Layoffs at Bioware as studio is downsized + Sony's leadership changes | This Week in Videogames

[@SkillUp]

Thank you Surfshark for sponsoring this video. Go to surfshark.com/skillup for 4 extra months of Surfshark

[@404Errored]

I'd rather download malware then this crap.

[@SpadeApeiron]

Any game with the suffix FALL in it always flops hard. titanfall being the only exception !

[@RobVespa]

@@SpadeApeiron - Titanfall and it's sequel are great games *AND* they flopped hard.

[@ignisspiritus6392]

Can you re-review No Mans Sky? Man you really ignore that game and that "Do Not Recommend" rating I see by you everytime im on Steam has to go. They just released Worlds 2 yesterday. You dont even acknowledge the game jeez.

[@TheNerd]

Correct me if I'm wrong but you can not own games, you can only posses them. Otherwise you would also own the intellectual property. I mean most of the time you don't even own the plastic, since the physical media is only a license to play the game. So why is everyone using the word "own", when (by the law of every country on the planet) you can only posses them?

[@Wampa842]

The company behind Baldur's Gate 1-2, Dragon Age Origins, and Mass Effect is *dead.* The company behind Andromeda, Anthem, and Veilguard simply inherited the name.

[@eXponentia]

Even Mass Effect 3 was basically carried by the momentum of the franchise. Good game but when you look at everything it did it basically writes itself and not many wholly fresh ideas occurred. It was definitely the edge of the cliff, perhaps even the first step off.

[@luckycandy101]

Yup. Activists took over Bioware to peddle their ideology. Didn't care about making good games.

[@CIII__]

Ngl Anthem had the sauce for the gameplay, still nothing quite like it

[@maxbardus3019]

@@eXponentia Idk Mass Effect 3 was great. Short on content when it released but with Citadel and Leviathan DLCs goated.

[@shawno8253]

​@@eXponentia The main issue the dev team faced with me3 was a massive time crunch. They were basically given 2 years right after the launch of me2 to finish me3. This basically meant that the story was still being written weeks before launch.

[@353darkesthour]

Never thought I’d be on my hands and knees begging for Bioware not to make another Mass Effect.

[@kmel3588]

They're bioware in name only puppeting the corpse like some weekend at burnies parody.

[@AlexanTheMan]

I could say the same about modern day Bungie, Rareware, Bethesda and many other historic studios that exist in name only.

[@RipwolfLeumas]

Goddamn lol. Youre right. It truly is a postmodern nightmare

[@Revenant-oq9ts]

We don't need another Mass Effect, honestly. I'm of the mindset stories have endings. I still think the RGB explosion choice was meh as a conclusion, though.

[@Cobbster92]

Activism kills games. Hopefully studios learn this and go back to making fun games that don't beat you over the head with messaging

[@jimjohnson6944]

Friendly reminder that Biowares last 3 games were: - Mass Effect Andromeda - Anthem - Veilguard

[@SeventhheavenDK]

I give a like to your comment only because you didn't add the Dragon Age name to Veilguard the usurper.

[@dx-ek4vr]

Bioware magic was never something that would last forever, but seeing what they've been reduced to under EA... it hurts

[@pagatryx5451]

Yeah honestly why am I meant to care? Different developers and people under the name of a company that used to be something special. They could close down the studio altogether. I really couldn't care less. I am starting to hate this "We should care about their jobs!!!" commentary. We should care about them if they're talented and passionate but I saw none of that from the current bioware. I would be devastated if Fromsoftware was to experience mass layoffs but not bioware, ubisoft, etc.

[@theloniuspunk383]

its so over

[@selectionn]

@@pagatryx5451 im constantly praying for industry layoffs, good to see people coming over to the right side of history.

[@smkks]

"This is Bioware we're talking about" No, the Bioware of the old days is long gone. Let it go and let's move on.

[@RobIn-ky4uz]

People forget that BioWare is just a brand that's all. People behind is what matters.

[@Chopzi11a]

Agreed

[@sobsag]

Except new devs can bring just as much talent and skill.

[@Ihryk]

They had the chance to do that on the last 3 games...

