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Mourning Those (Developers) You Loved

SkyEyeSkyEye Registered User regular
edited July 2009 in Games and Technology
This will be a thread where we celebrate the great game dev teams that were dissolved by their corporate masters. They're never actual "deaths" of course; it's always part of a great "restructuring plan" by HQ in order to mazimize revenue and minimize overhead. Too bad, because while the games they made may not have been profitable, they were fun.

Anyone remember Smilebit, the Sega developer that made the Panzer Dragoon and Jet Set Radio games? While I can't attest to the Saturn versions, the Xbox games were some of the best flops on the system. Why didn't the original Xbox market love you, Smilebit? Unfortunately, critical acclaim is never a guarantor of commercial success.

What about FASA Studios, the first party dev for Microsoft Game Studios? MechAssault was okay (though great for a Live launch title), but Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge is one of my favorite games. You might even say it's good enough for a fan like myself to write a Wikipedia article about. One flop, however, and it's over. Hopefully Weisman can still find a way to cook up another CS game for 360.

Unfortunately, there's a good chance this list will expand as the recession continues. Any developers that you guys feel have been wronged over the years?

Steam: Autumn_Thunder - SC2: AutumnThundr.563 (NA) - Hearthstone: AutumnThundr.1383

SkyEye on
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Posts

  • ZombiemamboZombiemambo Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Mandatory moment of silence for Bullfrog

    Zombiemambo on
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  • tofutofu Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Black Isle

    goddamnit

    tofu on
  • QorzmQorzm Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Rare

    Qorzm on
  • ZerokkuZerokku Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Matsuno and his departure from Square-Enix.

    I hope that he can get some of his own designs out there again though.

    Zerokku on
  • ChanceChance Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Sierra, Lucasarts & Rare.

    Chance on
    'Chance, you are the best kind of whore.' -Henroid
  • XagarathXagarath Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    tofu wrote: »
    Black Isle

    goddamnit

    Xagarath on
  • major_tommajor_tom Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Clover studios, motherfunglers.

    Even theit Obligatory Capcom Sequel (Viewtiful Joe 2 - that I'm fairly sure they didn't want to make) spanked the pants off of most every other action game at the time.

    But they're back, in the form of whoever it was that did MadWorld (?)

    major_tom on
    This is what i get for caring about gamercards...
  • DrakeDrake Edgelord Trash Below the ecliptic plane.Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Dynamix. Man, I just loved anything Starsiege. Tribes was so groundbreaking it's just ridiculous.

    Drake on
  • VeganVegan Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Clover was doomed from the start. Their most mainstream game needed an encyclopedic knowledge of Japanese mythology to understand fully, and everything else was a niche title that they insisted on making balls hard. I'm surprised they made it as far as they did.

    Vegan on
    steam_sig.png
  • LokiLoki Don't pee in my mouth and tell me it's raining. Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Mandatory moment of silence for Bullfrog

    I want my fucking Dungeon Keeper 3. Fuckers.

    Loki on
  • RichardTauberRichardTauber Kvlt Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    RichardTauber on
  • FeriluceFeriluce Adrift on the morning star. Aberdeen, WARegistered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Westwood Studios.
    Got into the RTS genre with the awesome Dune II, perfected it with the Command & Conquer series.

    Feriluce on
    XBox Live= LordFeriluce
    Steam: Feriluce
    Battle.net: Feriluce#1995
  • freakish lightfreakish light butterdick jones and his heavenly asshole machineRegistered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Troika.

    Arcanum AND V:TM:B?

    Jesus.

    freakish light on
  • MongerMonger I got the ham stink. Dallas, TXRegistered User regular
    edited July 2009
    major_tom wrote: »
    Clover studios, motherfunglers.

    Even theit Obligatory Capcom Sequel (Viewtiful Joe 2 - that I'm fairly sure they didn't want to make) spanked the pants off of most every other action game at the time.

    But they're back, in the form of whoever it was that did MadWorld (?)
    Platinum Games. They're also the guys doing Bayonetta.

    Monger on
  • Shorn Scrotum ManShorn Scrotum Man Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Dynamix and Westwood for me. I loved every single game both of those studios pumped out. At least after that abortion that was Generals EA has started making decent C&C games again.

    Also, the Austin Ion Storm branch.

    Shorn Scrotum Man on
    steam_sig.png
  • BartholamueBartholamue Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Data East for me. Loved Magical Drop.

    Bartholamue on
    Steam- SteveBartz Xbox Live- SteveBartz PSN Name- SteveBartz
  • KazhiimKazhiim __BANNED USERS regular
    edited July 2009
    bungie

    huh? what?

    Kazhiim on
    lost_sig2.png
  • DrakeDrake Edgelord Trash Below the ecliptic plane.Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Kazhiim wrote: »
    bungie

    huh? what?

    I follow ya.

