Amalur studio can't pay employees

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

38 Studios doesn't make payroll, can't pay state either [update] - Joystiq

Its stories like this that make me question the notion we need a new generation of consoles. 38 Studios owns Big Huge Games, which made Kingdoms of Amalur. It sold 500k, which seemed to do more for EA's financials than the studio itself.

38 Studios took a loan from the state of Rhode Island and put it toward production of an Amalur MMO (dumb). Now they can't pay back the loan or pay thier employees.

Moral of the story: Don't blow you'd loan money on an MMO probably no one wanted and don't partner with a publisher that sees you as a means to an end.

[Etra]

Re: Amalur studio can't pay employees

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[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Amalur studio can't pay employees

Since that post they've paid back the first part of the loan, the next comes in November. If they're still around by then anyway.

[DakAttack]

Re: Amalur studio can't pay employees

If you owe money, take out more loans. That's the American way.

[Aeni]

Re: Amalur studio can't pay employees

If you owe money, take out more loans. That's the American way.

And there's also over 1,000 credit card applications you can fill out and hope for approval so you can borrow even more money!

[Firewind]

Re: Amalur studio can't pay employees

Amalur was a good game but I don't think there's enough interest in an MMO for it. Sequal maybe but not an MMO.

[Icemage]

Re: Amalur studio can't pay employees

Amalur was a good game but I don't think there's enough interest in an MMO for it. Sequal maybe but not an MMO.

Pretty much this.

I actually enjoyed my time with Amalur more than my time with Skyrim. Not because the world is better constructed (it's not), but because the actual gameplay is much more dynamic and engaging.

Unfortunately, someone there missed the memo about how the MMO space is totally overcrowded already and how no one really wants/needs/asks for Yet Another Fantasy MMO.


Icemage

[Firewind]

Re: Amalur studio can't pay employees

Yeah that is one of the big issues at the moment:

If I want to play a fantasy MMO I'll just buy a WoW time card or see if any of my friends are playing any of the ridiculous number of free fantasy MMOs out there. WoW has the market cornered in fantasy MMO because between resurrection scrolls and Blizzard making it easier for fresh 85's to get geared up for raiding (Raids and heroics are actually challenging in Cata though. It's just they're more accessible now), it's hard to look at other fantasy MMOs.

If I want to play a Sci-Fi MMO I'll just buy a SWTOR time card. It's a fantastic game worthy of the KOTOR title and like WoW, Bioware made it easy to get yourself geared up for raiding (it takes about a week at most to get a full set of Battlemaster PvP gear that works fine for entry level raid gear), so the game is very accessible in its endgame content and you can catch up with other players more easily if you take a break from the game.

Basically between those two games it's difficult to look at other MMOs:

Rift is a great game but unless you're one of the hardcore elitist players you will never raid because it's impossible to catch up on gear.

FFXIV is very fun but levelling is frankly shit given it's a solo grindfest up to 50 with no other content until you hit 50, and after that you need to grind 2 other classes to 50 just to play your main class at it's best.

EVE is the same really. Unless you've already been playing since release and haven't stopped there's no point in trying to play it now.

Guild Wars 2 isn't out yet so I've no idea as to what I make of that but it does sound grindy.

Star Trek Online I've also not played but since it's free to play I'm not counting it since I'm purely talking about subscription MMOs.

I'm not saying WoW and SWTOR are the best MMOs in terms of designs but the fact that they are so accessible does contribute a lot to the subscription numbers that they have.

[cidbahamut]

Re: Amalur studio can't pay employees

Guild Wars 2 isn't out yet so I've no idea as to what I make of that but it does sound grindy.

Where are you getting that impression? Everything I've heard since the beta weekends started is how totally not grindy it is.

/confused

[Firewind]

Re: Amalur studio can't pay employees

That's just the impressions I've been getting from gameplay videos that's all.

To be honest I don't know why I brought it up since Guild Wars 2 is free to play.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Amalur studio can't pay employees

Entire staff at 38 Studios and Big Huge Games laid off -Destructoid

[Aeni]

Re: Amalur studio can't pay employees

Entire staff at 38 Studios and Big Huge Games laid off -Destructoid

I'm wondering if this is a tactical move ... the studio can't pay their employees but probably don't want to just give up and declare bankruptcy. So, since the employees don't want to be stranded, wondering when their next paycheck will come in the mail, this way, they can all apply for unemployment benefits.

... maybe. I wonder how benevolent is the studio and Curt Schilling?

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Amalur studio can't pay employees

Epic Games saves Big Huge Games staff, now Epic Baltimore -Destructoid

A happy ending, for the people who were laid off, anyway. 38 Studios is still fucked.