[@starboy9002]

@@sobsag you have not been paying attention

[@daLukasMain]

0:14 - Gamers/ Bioware troubles 3:48 - Ubisoft layoffs and a studio closure 5:03 - Assassin's Creed Shadows previews 5:39 - Pheonix Labs layoffs 7:10 - Sony leadership reshuffle 8:55 - Sony's better Steam PSN policy 9:38 - Phil Spencer all-in on multiplats 11:03 - Lightning Round of News 14:41 - Random Sales Numbers 15:33 - Announced & Delayed 19:40 - Review Round-up 24:27 - Out This Week 27:43 - Put This On Your Radar 28:48 - Sort of Free Stuff 29:44 - Feel Good Story 31:00 - Outro

[@chiquita683]

Hero

[@JohnTheodore]

Only a CEO can lose hundreds of millions of dollars of someone else's money on a gambling addiction and still keep their job

[@chiquita683]

Nintendo dropping the Switch 2 as the gaming industry collapses is Pure Cinema after all they've done over the last 3 or so years against gamers.

[@hawkshot867]

For real dude, we really do live in a clown world.

[@JohnTheodore]

@chiquita683 eh, I think the collapse of the industry is wildly overblown. Yes, many of the top publishers are taking some deserved hits for making bad bets on live service, but with the number of releases coming out on a weekly basis, the industry as a whole is looking pretty healthy, which is good for us as gamers.

[@powerbeard5653]

@@JohnTheodore a high quantity of mid to trash games is exactly what caused the console crash of the 80's

[@JohnTheodore]

@powerbeard5653 I'm not talking about mid trash games. There have always been mid trash games. If you're focusing on that instead of just enjoying the good stuff that is also coming out, that's on you.

[@cjwarrington177]

Losing BioWare would be more like putting down a zombie. It is just a shambling husk with no semblance of its former self.

[@TheRealSlimsagey7]

As gamers we need to stop blind loyalty to company brands, particularly the "AAAA" big dogs. Bioware of old has long been gone, the talent that made them either moved on or fired

[@selectionn]

@@TheRealSlimsagey7 well, I hope you're ready for multiple game trailers soon saying "made by the people who made mass effect". These people will try and infest other game studios.

[@brownbear992]

Skillup compares BioWare to a ship in stormy waters, but that's wrong. It's more like a ship in peaceful seas but the jackasses on board keep drilling holes in the hull

[@SpacialKatana]

🤣

[@yomamasohot6411]

Lol. Dude that's so true😂

[@GameTesterBootCamp]

8:45 So, let me make sure I understand this. Herman makes massively misguided bets on Live Service games. The plan is so bad, that it causes the PlayStation division to lose hundreds of millions of dollars. Hundreds of developers lose their jobs as a result...their very livelihoods are taken away. And Herman's "punishment" is... they changed his job title?

[@EchoDoctrine]

That’s 90% of CEOs. We should replace ALL CEOs with Ai and take extra profits to the workers. But it would go to shareholders, SMH 🤦

[@WretchedIcon]

@@EchoDoctrineNot a bad idea and you’re probably right in how it would play out. Double whammy.

[@WretchedIcon]

Yes. It’s a game to these people. They are soulless bots who wouldn’t help their own mother cross the road if it meant getting mud on their shoes.

[@cardassa]

At least this will force him to remove his head out of his ass and stop milking the crap out their one hit wonder and actually focus on their other ips that are on stasis.

[@xdjrunner]

Weird. I thought Xbox was the Console that recently revealed its figures in the Negative. NOT ONE SOUL ASKING FOR PHIL SPENCER TO LEAVE!

[@Ehh.....]

"They'll likely Shepard one project" Couldnt resist could ya?

[@Quizack]

Exactly what I was thinking. The audacity lol

[@DdHenley307]

That was the guys name. Never played Mass Effect but I got it eventually

[@Prada_Giratina]

Japanese HQ for Sony having more power over the American HQ is a great thing. It means great games again.

[@xdjrunner]

Again... Pure comedy. Just say the interests of several millions doesnt suit your taste.

[@Durp-E-Derp]

So true, since it was more balanced to the US, Sony has been going down all the wrong ways, too much focus on Live Services... yuck

[@YZYGWD]

​@xdjrunner do you comform with your run of the mill 3rd person action adventure cinematic slop? That shit is boring, they sell millions because millions own playstations, sales don't equal quality

[@manuelalbertoromero9528]

Don't phrase it like that please.

[@the_jambassador]

It's not over until Sony California closes forever.

[@mb8132]

Let ME rest with dignity. Stop this husk of a studio from desecrating its corpse, just pull the plug already EA.

[@waltwright84]

No shocker about the Bioware stuff. It wasn't exactly a secret that Veilguard's writing was... uh... not their best work. A shame, really.

