6.You forgot H1Z1... which is still topping steams top sellers between the 1 and 2 spot daily.
4 I would guess is the cause of 5...
As for financials, how well could they have been funded by Sony in recent years? A company in pure survival mode and has been for quite a while..
I'm sorry but the most detrimental factor here would be in conjunction with leads that obviously had no real idea where they were going with this product, so many failed iterations, means no set vision...
That's why i can't view those firings as anything but necessity if the product is to move forward. That's exactly how this project can move forward into something more than a hodgepodge of ideas on an implement list.
Correct, I forgot H1Z1 as a revenue stream. Good catch.
I think SOE was heavily funded by Sony for a very long time and seeing how Sony took a $60 million dollar writeoff on SOE in 2013 suggests that is correct. Sony was very loyal to a fault to their developers and engineers who produced successes in the past. It is a large part of their culture (and problems). Sony is now in survival mode, so they can no longer carry deadweight divisions, which is why SOE has been so desperate to raise cash and cut games over the last year. Too little too late though.
As for the Daybreak layoffs, I agree with you that they were necessary. SOE was bloated with staff and failing projects well beyond their ability to earn money.
Where we do not meet is that these layoffs will somehow lead to EQN moving forward. The history of SOE suggests that is not what will happen.
Consider that SOE has had a number of sweeping layoffs like over the last 5 years or so. With each layoff there was always a dramatic drop off of their development. Entire divisions were closed, games closed down, expansions delayed and reduced in size time and time again. Never has SOE downsized and the result ended up being positive direction for any of their products.
The reality is that SOE now has to be accountable for their expenditures and the revenue they generate.
EQ, EQ2, H1Z1, DCU, PS2, etc are live products that are generating revenue.
Daybreak wants to make games for other platforms now, specifically Xbox. Porting existing games (PS2, DCU) are much easier than porting old PC games, unfinished PC games or new games from scratch.
EQN has been nothing but a development moneysink for SOE going on 6 years and doesn't look like it is anywhere close to a product that can be sold without large amounts of investment.
Now Daybreak only has roughly 50% of the resources to utilize than they did last week. Where do you think they are going to make cuts and sacrifices?
Think of it this way.
You have a sports team that has failed to produce a winning season in 10 years.
Then you fire half of the team, including some of it's best players.
No new players are added. Not one hot free agent.
Worst of all, the manager who developed a culture of losing is still in charge of the team.
Do the fans of the team suddenly think the team is going to produce winning seasons and be playoff contenders?
Originally posted by Tracho12 Argumentum ad ignortanium aka the Appeal to Ignorance.
No one can disprove the existence of aliens; therefore aliens exist.
No one can prove EQNext exists; therefore it doesn't exist.
EQ:N can't be proven that its been canceled, or otherwise, until we hear word. You are correct on this. I wonder if you even realize you are saying that or you're regurgitating something you learned in class hoping to sound like a smart, pompous, troll.
I very much believe it will not see the light of day. My world will continue, though.
I hate to say ITYS...but... I said that this game would NEVER be released! This was merely a hype gem that was polished up to make that part of SOE a valuable entity. Did it work??? Don't know...but it did generate some interest. WTG soe another feather in your cap for screwing your customers. You wonder why sony got hacked?
We have scene concept and "in-game" footage of races, classes, skills, weapons, combat, environments, mobs, and I believe they did show "AI" of some form at SOE Live 2014, although it wasn't very detailed (Dark Elves with the bowing and what not). Might have been demos and staged gameplay, but who are you to say that what was shown at either SOE Lives wasn't actually part of the game? Be it early or complete form.
There is no reason why EQN would be cancelled; no financial benefit - indeed announcing it was cancelled could hurt Landmark.
There are plenty of reasons EQN could be cancelled. Throwing good money after bad? EQN could realistically be years away from anything close to a product that could sell. Daybreak may not have enough staff left to dedicate to the project.
The one thing I agree with is that announcing the cancellation of EQN would hurt the value of all SOE/Daybreak properties.
So far all anyone has are a few promises that SOE is still working on EQN. We all know Smedley cannot be trusted and CN has already made claims that are unsustainable and cannot be true. IE: about EQN getting more resources after they buy out, etc.
Looking at the available evidence, all fingers point to EQN being cancelled or at very best scrapped into something so much lesser it isn't even recognizable.
Nearly 50% of SOE staff was let go.
Daybreak will now add Xbox and other platforms to the projects SOE was already supporting and/or developing..
EQN has been in the works since 2009 and has nothing to show for it.
EQN has been scrapped at least three times and started over.
The leads of EQN were canned.
The only revenue streams Daybreak has are: EQ, EQ2, PS2, DCU and Landmark.
When SOE had double the staff, they were failing on almost every effort. SOE was effectively reduced to selling alpha versions of games for quick cash grabs.
How on earth can this new company continue to deliver support for their current game cash shops and expansions, add new platforms like Xbox/mobile and continue to develop what has been SOE's largest, longest, most costly failed project and turn it into something marketable? All while having only about half of the staff they used to have.
Don't disagree. Reasons why CN may not "actively" develop EQN though not reasons to announce that it is cancelled.
Your point 6 is spot on as well imo; the current games are very likely to be the only source of revenue. No money from the big corporation that was Sony. So the - possible - development of EQN will hinge on how those games perform.
