsoft Corp. today announced a plan for Bungie Studios, the developers of Microsoft’s “Halo” franchise, to become a privately held independent company, Bungie, LLC, in which Microsoft will hold a minority equity interest. As part of this transaction, Bungie and Microsoft have forged a deep and long-term development and publishing relationship focused on the continued success of the “Halo” franchise. It is also the intent of both parties to expand their partnership to include new IP created and owned by Bungie.

So there you have it. Bungie will not be making Killzone 3.

 

[Spidey-Bat]

Now if only Rare was freed

 

[hippie_hunter]

According to Bungie it's just Halo that Microsoft retains publishing of. But chances are that Bungie will continue to choose to use Microsoft as their sole publisher, but they can apparently make games for any platform as long as it isn't Halo.

No they can't make games for any platform, even if it isn't Halo. Microsoft still has interests in Bungie and have a publishing agreement with them. That's probably how they managed to break free. They can develop their own IPs, actually own the IPs unlike Halo, and do whatever they want, as long as it's for the Xbox 360 and PC only.

There will be no Playstation 3 or Wii Bungie games.

 

[WhatsHisFace]

I'm surprised Microsoft has been as good to Rare as they have been. After Grabbed by the Ghoulies tanked (which I feel is the best game Rare released under Microsoft) Conker's barely profitable (and endless) development, Kameo and PDZ not being the 360's biggest launch games... and Viva Pinata... I would have figured Microsoft would approach them and say "You will make the SP portion of Shadowrun" or something akin to that.

Yet Rare retains more creative freedom than any other MS subsidiary. They're FINALLY doing Banjo Kazooie 3. Holy Macarel... how I've been waiting for that game.

 

[hippie_hunter]

Now if only Rare was freed

Rare would most likely continue to suck even without Microsoft, and even then, it would probably end up in terms similar to Bungie's deal.

 

[WhatsHisFace]

Rare would most likely continue to suck even without Microsoft, and even then, it would probably end up in terms similar to Bungie's deal.

Yeah, okay... Rare sucks. But before you write them off completely, at least wait for Banjo Kazooie 3.

 

[hippie_hunter]

I'm surprised Microsoft has been as good to Rare as they have been. After Grabbed by the Ghoulies tanked (which I feel is the best game Rare released under Microsoft) Conker's barely profitable (and endless) development, Kameo and PDZ not being the 360's biggest launch games... and Viva Pinata... I would have figured Microsoft would approach them and say "You will make the SP portion of Shadowrun" or something akin to that.

Yet Rare retains more creative freedom than any other MS subsidiary. They're FINALLY doing Banjo Kazooie 3. Holy Macarel... how I've been waiting for that game.

Yeah, I'm actually surprised that they haven't reduced Rare's role in developing games after multiple continual flops (the games that you mentioned. Considering that they shut down Digital Anvil after Brute Force and FASA after Crimson Skies and Shadowrun.

 

[hippie_hunter]

Yeah, okay... Rare sucks. But before you write them off completely, at least wait for Banjo Kazooie 3.

For some reason, I have a feeling that Banjo-Kazooie 3 is going to be Rare's last chance with Microsoft.

Microsoft is brutal to the studios that fail and shut them down after one or two flops. But with Rare, they've been given multiple chances. I don't see why Microsoft would continue to give Rare yet another chance if Banjo-Kazooie 3 fails also.

 

[WhatsHisFace]

Yeah, I'm actually surprised that they haven't reduced Rare's role in developing games after multiple continual flops (the games that you mentioned. Considering that they shut down Digital Anvil after Brute Force and FASA after Crimson Skies and Shadowrun.

The thing with both Digital Anvil and FASA (FASA to a lesser degree) was that a lot of the talent had left those studios. Both studios showed little promise in their current states (most of Digital Anvil went to "Point of No Return", most of FASA left for "Day 1 Studios" and then the Crimson Skies team left (to make Airtight Games) after Crimson Skies went gold and MS had no plans for Crimson Skies 2.