[@john-michaelvanzyl]

At least it's veterans of the mass effect trilogy

[@fred6907]

Downsizing the company won't make a difference if they keep the lunatics around. The game director was a complete nut job with his ideology, no wonder the game failed.

[@Cathal.]

@@fred6907 You know damn well you're using the wrong pronoun. Grow up or shut up.

[@JYMBO]

Trini

[@0giraffe0]

It's almost like hiring the wrong people with the wrong priorities was a bad idea.

[@LordMuzhy]

Skill ups veilguard review video engaged more viewers than veilguard did players 😂

[@zezblit]

Fucking hell that's mad

[@kuda6474]

It sure did lol

[@StNerevar76]

The HR in the room phrase certainly made the rounds.

[@Ashtarte3D]

I had to check if that was hyperbole or not. I burst out laughing when I saw you were right. Holy shit that'd dire.

[@SmokeOneAndChill]

Skill up review did not cost 250 million dollars lol.

[@nunyabiznes7446]

"Allowing Bioware to focus exclusively on making a new Mass Effect game-" oh god no

[@roach362]

Somehow I doubt anyone came back here this week disappointed Forspoken hadn't been released on Xbox.

[@Pedro_The_Neco]

I just came here to see if he addressed it :p

[@beebomcgroober9316]

"A triumphant return to form for Bioware!"™

[@joevibin3816]

- Rampant Capitalism 2024

[@Rusty254]

People were angry at Sony's sign in policy before it even blocked certain games from certain countries, where's the backlash at Microsoft for their shitty account login thing on steam games, I find it just as annoying.

[@nathanwatkins1005]

Microsoft has been slipping more than Sony lately, but neither of them care about us. They just keep barreling towards a cliff.

[@tiagocosmos]

any game on Steam requiring an extra login and password, a second launcher, or third party account is a no-buy for me.t

[@Ceece20]

Microsoft accounts can be created anywhere. Sony blocks literally more countries in the world than countries allowed. For some people, Microsoft is an inconvenience but many already have an account due to Windows. But only Sony people have Sony accounts and no one in the countries that are blocked by Sony can even create an account.

[@alexlyster3459]

Microsoft accounts aren't Geolocked like PSN accounts. That was the main issue, as the requirement was being retroactively fit into games after people had bought the Sony games in countries where they would now no longer be able to play them

[@homicidalgeorge]

because pc players are more likely to have a microsoft account than a sony account.

[@Bloodlustian]

Twitter / bluesky postings also suggests that the lead writer and lead editor are also out of the door. Based on their work I say that the heads responsible for this colossal failure are rolling while EAs purse strings get tightened.

[@hershmergersh6733]

Just put Bioware out of our misery, please

[@dx-ek4vr]

My Tinfoil-hat theory: Maybe EA forced Bioware to make Veilguard for this exact purpose. Either the game succeeds and we have to look forward to more slop (not an option), or it fails, giving EA the excuse it needs to take Bioware behind the shed

[@PomaReign]

There is absolutely no doubt that Corinne knew about the layoffs coming to Bioware and bailed out before the news hit to avoid the backlash and blame that will come from coworkers at the studio. This is what roaching out looks like.

[@SeventhheavenDK]

If he truly left by his own volition.

[@marcusclark1339]

yup, he screwed the game over to make his narcissism play and then ducked out

[@SussedRage]

All the virtue signalling and DEI piety has done is lose a load of jobs and lose a load of money lol Talent first.

[@AMythicalTrickster]

You really really really dont know what DEI is and it shows. ​@SussedRage

[@SussedRage]

@@AMythicalTrickster you really really really should stfu and really really realise _you_ are part of the problem.

[@alargefarva4274]

We gather here today to mourn the loss of BioWare

[@INMATEofARKHAM]

Shit, that happened over a decade ago.

[@allanraven6386]

Good riddance.

[@falcoholic118]

BioWare is a rotting corpse at this point.

[@fyrfly8768]

Its been a walking corpse since Inquisition

[@seanjenkins5505]

Bioware was lost years ago

[@KahranRamsus]

Dragon Age should be a wake up call to EA on what people want in their games. Graphics don't matter if the content is boring and braindead. I doubt they will learn though.