    Drake on
  • YaYaYaYa Decent. Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Kazhiim wrote: »
    bungie

    huh? what?

    edgy

    YaYa on
  • cj iwakuracj iwakura The Rhythm Regent Bears The Name FreedomRegistered User regular
    edited July 2009
    From the Saturn perspective, I'm probably one of the few who thinks Orta is the best Panzer Dragoon. Saga is way overhyped, and 1 & 2 have not aged well.

    Losing Smilebit was the worst thing to happen to Sega. Also UGA(Tetsuya Mizuguchi went on to form Q Entertainment instead).


    Do Working Designs count? If not, Troika.

    cj iwakura on
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  • BeezelBeezel There was no agreement little morsel..Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Oddworld Inhabitants

    Psygnosis

    Beezel on
    PSN: Waybackkidd
    "...only mights and maybes."
  • YaYaYaYa Decent. Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    cj iwakura wrote: »
    From the Saturn perspective, I'm probably one of the few who thinks Orta is the best Panzer Dragoon. Saga is way overhyped, and 1 & 2 have not aged well.

    Losing Smilebit was the worst thing to happen to Sega. Also UGA(Tetsuya Mizuguchi went on to form Q Entertainment instead).


    Do Working Designs count? If not, Troika.

    uh

    Orta was on the Xbox buddy

    YaYa on
  • cj iwakuracj iwakura The Rhythm Regent Bears The Name FreedomRegistered User regular
    edited July 2009
    YaYa wrote: »
    cj iwakura wrote: »
    From the Saturn perspective, I'm probably one of the few who thinks Orta is the best Panzer Dragoon. Saga is way overhyped, and 1 & 2 have not aged well.

    Losing Smilebit was the worst thing to happen to Sega. Also UGA(Tetsuya Mizuguchi went on to form Q Entertainment instead).


    Do Working Designs count? If not, Troika.

    uh

    Orta was on the Xbox buddy

    I know, just saying that I've played the Saturn ones, and they're not as good.

    cj iwakura on
    z48g7weaopj2.png
  • YaYaYaYa Decent. Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    cj iwakura wrote: »
    YaYa wrote: »
    cj iwakura wrote: »
    From the Saturn perspective, I'm probably one of the few who thinks Orta is the best Panzer Dragoon. Saga is way overhyped, and 1 & 2 have not aged well.

    Losing Smilebit was the worst thing to happen to Sega. Also UGA(Tetsuya Mizuguchi went on to form Q Entertainment instead).


    Do Working Designs count? If not, Troika.

    uh

    Orta was on the Xbox buddy

    I know, just saying that I've played the Saturn ones, and they're not as good.

    oh

    what an odd way to structure your thoughts

    YaYa on
  • Jelly JigglerJelly Jiggler Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Ensemble

    God dammit why did you have to go

    Jelly Jiggler on
    camo_sig2.png
  • KazhiimKazhiim __BANNED USERS regular
    edited July 2009
    YaYa wrote: »
    Kazhiim wrote: »
    bungie

    huh? what?

    edgy

    I mean, I actually do like the halo series

    but maaan I want some myth-style narratives

    Kazhiim on
    lost_sig2.png
  • SollahSollah Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    I never played any of the Panzer Dragoon or Jet Set Radio games (though I plan to at some point), but Smilebit developed Gunvalkyrie. And I loved Gunvalkyrie. Too bad SEGA didn't, I guess. =/

    Sollah on
    palonelydriver.gif
  • Kipling217Kipling217 Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Sierra on line

    There was a time in the late 80s, early 90s when the genre adventure games strode the world like a colossus. They where as gods in those days.

    Kipling217 on
    The sky was full of stars, every star an exploding ship. One of ours.
  • chevluhchevluh Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Zerokku wrote: »
    Matsuno and his departure from Square-Enix.

    I hope that he can get some of his own designs out there again though.

    I wouldn't worry about that, he worked on Madworld.
    -Loki- wrote: »
    Mandatory moment of silence for Bullfrog

    I want my fucking Dungeon Keeper 3. Fuckers.

    I'm not sure I want though. According to PC GAmes that weren't it was gonna be a generic RTS.

    chevluh on
  • PejPej Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Kipling217 wrote: »
    Sierra on line

    There was a time in the late 80s, early 90s when the genre adventure games strode the world like a colossus. They where as gods in those days.
    Definitely this for me. I'd also throw Origin Systems in the ring - Ultima and Wing Commander were huge. UO was my first MMO and still my favorite.

    Pej on
    This cave leads to the inhospitable surface of the planet. There is nothing for you to see there.
  • KelorKelor Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Mandatory moment of silence for Bullfrog
    Feriluce wrote: »
    Westwood Studios.
    Got into the RTS genre with the awesome Dune II, perfected it with the Command & Conquer series.
    Pej wrote: »
    I'd also throw Origin Systems in the ring.

    Goddamnit.

    Well that is my main three.

    Bullfrog I miss because well Pupulous, Syndicate, Dungeon Keeper, Theme Park and Theme Hospital. I lost so many hours playing those.