With Rare, it at least kept the main project leads though it's biggest losses were from the Goldeneye team during the original Perfect Dark's development.

Microsoft has a lot of faith in Rare still. The company went through two rough transitions and we're starting to see them coming through the ages and catching up. Kameo was a great game, and Perfect Dark Zero was just a "reality check" away from magnificence.

 

[WhatsHisFace]

For some reason, I have a feeling that Banjo-Kazooie 3 is going to be Rare's last chance with Microsoft.

Microsoft is brutal to the studios that fail and shut them down after one or two flops. But with Rare, they've been given multiple chances. I don't see why Microsoft would continue to give Rare yet another chance if Banjo-Kazooie 3 fails also.

Microsoft has been very respectful of Rare, allowing them to run themselves and hire/promote the people they choose. If Banjo Kazooie 3 fails, I can see Microsoft doing a direct intervention and start getting things going in a very "realist" manner. You won't see Viva Pinata's or Grabbed by the Ghoulies'. You'll probably see a new FPS IP emerge (or they'll just use one of Microsoft's IP's like Halo or MechWarrior for the new FPS) and the other teams will likely make clones of whatever is popular on the market.

I can't see them closing the studio. "Rare" is too strong a brand name.

At the very most, I see them firing the "lesser-talents" merging the studio with Lionhead (while also removing Lionhead's lesser-talents) and renaming the entire company "Rare".

But that's the "Apocalypse scenario".

 

[hippie_hunter]

Microsoft has a lot of faith in Rare still. The company went through two rough transitions and we're starting to see them coming through the ages and catching up. Kameo was a great game, and Perfect Dark Zero was just a "reality check" away from magnificence.

It's obvious that Microsoft has a lot of faith in Rare. Why else would they still be developing top tier games after multiple failures: Grabbed by the Ghoulies, Conker: Live and Reloaded, Kameo: Elements of Power, Perfect Dark Zero, and Viva Pinata.

But faith has it's limits. Imagine if Banjo-Kazooie 3 fails. Do you really think that Microsoft is going to continue giving them the benefit of the doubt? Do you think that they are going to continue having a lot of faith in Rare?

 

[hippie_hunter]

Microsoft has been very respectful of Rare, allowing them to run themselves and hire/promote the people they choose. If Banjo Kazooie 3 fails, I can see Microsoft doing a direct intervention and start getting things going in a very "realist" manner. You won't see Viva Pinata's or Grabbed by the Ghoulies'. You'll probably see a new FPS IP emerge (or they'll just use one of Microsoft's IP's like Halo or MechWarrior for the new FPS) and the other teams will likely make clones of whatever is popular on the market.

I can't see them closing the studio. "Rare" is too strong a brand name.

At the very most, I see them firing the "lesser-talents" merging the studio with Lionhead (while also removing Lionhead's lesser-talents) and renaming the entire company "Rare".

But that's the "Apocalypse scenario".

Rare isn't as strong a brand name as it used to be while they were under Nintendo.

Although, I definetely agree with your senario. If Rare developed Halo 4, it's going to be a top seller no matter what because it's Halo. Also Microsoft has paid too much to simply close down Rare.

 

[WhatsHisFace]

It's obvious that Microsoft has a lot of faith in Rare. Why else would they still be developing top tier games after multiple failures: Grabbed by the Ghoulies, Conker: Live and Reloaded, Kameo: Elements of Power, Perfect Dark Zero, and Viva Pinata.

But faith has it's limits. Imagine if Banjo-Kazooie 3 fails. Do you really think that Microsoft is going to continue giving them the benefit of the doubt? Do you think that they are going to continue having a lot of faith in Rare?

Somewhere there was an interview where Shane Kim or someone like him was saying "You won't see the best from Rare for a while" so hopefully that means that Rare is just an investment of time, and that hopefully with the release of Banjo-Kazooie 3 we see critical acclaim and at least a million units sold.

