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The Secret World: Funcom's Beijing Studio Closing

SBFordSBFord Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
in News & Features Discussion

As part of Funcom's ongoing restructuring, the company's Beijing studio will be closing. The studio was primarily responsible for art and animation for The Secret World. According to Gamasutra, these assets will now be produced by the Funcom studio located in North Carolina, USA.

Source: Gamasutra


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¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 


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Comments

  • bigcheeseukbigcheeseuk Member UncommonPosts: 133
    cripes!
  • NitthNitth Member UncommonPosts: 3,904

    =(

    image
    TSW - AoC - Aion - WOW - EVE - Fallen Earth - Co - Rift - || XNA C# Java Development

  • ComanComan Member UncommonPosts: 2,178
    Originally posted by jimdandy26
    [mod edit]

     

    This needs to be defended? They closed a studio and moved production. If it was financial I am sure they would have closed the studio in the US and kep the one in China open. Then again closing a studio in china and laying people off there might be a hell of a lot cheaper. Still do not see where the defense is needed. 

  • DoogiehowserDoogiehowser Member Posts: 1,873
    [mod edit]

    "The problem is that the hardcore folks always want the same thing: 'We want exactly what you gave us before, but it has to be completely different.'
    -Jesse Schell

    "Online gamers are the most ludicrously entitled beings since Caligula made his horse a senator, and at least the horse never said anything stupid."
    -Luke McKinney

    image

  • ScalplessScalpless Member UncommonPosts: 1,426

    Sounds like a rather small studio. Things like this are expected when a company is restructuring. Time will tell if this affects FC's games in a negative way.

  • jimdandy26jimdandy26 Member Posts: 527
    I can start linking threads from their forums and even a couple here if you want. I play the game, and even enjoy the game but the writing has been on the wall for months that Funcom is in a dire financial situation and many will not accept, with many more actively defending the game and the company for the misteps they have taken.

    I did battle with ignorance today, and ignorance won.

    To exercise power costs effort and demands courage. That is why so many fail to assert rights to which they are perfectly entitled - because a right is a kind of power but they are too lazy or too cowardly to exercise it. The virtues which cloak these faults are called patience and forbearance.

  • OldbugssOldbugss Member UncommonPosts: 22
    Hey cool, some news about jobs coming to the US instead of being shifted overseas.
  • rawfoxrawfox Member UncommonPosts: 788

    [quote]

    Although the specific details have not yet been revealed

    [/quote]

    That was on the 11th and the specific details are still a myth.

    They wanna focus on smaller onlinegames while size matters.

     

    If you ask me, they made a lot of bullshit since they decide to be a corporation some years ago, 5 or so.

    Now they gonna rewert their bullshit in a corporate way and call it "restructuring".

     

    They have thoughts like "we release your newsletters for every game on the same day in the same hour because our fans would read all day on the other Funcoms games to get informations about their own game blablabla" .. /facepalm

     

    The illness comes from above.

     

  • NitthNitth Member UncommonPosts: 3,904

     

    [mod edit]
    Originally posted by jimdandy26
    I can start linking threads from their forums and even a couple here if you want. I play the game, and even enjoy the game but the writing has been on the wall for months that Funcom is in a dire financial situation and many will not accept, with many more actively defending the game and the company for the misteps they have taken.

     

    Please stop. The general response thus far has been sad for the company. Dont turn this into an uncivil discussion about things that havnt happened yet.

    image
    TSW - AoC - Aion - WOW - EVE - Fallen Earth - Co - Rift - || XNA C# Java Development

  • WingedNazgulWingedNazgul Member UncommonPosts: 10

    Fanboy here and don't really see what needs to be defended.  Funcom is in dire financial straits but that's not really a big secret.

     

    But how sad are these times (when you're an American) when it's cheaper to close a Chinese studio and keep the US one open,.

  • mmoskimmoski Member UncommonPosts: 282
    Originally posted by WingedNazgul

    Fanboy here and don't really see what needs to be defended.  Funcom is in dire financial straits but that's not really a big secret.

     

    But how sad are these times (when you're an American) when it's cheaper to close a Chinese studio and keep the US one open,.

    Its ok they got it nailed internally.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYaZ57Bn4pQ

  • NitthNitth Member UncommonPosts: 3,904

    Originally posted by mmoski
    Originally posted by WingedNazgul Fanboy here and don't really see what needs to be defended.  Funcom is in dire financial straits but that's not really a big secret.   But how sad are these times (when you're an American) when it's cheaper to close a Chinese studio and keep the US one open,.
    Its ok they got it nailed internally.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYaZ57Bn4pQ

    LOL

    image
    TSW - AoC - Aion - WOW - EVE - Fallen Earth - Co - Rift - || XNA C# Java Development

  • RemyVorenderRemyVorender Member RarePosts: 3,991
    While I never want to hear about layoffs, their animations team was by far the weakest link in the chain. Good luck going forward to both those that lost their jobs as well as Funcom. You both deserve better than this.

    Joined - July 2004

  • ComanComan Member UncommonPosts: 2,178
    Originally posted by WingedNazgul

    Fanboy here and don't really see what needs to be defended.  Funcom is in dire financial straits but that's not really a big secret.

     

    But how sad are these times (when you're an American) when it's cheaper to close a Chinese studio and keep the US one open,.

    Good actually. I think firing someone in the US or EU is a lot more expencive to fire a chinees worker. There are plenty of laws that makes you pay them a good sum of money. Even if % it the same in China. It could still be cheaper to close it because the chinees worker earns less. Beside the company in the US could take over the operations from China. I doubt it would work the other way. 

