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The Secret World: Funcom Confirms Layoffs
SBFord
Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
GamesIndustry.biz is reporting that Funcom is the latest development studio to be hit with a round of layoffs. The "cost adjustment initiative" comes just over a month since the launch of The Secret World. Funcom is stating that the layoffs are "temporary" and only one of several cost-cutting initiatives.
Read the full article at the link above.
Comments
What in the world is a "temporary layoff"?!? Will they get re-hired...doubt it. Never heard of that before. It's too bad because TSW is a great game.
P.S. Here come all the F2P threads.
It didn't really help this game any that it was linked with Electronic Arts, EA.
Players saw enough proken promises coming from EA with their release of Star Wars. While Funcom is not a subdivision of EA (yet), whereas BioWare is a bought name filled with EA employees, it was still enough to raise a flag and give players a good reason to stay the hell away.
Many others simply saw combat videos and didn't give this game a 2nd look. Lacking free trials didn't help either. In the end I'm not surprised that this game will dwindle and go under or F2P.
Want a nice understanding of life? Try Spirit Science: "The Human History"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8NNHmV3QPw&feature=plcp
Recognize the voice? Yep sounds like Penny Arcade's Extra Credits.
Was for me. Not gonna touch another EA product again. EA, retail price, sub, cash shop... all that combined served as a deterrence of TSW for me.
(OT: And another GW2 fan comes in to start a flame war.)
This is sad news. More proof that the P2P model is gone and there is only room left for F2P. I just hope it's only that and not the beginning of the end of the genre.
Game certainly doesn't deserve this. There was some real creative stuff in this one.
This is a very tough time for many development houses. The economy is not helping the situation and the consumers are demanding and expecting a great deal more for each dollar spent.
As a whole gamers need to settle down into their favorite games instead of trying everything out as a buffet before we find ourselves with only a few MMO options to choose from.
TSW was a fairly long time in development, or at least it seemed that way. The pressure for Funcom to gather higher numbers must be overwhelming from the business side. I think they should work out a more user friendly payment structure in an effort to appeal to more gamers. The cost plus sub concept is a turn off for people on tight budgets. They have to choose which games to play and will trust a more popular developer more often than not. Funcom's trust levels are tarnished and therefore they should attract more flys with honey a la lowered start up cost and more manageable sub fee. If they do not find a way to get the subs through the door then the f2p route will be inevitable.
*pulls out chair and whip*
Back to the GW2 forums with you! BACK I SAY!!
Although I actually have to agree with you here. I found the atmosphere of TSW and their take on questing to be excellent. Sadly though once I realised that once you get through the quests there is nothing to do but spin the wheel, and either repeat the lukewarm pvp battlegrounds for black marks of venice or repeat normal or hardmode dungeons for black bullion to use to buy the best gear, which you could then use to . . . . repeat the lukewarm pvp battlegrounds for black marks of venice or repeat normal or hardmode dungeons for black bullion for the best gear. At which point I canceled my subscription and uninstalled the game.
"Gypsies, tramps, and thieves, we were called by the Admin of the site . . . "
I would expect more from you karteli.
Whaaaat? It was an honest observation based on projected sales numbers! I totally didn't mean to.... OW! OW! YES MASTER, RIGHT AWAY MASTER!
Averting a financial crisis is a wise move. I just hope they don't shoot themselves in the foot by getting greedy in the cash shop.
tsw smell like f2p very soon
Indeed, and if one understands the life cycle of the developer world, there is a moderate sized team working on a project, as it nears release teams are enlarged, or hours extended to meet deadlines, and once published, released, and working fine, layoffs happen, there is no need for larger or even moderate sized teams, a small dedicated team is all you need to maintain patches and content given the right set of tools and talents.
I'm not worried in the slightest. It's common place in our world. And yes, I presume they will be hired back, as FC also stated there there is a Prohect X in the works.. I wonder what it is?
"Gypsies, tramps, and thieves, we were called by the Admin of the site . . . "
Stating the obvious will , ruin all the conspiracy theories I was about to point out the same not that anyone here cares. They will just use anything to trash a hate rush.
Good job some of us have live and don't have to by into all the hate here however ammusing and sad it is.
TSW is a good Game.
________________________________________________________
Sorcery must persist, the future is the Citadel
What I'm wondering is if this spells out the future for sci-fi or modern setting games. It's probably just been bad luck between this and SWTOR, but the fantasy genre has alway sold better in this genre. I guess that's another topic though.
The mediocre success of TSW has nothing to do with setting IMO. I think that what is being shown here is that themeparks have reached their limit as far as audience goes. I played TSW beta and tried to play the free weekend. I simply could not get into it becuase I am tired to go here, kill that etc. over and over again. Themeparks are boring for me anymore and I don't care what flavor they come in.
If you are a thempark fan, there is little reason to play any other game other than the big ones- WoW and GW2 because in reality you are always playing the same game with a different skin.
To bad I was going to post a youtube video of Willie Nelson singing
but this holds true. "Turn off the light's the Party's over"
Sad but true. My sub just renewed I am going to give it another 30 days just to see, but right now I am not that all very impressed.
I really don't understand why people get so surprised when positions are retired after a title is launched. MMO's generally require a very large staff to develop the game from the ground up. Once it's released, you mainly only need half the staff to maintain and update it.
This is the nature of the industry, especially for MMO's. It has happened to every title and will continue to do so for every future title.
I've worked in the industry for companies like THQ and independent studios. The employees facing the layoffs are well aware of the ups and downs of working in the gaming industry. The difference between a good gaming company and a bad gaming company is that a good company gives these employees enough heads up that it will be happening. A smart employee knows it is inevitable.
Because its not obvious, if a game does well and thrives after launch (which few outside of WOW/EVE have) then they don't have layoffs. Don't equate the general failure of the industry the past 8 years as an inevitable trend.
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
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