[@lincolnprestes7617]

no, they keep doing FIFA e Madden every single year and making money. People want braindead games, but get pissed if the character in their game does not have huge asses

[@Jereb343]

You are aware that veilguard was a project that got unusual and unprecedented levels of charity from EA? It was rebooted twice, it had no DRM, forced multiplayer, day one dlc or microtransactions. It was made by a studio with ample time and no design mandate that anyone is aware of. EAs handling of it was defined by their earlier fuck ups with bioware. It didn't have a forced 22 month development cycle like dragon age 2 or a mandated mtx infested multiplayer mode. It was done by a studio with technical competence in using their game engine as opposed to leaving bioware out to dry with frostbite while all the technical divisions work on FIFA. EA did everything right and got fuckall for it which sucks because veilguard can now be used as an excuse for why big publishers shouldnt do all these "benevolent" things.

[@russellcarey3568]

Well apparently most development companies are doubling down on DEI initiatives so don't hold your breath.

[@Miss_Distress]

I don’t know who made the brain dead decision to take a dark fantasy series with a well set tone and backstory, and change that all up! I waited 10 years for a sequel to Inquisition, a game that was special to me. How sad.

[@maerunderemite]

​@@Jereb343 I know. This is a great point. You can just see how execs are likely to take it. How terribly sad and disappointing. Massive missed opportunity to set a good precedent for all of gaming.

[@JDLaney-zk4wb]

I can’t believe GTA6 shadow dropped literally two minutes before this video came out. Ralph just can’t catch a break!

[@HeliumFreak]

What are you referring to? I'm looking for new gta6 stuff and can't see anything

[@DeagyD]

@@HeliumFreakhe’s joking dude

[@crome2sniper]

He's right! Announcement made literally 2mins after this video came out. Wild lucky

[@bobishereuwu1759]

wHaT dO yOu MeAn??

[@ToothpasteJuice]

I looked and gta 7 is coming out next month too!

[@isitPC]

5 minutes later.. Mass Effect 5 has just been given a release date, starring Troy Baker as everyone.

[@Dystinction1]

Troy Baker voicing Liara would be comedy and I need it.

[@joevibin3816]

Nah I’m good. Let Shepard’s legacy rest. Make something new. Dragon age can only get rap3d so much.

[@makedragonagegreatagain3148]

Here's hoping bioware gets shuttered before they get a chance to destroy what's left of their legacy.

[@Vlalkori]

Lets hope that now that Sony no longer has the PSN requirements the games can also be purchasable in the banned countries, since I (from Estonia, a European Union country) can still not purchases PlayStation games on Steam.

[@Ceece20]

This ^^^, absolutely won’t sign in for a PSN when it does not benefit me whatsoever.

[@oninomiru]

Happy ending? They did not lift the restrictions from 180 countries on steam still.

[@spartanB0292]

Same thoughts. Where is SkillUp getting this?

[@jeankirchstein2552]

A step in the right direction at least

[@Ceece20]

@@jeankirchstein2552step in the right direction would be to stop the sign ups entirely for PC.

[@jeankirchstein2552]

@Ceece20 probably in like another decade given how long it took EA and Ubisoft to shut down their launches

[@nchldmn]

Ted Price leaving Insomniac Games was a surprise to me, but hopefully they will survive under the new leadership, especially since they are long term Insomniacs.

[@elijahtiemens5532]

So, is Ted Price going to get some sleep now?

[@TheIndulgers]

How an executive could lose a company BILLIONS of dollars with their terrible decisions isn't immediately sacked, and sued for gross incompetence is baffling. Guy gets to keep a multimillion dollar salary. 🤦🏻‍♂ Sony racking up another L by keeping Hermen around.

[@jprsfragoso]

"This is Bioware were talking about" No... it's really not

[@Mehmed12322]

I really hope they DONT make the next mass effect . Not this team and not this direction . Pass it to another studio or put it in the loft for now.

[@TheRogueWolf]

If Ubisoft is committed to saving money and ensuring stability, maybe they could fire all those high-paid executives who keep making stupid decisions. Just a thought.

[@marccreation1052]

15 years ago: BioWare shuts down?Wtf nooooo! 10 years ago: BioWare shuts down? Oh, well.. Now: all is well. Clean Air, No fart huffing, how nice.

[@brucevandermescht6957]

Video game production is so mismanaged now its shocking. BioWare pumped out the entire Mass Effect trilogy and Dragon Age Trilogy games between 2007 and 2014. If this was any other industry the entire thing would have collapsed already.

[@woodbyte]

I don't even care if they shut down entirely if Veilguard is the kind of output we're to expect from Bioware going forward.

[@AtomicBLB]

What is there to even look forward to if this is their current best effort? People are too attached to the name but it's just EA wearing a Bioware name tag.