 

[hippie_hunter]

Somewhere there was an interview where Shane Kim or someone like him was saying "You won't see the best from Rare for a while" so hopefully that means that Rare is just an investment of time, and that hopefully with the release of Banjo-Kazooie 3 we see critical acclaim and at least a million units sold.

Look on the bright side, if Banjo-Kazooie 3 fails, the senario you mentioned will probably be the most likely one to happen.

Microsoft paid far too much for Rare to just simply shut it down after multiple failures. Although their prominence in Microsoft Game Studios will be heavily diminished.

 

[WhatsHisFace]

Rare isn't as strong a brand name as it used to be while they were under Nintendo.

Although, I definetely agree with your senario. If Rare developed Halo 4, it's going to be a top seller no matter what because it's Halo. Also Microsoft has paid too much to simply close down Rare.

I actually think Rare would do a great job with Halo 4. When you consider that the problems with Perfect Dark Zero were more conceptual (horrible art direction, awful story, poor characters) and it's strengths were all technical (great gameplay, usually great level design, excellent multiplayer) I think that Rare getting an established IP to work with (one with very little "freedom to mess with things" thanks to the Halo Bible) I think they could do an excellent job. Much like they have in the past when working with established IPs (Donkey Kong Country, Goldeneye).

I think they should at least be allowed to prototype. Perfect Dark Zero's gameplay was, cover system aside, the same as Halo's. All they'd need to do is get a story, their artists and Bungie's assets (sound effects, little code details) and they're set.

 

[WhatsHisFace]

Look on the bright side, if Banjo-Kazooie 3 fails, the senario you mentioned will probably be the most likely one to happen.

Microsoft paid far too much for Rare to just simply shut it down after multiple failures. Although their prominence in Microsoft Game Studios will be heavily diminished.

The big mistake Microsoft made with Rare was looking at their past games on Nintendo's system and saying "Wow! We'll use Rare to make kiddie games so we can get the younger demographics to use the Xbox360!"

What they should have done is step back and observe that Rare really was best at keeping momentum going for the system in between Nintendo's big releases. In the same sense that "Gears of War" was a bench-warmer for "Halo 3", Banjo Kazooie was a bridge between "Mario 64" and "Zelda: Ocarina of Time".

Microsoft should be using Rare to make "Gears of Wars" and "Mass Effects" in between their "Fables" and "Halos" instead of "Viva Pinatas" and "Ghoulies" (although I do believe Banjo will be a success).

Rare is a talented studio with absolutely nothing to work with. They can't copy any demographic games for the 360 because there simply aren't any. Rare should just be making a few shooters (that aren't trying to be TimeSplitters) get some Xbox fan support behind them, and THEN go on to make wonky projects that their fans will get.

I could write for another page about what I think of the situation.

 

[WolfCypher]

With Bungie being able to do their own thing and not be type-casted to just Halo, will the Halo "main series" (ie: side games and side-stories not counted) have its conclusion? (Was Halo 3 the conclusion?)

What does IP mean in video game terms?

 

[WhatsHisFace]

With Bungie being able to do their own thing and not be type-casted to just Halo, will the Halo "main series" (ie: side games and side-stories not counted) have its conclusion? (Was Halo 3 the conclusion?)

What does IP mean in video game terms?

Halo 3 was the conclusion to the Halo series. You actually do "finish the fight" in that game. I can see how they left in a potential opening for more about the Master Chief, but the ending really does tie up all the loose ends. It's certainly a final chapter.

An IP is an "Intellectual Property" which is really an umbrella term for "anything we own" whether it's a name, an invention, a game, etc...

So for instance, "Halo" is an intellectual property of Microsoft. "Mario" is an intellectual property on Nintendo.

 

[Joker]

This is really a "the more things change, the more they stay the same" type of thing...nothings really different other than Bungie has full creative control back, which is a good thing.