Kotaku 
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Denver, 2:51 PM
Fri Dec 4
51 posts in the last 24 hours
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10/07/09
I fear the recession, isn't so finished recessing...
10/06/09
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10/06/09
We get it, you don't like Activision or Bobby K. But this is housecleaning. It happens everywhere in all sizes, to all companies, pristine gaming companies like your Valve's and Double Fines included.
Every company in the world fires people, and if they don't, they make it miserable for those people until they quit. I dare you to find a game company that hasn't done either.
So Activision fires some people. You're welcome to speculate that there's some evil person behind it and that your boycotts will somehow make them die a fiery death. But really, this is hardly anything but housekeeping to balance the books. It just happens that Activision's houses and books are bigger. I know that conveniently your heart has grown to care for the people losing their jobs. But if you want to point blame, point at it at the company owner's for agreeing to be bought out. You can always say no.
10/06/09
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10/06/09
First, I don't condone the buying and gutting of companies. However, to a publisher like Activision, these things make good business sense. Your Activisions, EAs, Take Twos, etc are always going to be doing things like this because it returns profit very effectively. Again, I don't agree, but I understand the strategy behind it.
A lot of us have been in the space long enough to recognize when companies are going to do things like that, especially in the last year with the economy weighing heavily on practically financial decision we make.
Because of that, we shouldn't blindly point our fingers at the big bad guy for gutting a small developer (something which we've come expect a lot more these days). What about the heads of these small companies that help facilitate the deals or the investors behind them? Those people have just as much incentive to see these types of deals through, knowing well their companies will have to make adjustments (read: cuts on behalf of the parent company). They, however, will see the same payday no matter what.
I think some of these people, not all, should be scrutinized and criticized as much as the publishing giants themselves.
That being said, stay vocal folks and let Activision know how you feel! If they continue to anger people, our voices might be the only thing that could set them straight.
10/06/09
10/06/09
I've worked in small, start-up software companies my entire career (not anywhere near the gaming industry, but there are similar dynamics) as both an employee and a founder. I've been part of successes and failures and had to shut a company down in a situation where some folks got jobs and others did not.
What I've always tried to do, as both an employee and an owner, is make sure that every is on equal footing WRT how they will be treated in the end game. This includes investors as well. No special terms, no special deals (little differences make for large disagreements). Sure some folks have a larger stake in the company, but if it gets sold they all get their share, straight up.
Now that can be hard to do and we have no idea whether or not that was the case here. It could be that all the money in the Activision deal went into the pockets of the studio founders, it could be that it was more evenly distributed. We also don't know what was said in advance of the deal. Was the studio led to believe that things would continue along - with the added clout of Activision or did they know that cuts were coming? If it was the latter did they let their employees know?
It is easy to have the knee-jerk - Activision bad - reaction (lord knows they've earned it), but the truth is often more complex. All that said - the whole buy out the studio working on a competing product, followed quickly by layoffs does set off all kinds of warning bells.
10/06/09
I wasn't really defending Kotick. I was actually trying to say that there are other parties involved with layoffs like these. Those guys are just as responsible as Kotick is and should receive some of the same collective hatred people show for high profile execs.
10/06/09
10/07/09
10/06/09
Or is it common to layoff 50% of a studio following completion of a project?
10/06/09
Nothing anyone says will ever make me feel bad about it.
Edit: And please don't sully Frazetta by associating him with Activision?
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10/06/09
If you are so ardent in your hate that you can pass up MW2 on Day One- then my hat is off to you, good sir.
10/06/09
Silly, don't they know that that money goes to Kotick?
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10/06/09
If there's not already an official boycott movement, we should make one. Take it to the media, show how they exploit the consumer and employee alike. It may not be enough to do any serious damage, but as long as they take a slight hit, I'll be happy.
10/06/09
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10/06/09
Do what you want people, please! I just want to clarify a few things so we're all on the same page. Come along!
-Activision aquires developer.
-Activision cuts developer staff, leaving said cut staff out in the cold to die.
-To prevent Activision from doing this again, gamers boycott Activision games.
I follow so far, but let's note that Activision doesn't actually make these games, acquired studios do. So... where were we? Oh right!
-Gamers boycott Activision games.
-Activision cut even MORE studio staff because games don't sell well... leaving said cut staff out in the cold to die.
I said, boycott what you will - you're free to do so! I'm just wondering if there's a solution to the whole 'eff kotick!' problem without actually hurting these studios that work so hard to make games.
10/06/09
Now, who knows? It doesn't really seem like they have much job security with Activision to begin with.
10/07/09
10/06/09
10/06/09
This is pretty much classic MS rule book of Business: Embrace, Extend, Extinguish
Also that pic isn't showing up for me. I'm only imagining its the classic 'Kotick grinning' one.
" the studio is reducing its workforce to better reflect Activision's upcoming slate of music-based games." - aka they are making less music games, or putting less effort in each sequel?
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10/06/09
I think it started out with the intention of writing an unbiased article then realised there was no pro's :P
@Showmeyourmoves: Woot, its a guy on a horse... who we all know is a metaphor for Kotick.
10/06/09
10/06/09
Wouldn't it just be easier to call it the Apple rule book of Business?
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10/06/09
Kotick is a terrible human being. There's a special place in hell for people like him.
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05/08/09
With that said, would everyone be saying the same thing if Konami won the patent suit against the RockBand/Guitar Hero Drum kit?
05/08/09
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05/08/09
Your on the wrong site then. We play videogames here.
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