[@kingslayer283]

The AAA industry really is going down in flames and I'm so here for it. It feels that the entire industry could do with a great reset.

[@izzaazzurri]

That hoyoverse lawsuit is so bullshit when EA STILL does the same thing if not worse

[@KahranRamsus]

Popularity should not make them exempt. They should be punished way more than they were, really. Encouraging gambling from children is a big deal. EA should also get nailed by it, but HoYo should be applying changes to all their games, not just Genshin.

[@drogozi3308]

@@KahranRamsus It's not about making them "exempt", it's about calling for industry wide changes that are long overdue. EA, 2K, Valve, they've been doing this stuff for way longer and stil get away with it with no regulations. Let's be honest here, this lawsuit is mainly because it's from china and we know the current american politics shenanigans. At least genshin will get some protections from this i guess.

[@Calvin_Coolage]

​@@KahranRamsusPretty sure children aren't the primary group playing Genshin to begin with, but go off king.

[@alextiedt4481]

After andromeda, anthem, then Veilguard. Perhaps it's time for the team at BioWare to move on to greener pastures.

[@darinherrick9224]

They already did. They left and became Stoic. Play Banner Saga.

[@bunnymud1972]

This is NOT the Bioware of old. I can't recall when they did release a good game since Mass Effect 2

[@the_jambassador]

ME3 was pretty good until the hotel room ending they stole from Deus Ex.

[@Veekmon]

0:13 GAMERS!

[@JohnTheodore]

Net positive?! I didn't hear ANYONE giving a positive take on the AC Shadows preview

[@ProducerX21]

He names 3 of some of the biggest online video game personalities in himself, Jake, and Mr Matty not liking the game, but then still says the overall net reaction was positive? Where are the positive previews? I have seen countless videos making fun of the gameplay Kinda weird

[@user-zp8kj2cl9g]

Then you really haven't seen much

[@TheRealSlimsagey7]

The legacy media paid shills like IGN, Eurogamer and PC gamer. Probably, I'm not giving them clicks to go check

[@ProducerX21]

@ name 5

[@legalmenteluis]

At least Sony is taking action after this GaaS fiasco. A real shame that many great studios wasted their time, money and resources for so many years.

[@noamias4897]

Executives like Herman get huge bonuses while risking jobs and corporate funds left and right on questionable decisions. Shouldn’t THEIR roles carry more risk? They reap all the rewards while developers bear all the risk. I'm not saying "eat the rich", I think rewarding smart business decisions is fine, but shouldn’t incompetence come at a higher price?

[@thisisdayvid]

If Ubisoft wants to stay afloat, Guillemont HAS TO go. This wasn't a bad year or two, Guillemont has done everything in it's power to muddy the company's portfolio for more than a decade. It is a cowardly move to fire the workers, for any company when leadership is at failure, but Ubisoft under Yves Guillemont has absolutely no chance for surviving.

[@Astartes-6969]

PLEASE GOD DO NOT LET THEM MAKE MASS EFFECT 5!!! The director on ME5 said they're working on a more mature and serious story but take anything they say with a grain of salt.

[@Elias110194]

Who would’ve thought that chasing bigger and bigger profits every year could end up snuffing out the very essence of what made this media so special?

[@waynetec13]

Sony restructure is a stark reminder that big business is always a gamble....... For the front line workers. The execs all have golden parachutes.

[@jamiemarshall8284]

Bioware hasn't existed for a long time. A game studio is just a collection of people. All of the people in Bioware have moved on since its golden age, and so it is a completely different company. A company, that can't make games. EA might as well be running a startup.

[@Tirki1]

huge bioware fan all these years, but after andromeda, anthem and veilguard i couldn't care less what happens honestly. i'm long since past wearing my rose tinted glasses and think of the good old studios as anything grand

[@RobbieB2606]

I hate game/movie crossover armour sets. The moment random celebs started appearing in Warzone, I noped out hard. Destiny is on a slippery slope

[@EchoDoctrine]

Destiny is done, Bungie HaTES working on their own game, they desperately want out. Hence Marathon & the 5 projects the studio was working out while letting Destiny flounder.

[@zdegree23]

So that's gotta be worth 100 Bharvs, Bioware.

[@darkHominid]

FTC fines need to be percentage based, 20 million is a joke to Hoyo

[@Keithustus]

Some laws and localities authorize punitive damages to be uncomfortably large for that reason.

[@-TriP-]

These people have new jobs before they're even out the door at their old ones, I see no reason to pity them.