    Westwood gave me Dune II, which I played the shit out of. At least the C&C series has been revived with all the gloriously cheesy live action cutscenes it deserves.

    Origin had Ultima Underwold, along with Wing Commander, System Shock, Privateer and the Crusader series, which was bottled awesome to my child self. (I can nuke or freeze people with these guns?)


    I will give a shout out to Strategy First, which while not gone might as well be.

    Kelor on
  • ZsetrekZsetrek Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Looking Glass

    Zsetrek on
  • Mr_GrinchMr_Grinch Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Producers/Developers:

    Ocean
    Epyx
    U.S Gold (I remember the c64 splash screen well)

    Are Activision still about? I'm out of touch now. If they're not then I miss them too :)

    Mr_Grinch on
    Steam: Sir_Grinch
    PSN: SirGrinchX
    Oculus Rift: Sir_Grinch
  • CherrnCherrn Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Bullfrog, Looking Glass and Troika are the ones I mourn the most.

    Bullfrog made some of the finest fucking games ever; Molyneux at his best. I like Fable, but I don't think it would hurt him to look backwards instead of forward, as his studio's games are still fucking amazing and innovative by today's standards.

    Looking Glass created my all-time favorite series, Thief. Warren Spector is so goddamn awesome (also mourning Origin), though I suppose I am referring to the "Looking Glass" family rather than the studio itself - e.g. Ion Storm and Irrational. As I understand, many of them are at 2k Boston now.

    Troika is kind of a bittersweet memory. On one hand, their games were broken as fuck, but on the other, Vampire is still one of the most well-written games ever, Arcanum is one of the strongest examples of world building in a single player game, and Temple of Elemental Evil was the best videogame conversion of a P&P RPG system ever. I suppose their eventual collapse was inevitable. I sure would've fucking liked to have seen that first-person Arcanum sequel, though.

    Cherrn on
    All creature will die and all the things will be broken. That's the law of samurai.
  • peterdevorepeterdevore Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    I'm seconding Westwood because of Lands of Lore. Too bad I couldn't make heads or tails of the sequel. I clicked on a rainbow colored stone I found in some hole somewhere and it shows me an FMV of some people I never met, huh what? Maybe I was too young to follow it all.

    peterdevore on
  • CherrnCherrn Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    No, you're right. Lands of Lore 2 is fucking weird. There is a lot of cool stuff in that game, but I could never beat it, as it, not once, tells you what you're actually supposed to be doing in any given area. And in the latter half of the game, the maps become significantly more confusing, which doesn't help.

    Cherrn on
    All creature will die and all the things will be broken. That's the law of samurai.
  • klemmingklemming Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    I was going to say Overworks (The guys who did Skies of Arcadia), but I'm honestly a little confused as to what happened to them.
    Did they just get renamed, or 'merged' into another Sega team?

    Also, Psygnosis (I loved the idea of G-Police, but they were at least one console generation short of actually being able to deliver on its promise).

    And Looking Glass (although I think that's pretty much implied by everyone)

    klemming on
    Nobody remembers the singer. The song remains.
  • peterdevorepeterdevore Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    The main problem was figuring out the properties and functions of items. Just like in LoL 1 you couldn't get an info screen or anything, it's just an icon in your inventory until you use it. Or maybe you could and I didn't know how. And they really go overboard with the amount of strange magic trinkets you find, not knowing what they would do gave the game a nice mysterious feel though.

    peterdevore on
  • ZzuluZzulu Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Bull fucking frog.


    # Populous (1989)
    # Populous II (1991)
    # Syndicate (1993)
    # Magic Carpet (1994)
    # Theme Park (1994)
    # Syndicate: American Revolt (1994)
    # Magic Carpet 2 (1995)
    # Syndicate Wars (1996)
    # Dungeon Keeper (1997)
    # Theme Hospital (1997)
    # Populous: The Beginning (1998)
    # SimTheme Park
    # Dungeon Keeper 2 (1999)


    R.I.P
    266624-picture_1_large.jpg

    Dungeon keeper was one of my absolute favourites.

    Zzulu on
    t5qfc9.jpg
  • chamberlainchamberlain Registered User regular
    edited July 2009
    Cherrn wrote: »
    Troika is kind of a bittersweet memory. On one hand, their games were broken as fuck, but on the other, Vampire is still one of the most well-written games ever, Arcanum is one of the strongest examples of world building in a single player game, and Temple of Elemental Evil was the best videogame conversion of a P&P RPG system ever. I suppose their eventual collapse was inevitable. I sure would've fucking liked to have seen that first-person Arcanum sequel, though.

    Troika had massive ideas but terrible execution. Also, Atari gutted Temple of Elemental Evil to make it fit a teen rating. I would love to play the game that Troika wanted to make instead of Temple of Elemental kind-of-unpleasentness.

    chamberlain on
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