Indeed I think it is the revenue stream what CN bought - maybe the proverbial penny plus the severance packages it then cost them. Sony clearly decided last year to dispose of SOE - hence the write off (not the same as a loss of course but...).
And maybe CN haven't bought / Sony haven't sold the IPs. Difficult to value; Sony wouldn't want to "do a George Lucas Star Wars" and simpler since DCUO is a joint venture. Maybe there is a 5 year deal and the future price will depend on how well things go. Anyone know?
The next time I hear of a VC firm laying out millions of dollars for a multi-year tech development of ANYTHING will be the first time.
VCs simply don't do that, so there is no reason at all to expect anything different.
(If I have seen it once, I've seen it 50 times: VC companies come in, buy a failing company, usually to get a patent or particular technology or rights to research or an IP, and then sell what is left. The idea that THIS VC firm is going to do something entirely different than that is absurd.)
Comments
Correct, I forgot H1Z1 as a revenue stream. Good catch.
I think SOE was heavily funded by Sony for a very long time and seeing how Sony took a $60 million dollar writeoff on SOE in 2013 suggests that is correct. Sony was very loyal to a fault to their developers and engineers who produced successes in the past. It is a large part of their culture (and problems). Sony is now in survival mode, so they can no longer carry deadweight divisions, which is why SOE has been so desperate to raise cash and cut games over the last year. Too little too late though.
As for the Daybreak layoffs, I agree with you that they were necessary. SOE was bloated with staff and failing projects well beyond their ability to earn money.
Where we do not meet is that these layoffs will somehow lead to EQN moving forward. The history of SOE suggests that is not what will happen.
Consider that SOE has had a number of sweeping layoffs like over the last 5 years or so. With each layoff there was always a dramatic drop off of their development. Entire divisions were closed, games closed down, expansions delayed and reduced in size time and time again. Never has SOE downsized and the result ended up being positive direction for any of their products.
The reality is that SOE now has to be accountable for their expenditures and the revenue they generate.
EQ, EQ2, H1Z1, DCU, PS2, etc are live products that are generating revenue.
Daybreak wants to make games for other platforms now, specifically Xbox. Porting existing games (PS2, DCU) are much easier than porting old PC games, unfinished PC games or new games from scratch.
EQN has been nothing but a development moneysink for SOE going on 6 years and doesn't look like it is anywhere close to a product that can be sold without large amounts of investment.
Now Daybreak only has roughly 50% of the resources to utilize than they did last week. Where do you think they are going to make cuts and sacrifices?
Think of it this way.
You have a sports team that has failed to produce a winning season in 10 years.
Then you fire half of the team, including some of it's best players.
No new players are added. Not one hot free agent.
Worst of all, the manager who developed a culture of losing is still in charge of the team.
Do the fans of the team suddenly think the team is going to produce winning seasons and be playoff contenders?
Can we make it April 1st as I will be living back in the UK and I can deal with Shaun of the Dead instead of the Evil Dead.
EQ:N can't be proven that its been canceled, or otherwise, until we hear word. You are correct on this. I wonder if you even realize you are saying that or you're regurgitating something you learned in class hoping to sound like a smart, pompous, troll.
I very much believe it will not see the light of day. My world will continue, though.
from SOE Live 2013, Gods of EQN
http://www.eqnextfans.com/news/25360-amaril-and-the-gods-of-everquest-next
from SOE Live 2014
reddit info
http://www.reddit.com/r/EQNext/comments/2dpwoj/soe_live_panel_recordings_list/
EverQuest Next Keynote:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MU6LzCBPlCU
The Classes of EverQuest Next:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQCAuZG4sg0
The Tech Evolution of EverQuest Next & Landmark:
Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMUr4ZUqXpo
Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfIjbidSncQ
Part 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqN3ZYzpKXo
The Content of EverQuest Next (Storybricks AI)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBglgiadAIc
Fiction /Lore Panel notes
https://forums.station.sony.com/everquestnext/index.php?threads/fiction-lore-panel-notes.477/
EQ2 fan sites
Don't disagree. Reasons why CN may not "actively" develop EQN though not reasons to announce that it is cancelled.
Your point 6 is spot on as well imo; the current games are very likely to be the only source of revenue. No money from the big corporation that was Sony. So the - possible - development of EQN will hinge on how those games perform.
Indeed I think it is the revenue stream what CN bought - maybe the proverbial penny plus the severance packages it then cost them. Sony clearly decided last year to dispose of SOE - hence the write off (not the same as a loss of course but...).
And maybe CN haven't bought / Sony haven't sold the IPs. Difficult to value; Sony wouldn't want to "do a George Lucas Star Wars" and simpler since DCUO is a joint venture. Maybe there is a 5 year deal and the future price will depend on how well things go. Anyone know?
As I see it, this whole thing can go one of four ways:
EQN and Landmark gets cancelled.
Landmark gets cancelled and EQN stays.
Both games come out, but end up getting pushed WAY back for release.
EQN comes out as a rushed and unfinished product then dies quickly.
The next time I hear of a VC firm laying out millions of dollars for a multi-year tech development of ANYTHING will be the first time.
VCs simply don't do that, so there is no reason at all to expect anything different.
(If I have seen it once, I've seen it 50 times: VC companies come in, buy a failing company, usually to get a patent or particular technology or rights to research or an IP, and then sell what is left. The idea that THIS VC firm is going to do something entirely different than that is absurd.)