[@avali95]

Dude I don’t pity this people. I am a person that loved this company from the beginning. The Bioware name represented some of my best moments ever in gaming. But that team of legends are not there at Bioware. I am sure there is talent but the soul of Bioware has long, long gone. What they did with Dragon Age from the art design to the bland story telling plus the ridiculous attempt of lecturing you on social issues speaks to a company long lost its prime

[@Marksman3434]

Considering the writing was the most criticized aspect of DAV and that it failed to sell even half of what EA expected, I'm not surprised its main writers were let go. Even if they did some of the best writing from previous DA games and even Mass Effect. Then again, they were also vets at BW and unless they are absolutely crucial in making their games successful, it could also be because of that to cut down costs by laying off the higher-paid employees

[@fred6907]

DIfficult to make bank when the game director himself is a LGBTQ lunatic. It was doomed from the beginning.

[@nullptr_yt]

Jason Schreier tweaking and crashing out over the news of BioWare downsizing after the blistering success of DAV.

[@AverageLeagueGamer]

The chuds win again

[@Rhedox1]

"is now most likely as studio that will Shepard one project at the time." I see what you did there.

[@112523]

Dont forget the fact that cdpr lied on your face roght up until release about features in their game. Never forget this

[@GoufinAround_]

To people worried about the new Mass Effect, and all I have to say is a lesson I've learned in the last 5-7 years. You don't have to engage with the newest things from franchises you love if you don't think you'll enjoy them. You also shouldn't let new releases ruin your love for the past of a franchise.

[@YeOldeGamingDad]

Think of BioWare as one of the husks from Mass Effect and you’ll understand exactly what the company is now

[@DirtyDirtyFiat]

Pulling a Barv was not such a good idea.

[@atypicalnihilist]

MMW: Mass Effect 5 will be the end of Bioware. No other studio has had these many big budget flops in a row and EA kept on bailing them out for no reason.

[@C64Mat]

It's been a long fall between Baldur's Gate II and Veilguard.

[@Evoke-Chaos]

u telling me mass effect 2 bad?

[@alecrizzle]

​@Evoke-Chaos no one said that lol

[@guitarsoupify]

@@Evoke-Chaos learn how to read

[@Evoke-Chaos]

@@guitarsoupify ok ;(

[@thenoose9800]

One of the least surprising rounds of layoff imaginable. The writing was on the wall for Bioware the second this storm of layoffs began in 2022. I'm heartbroken that more studios are being torn apart like this.

[@jt6404]

Anthem, Andromeda, and Veilguard. If any other studio put out stuff like that in a row they would've been closed already. Something clearly went wrong with the people there.

[@Tyrany42]

Ooh if No One Lives Forever gets on GOG that’ll be an immediate buy for me. That was my first FPS, so strong nostalgia for that one

[@Keithustus]

is that "The Operative: No One Lives Forever (2000)"? I missed its original release, probably playing Counter-Strike....

[@anmoldembla4743]

Classic Skillup timing with Forza Horizon 5 announced for PS5 a few hours after this video went live

[@friskynips7024]

Bye Bioware, I'll always miss the studio you once were 👋🏻

[@Buckeye_Bill]

When Dauntless launched it was really dope! When they made major changes to the systems all at once it ruined the experience long before they were acquired.

[@69nites]

Small passionate teams make the best products. Whether it's games, tables, movies, literally anything.

[@johnathonmattingly9303]

Indie and AA games are the future and don’t change my mind. I’ll be laughing at the AAA devs who loose their jobs and them living off unemployment checks.

[@NoName......]

​@johnathonmattingly9303 It's not the devs fault. Don't be mad at them

[@WretchedIcon]

With Microsoft going full-steam ahead (pun intended) and Sony finally starting to bend the knee to open-platform, how the hell is Nintendo going to stay competitive?

[@goatgoatgoat1234]

I'd bet that the Star Wars Destiny sets were HEAVILY interfered with by Disney which likely left the Destiny designers with little wiggle room. Personally I think they look decent. IDK If I would spend silver on them when the game has so many incredible sets. Fashion is the true end game after all.

[@Muppet-kz2nc]

It's a cash grab for a studio that desperately needs it. Short term gains for long term pains.