  • ScalplessScalpless Member UncommonPosts: 1,426
    Originally posted by jimdandy26
    I can start linking threads from their forums and even a couple here if you want. I play the game, and even enjoy the game but the writing has been on the wall for months that Funcom is in a dire financial situation and many will not accept, with many more actively defending the game and the company for the misteps they have taken.

    No one here is saying FC is doing fine, though.

    Originally posted by remyburke
    While I never want to hear about layoffs, their animations team was by far the weakest link in the chain.

    Could be because of a low animation budget. TSW's animations look like they were made in a hurry.

  • KenFisherKenFisher Member UncommonPosts: 5,035

    This sort of thing hurts, but hopefully it will work out in the long run.

     

    Ken Fisher - Semi retired old fart Network Administrator, now working in Network Security.  I don't Forum PVP.  If you feel I've attacked you, it was probably by accident.  When I don't understand, I ask.  Such is not intended as criticism.
  • muthaxmuthax Member UncommonPosts: 703
    Originally posted by jimdandy26
    I can start linking threads from their forums and even a couple here if you want. I play the game, and even enjoy the game but the writing has been on the wall for months that Funcom is in a dire financial situation and many will not accept, with many more actively defending the game and the company for the misteps they have taken.
     

    And instead "attacking" the game and crying doom is going to help... how?

  • jimdandy26jimdandy26 Member Posts: 527
    Originally posted by muthax
    Originally posted by jimdandy26
    I can start linking threads from their forums and even a couple here if you want. I play the game, and even enjoy the game but the writing has been on the wall for months that Funcom is in a dire financial situation and many will not accept, with many more actively defending the game and the company for the misteps they have taken.
     

    And instead "attacking" the game and crying doom is going to help... how?


    I am neither attacking the game nor crying doom. I was actually being facetious more than anything. Look at this thread started just an hour ago http://forums.thesecretworld.com/showthread.php?t=66249 where the fanboys are already starting in with "its a good thing" and "this is what they told us months ago". Which is super funny, because these were the same guys telling us months before that nothing like this will ever happen, Funcom is doing great, the game is profitable blah blah blah. Look at the players still asking for stuff, especially extremely expensive stuff, while Funcom is laying people off and closing up shop. Its amusing and sad.

    There has been speculation in several circles for quite a while that either EA or NCsoft were going to purchase Funcom all out, Dreamworld alone should be worth a chunk, but considering just how far in debt they are with thier loans I'm guessing they shopped around and couldn't get what they think they are worth and as such are now trying to get even enough to make it work.

    I did battle with ignorance today, and ignorance won.

    To exercise power costs effort and demands courage. That is why so many fail to assert rights to which they are perfectly entitled - because a right is a kind of power but they are too lazy or too cowardly to exercise it. The virtues which cloak these faults are called patience and forbearance.

  • Rthuth434Rthuth434 Member Posts: 346
    no wonder TSW animations were out of the last decade...outsourced to china.
  • huskie77huskie77 Member Posts: 354
    This was a smart business move on their part.  There are many incentives for companies to create jobs in the US right now, particularly in the south. The increased costs of healthcare is outweighed by the tax benefit, doubly so if these artist positions are contractors and not full-time employees.

    image
  • Rthuth434Rthuth434 Member Posts: 346
    Originally posted by jimdandy26


    I am neither attacking the game nor crying doom. I was actually being facetious more than anything. Look at this thread started just an hour ago http://forums.thesecretworld.com/showthread.php?t=66249 where the fanboys are already starting in with "its a good thing" and "this is what they told us months ago". Which is super funny, because these were the same guys telling us months before that nothing like this will ever happen, Funcom is doing great, the game is profitable blah blah blah. Look at the players still asking for stuff, especially extremely expensive stuff, while Funcom is laying people off and closing up shop. Its amusing and sad.

    There has been speculation in several circles for quite a while that either EA or NCsoft were going to purchase Funcom all out, Dreamworld alone should be worth a chunk, but considering just how far in debt they are with thier loans I'm guessing they shopped around and couldn't get what they think they are worth and as such are now trying to get even enough to make it work.

    QFT

  • Rthuth434Rthuth434 Member Posts: 346
    Originally posted by huskie77
    This was a smart business move on their part.  There are many incentives for companies to create jobs in the US right now, particularly in the south. The increased costs of healthcare is outweighed by the tax benefit, doubly so if these artist positions are contractors and not full-time employees.

    ...except no jobs will be created. 

     

    "Funcom's Raleigh, North Carolina-based outfit will now be in charge of producing and delivering visual assets for any upcoming updates to The Secret World, as well as updates for Age of Conanand Anarchy Online.

    However, Funcom says that there has been a staff reduction at its Raleigh studio in certain departments, as part of this restructuring."

     

    more work on the shoulders of whoever's left(for now) so even less QA than the previous update.

  • BurntvetBurntvet Member RarePosts: 3,465
    All this is, is an attempt to save themselves, until they can find a buyer. In their post TSW launch financial filing, it was clear that they lost their ass on TSW and stated that they were going to be laying off 50% of the company and not making any more MMOs. Further, they have hired two mergers and acquisition specialists to get them ready for sale. They are trying to cut spending to let their small cash reserve keep them afloat a little longer.
  • TheocritusTheocritus Member LegendaryPosts: 9,751
    The art in the game was fine but the animations left alot to be desired, especially mob animations.
  • TheIdealistTheIdealist Member UncommonPosts: 45

    http://www.thesecretworld.com/news/game_director_letter_january_2013

     

    Good News is like a good sex!

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