[@summonerdestroyer6965]

Is it just me or do the proportions on the stormtrooper helmet look off

[@goatgoatgoat1234]

@@summonerdestroyer6965 They are not nearly accurate to the actual armor. Probably an adaptation they had to make

[@jairozalexis4989]

We all know why veilguard failed, but Skill up still ignore the big inclusive Elephant in The room 💀

[@MultiStendhal]

The fact that Veilguard failed means that Skill up's opinion of the game was shared by the majority. The thing is that after each year the margin for error for these AAA studios kept diminishing. Today we see the effect of a failed game within mere months, and if they keep failing, even upper management won't escape the consequences.

[@fred6907]

Most people knew this would fail from all the insane promo footage and focus on LGBTQ crap, that shit will never be a winner.

[@radiantgale]

Does not matter if Bioware *used* to make good games. People IN studios make the game, and most of the key figures in Bioware have left along with their visions for the IP. That does not mean the creators are infallible, the same people can make terrible or odd decisions for their settings, characters, etc. Nor does it mean that new people cannot follow the same or similar vision. But DAV shows whoever is developing and writing are out of touch, and nothing that Bioware has done or said officially--or the devs who say things publicly--evokes much confidence in future projects having the quality Bioware used to have. It's time to let go and move on. EDIT: 3:40 talks about Bioware navigating rough seas, that may be true, but that ship is Bioware in name only. A ship of Theseus that navigates a sea it was never truly built for.

[@MrWhiteKniight]

Getting kinda burnt out on "studio releases bad games, studio attack fans, studio announces layoffs" like I dont care anymore.

[@DontuseMyRealNameYTplz1425]

what studios attacked fans?

[@onemorescout]

Learn to laugh at it There are more fun gaming trainwrecks per year than fun games these days, gotta adapt to keep yourself entertained

[@bsimulator]

@@DontuseMyRealNameYTplz1425 The Swedish studio DICE for one. Before BFV released they had the whole; "don't like it? Don't buy it!" article that went viral. Later that same year at the company Christmas party, they had a whole wall plastered in negative user comments with a mocking tag-line. Maybe Bethesda as well back when they went and responded to negative user reviews of Starfield on Steam with; "you don't know how to have fun in our game." Obsidian too with the; "gamers are the reason we make our games like this, making you frustrated is a benefit." comments. Naughty Dog with the; "you mad bro?" comments. And the creative director of Naughty Dog saying: "F*** you! Without me these games wouldn't exist!" Mid 2010's Nintendo issued take-down requests for let's play videos of their games. Or when Riot hosted a female and trans only event at PAX and said: "It's our right to reject men from our spaces. You are not welcome here." The Iniative: "Gamers are r*cist pigs." Glumberland who moved their game to be an Epic exclusive after saying it wouldn't be during their kickstarter: "Gamers are entitled and toxic." It keeps going, but I don't wanna look into it anymore. The list is almost endless.

[@marcusclark1339]

don't feel bad for Bioware, the best people left years ago, that entire PR speech tells you the game flopped and they laid off ppl to save face, the studio's been dead and this just confirms it, wasn't higher ups that caused it to be that badly designed, paced, poor story or terrible characterization

[@Mr.Stone_]

1:25 UPDATE: Bioware fired the entire writing team and editing team connected with DA Veilguard. They are all on BlueSky crying injustice.

[@Ceece20]

Of course they are on BlueSky lol

[@MrNegativecreep07]

Imagine trying to get another job and putting you were a writer for Veilguard on your CV

[@Getinloser69]

Love to see it!

[@aaronc5582]

If your writer is on BlueCry, they should be let go. You'll save millions of dollars.

[@CheeseSupremacy]

Any source on people crying? All people I can find are just thanking colleagues and letting people know they are looking for a new job.

[@asmodeusml]

Just close BioWare as I don't want to see them putting Mass Effect to a grave on their way out. I have no faith in the current BioWare at all, and I would rather hope that some other developer will one day pick it up than see BioWare massacre it similar to Dragon Age.

[@Shaderox]

Despite Mass Effect trilogy being my favourite games, the way the ending to 3 was released, follow by Andromeda, Anthem & new Veilguard, i don't have much hope for biowares next game. All evidence points towards them being unable to make good games anymore, because they've had some of the most beloved gaming IPs and failed twice, and they had a new IP that seemed to draw a lot of interest right up until people got to play it. Between all that, and EA funding at their back, they should have had all the tools & resources needed to make another good game but apparently they just can't anymore

[@HowToChangeName]

Im struggling to find a job and worried of getting fired for miscount the cashflow, and these execs seems fine bleeding millions after millions.

[@redliteyt]

Remember when Jason Schreier smugly proclaimed Veilguard being a success using Steam data to get a epic dunk on X? 😁

[@Chopzi11a]

Pepperidge farms remembers 😂

[@bsimulator]

He went and deleted his tweets, the slimy worm.

[@bandanna2388]

@@bsimulator he’s always been a worm, dude knew about all the messed up stuff going on in Activison Blizzard before it came out and capitalised on all the drama with his book once the truth had started to leak. Snake.

[@Ceece20]

@@bsimulatorhe also fled to BlueSky because he wants an echo chamber and doesn’t want to be reminded he was wrong.

[@The_Primary_Axiom]

Andromeda made me so sad. Then instead of working on that they abandoned it for a live service that failed. Then instead of learning their lesson they made the worse dragon age game by far. Their track record and pattern recognition says new mass effect will be ruined too. It’s so sad to see all our favorite franchises and ips being sacrificed on the alter of agenda by western corporations.

[@themagictoaster2472]

First Blizzard, then Bethesda now BioWare. Maybe AAA studios that begin with the letter B are cursed

[@EchoDoctrine]

Bungie laughs nervously as they destroy Destiny 2 playercounts with sunsetting and removal of content, layoffs while working on 5 OTHER (not Destiny) projects & put all their eggs in Marathon an extraction shooter game no one asked for. ….

[@lanoiarnold]

who knew that spending a decade making things people don’t like would end like this

[@RworldKM]

Today, we learnt a valuable lesson; bribing games review websites to give 10/10 scores with the same "Return to form" reviews does not equal high sales numbers.

[@NoahSteelyee]

Very surprised you missed Ubi apparently agreeing to partner up on a future dlc for AC Mirage with the PIF, one of the biggest investment funds in the world. Officially the deal is with Savvy Games, Saudi Arabia's entertainment arm of there own Public Investment Fund. According to French papers like LesEchos Yves was out there end of last year. Read between the lines and its pretty clear he was out there for more than talks about a dlc turned games post-launch content, think selling off IP / a merger that would leave the family with more control. (Funds estimated worth is over £720 Billion)

[@JaJagimpjelterosso]

Bioware, the company that delivered its last good game 10 years ago. Bioware that lost all its talent who made those games. Bioware is only Bioware by name, just like Blizzard.

[@Khasym]

Who'd have guessed that letting your A-list talent leave because you're too stingy to pay TALENT what they're worth, but have no problem letting executives and middle managers schedule six years of meetings and discussions, would lead to BAD performance....It's sooooooo baffling....

[@MrDanlancelot]

I wish I could lose my company millions and the only consequence would be a manager being added above me to double-check my work

[@EricRidesDirt]

At this point are there any AAA studios remaining that are well funded, respected and putting out good games.

[@AlexanTheMan]

Bioware on their way to beat the "Most laid off studio" world record.

[@Steve-of1kb]

Ubisoft will take the cake

[@dyowe518]

Microsoft is being smart with its dropping the hardware restrictions for exclusives. Platforms aren't the platforms anymore. The games are each a platform (thanks Fortnite, COD, WoW, et al)

[@Ihryk]

Bro you gotta stop simping for Bioware they are not the same studio they used to be.

[@lucas50013]

He went against the reviewer grain to give Veilguard a poor review. Having sympathy for the developers at Bioware isn't simping, especially as he might have insiders there that he knows on a personal basis, being affected by these layoffs.

[@Getinloser69]

Ralph is too scared to not simp. Dude has to tiptoe to not offend anyone

[@arielsierra747]

Here’s what is boggling my mind: where did the millions of dollars that went into making Veilguard go exactly? Because Dragon Age 2 has more story depth, pacing, replay incentive, and was developed in less than 16 months. Veilguard spent over a decade in development, the entire story is forgettable, poorly paced, and has zero replay incentives. How could a game be in development for over a decade and fail to compete with what was previously considered by the majority of Dragon Age fans as a flop with DA2? It’s not only a failure for a successful franchise but an insult to anyone who isn’t brain dead.

[@Danifornia3]

" So, I'm not binary..." - BioWare, 2024

[@jonathanlebon9705]

Everspace 2 is such a gem! I come from the original Descent game so always had a soft spot for spaceship shooters and Everspace 2 was made with so much TLC you can feel it. And it's just pure fun.

[@DemonEyes23]

5:20 AC has always had really poor combat which turned me off the series long ago. With Ghost of Tsushima being so good I'm not sure they should have even tried the Japanese settings until they figured out a better combat system.