Dropping Out

[christian]

https://twitter.com/robertflorence/stat ... 7665371136

Video gaming's one true creative giant just got chewed up and spat out by the games industry.
Don't go into games.
Run a fucking mile.

It pains me to see this attitude. Especially from someone I respect.

[christian]

This is all in reference to this:

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/kojima ... 0-6426024/

A fallout between Kojima Productions and its owning publisher, Konami, has led to senior staff at the studio being restricted access to corporate internet, emails, and phone, GameSpot understands.

Along with the restricted communications, key developers at the studio, such as Hideo Kojima, will now have limited opportunities to lend their appearance to promotions of the studio’s upcoming game, Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain.

Power struggles between Kojima Productions and Konami have convinced the publisher to make drastic changes, including amending the employee status of its Metal Gear team. Some senior staff at the studio, including Kojima, now essentially work as contractors, not permanent employees.

The extraordinary measures were revealed by a source within Konami, speaking to GameSpot on the condition of anonymity. The person explained that, once the Phantom Pain project is finished, in all likelihood the management at the studio will disband.

"After we finish MGSV, Mr. Kojima and upper management will leave Konami. They said their contract ends in December," the source claimed.

The person added: "At a team meeting, Mr Kojima explained that team have to be one and make a good game for fans."

In other developments, Konami has begun removing the Kojima Productions logo from all official Metal Gear art, and it has removed Kojima from its executive team. Meanwhile, Kojima Productions’ branding has also been removed from Twitter, the official Metal Gear website, and even the LA office listing.

[christian]

But will Kojima himself drop out? I have to wonder. He's always mentioned how he wants to work on more non-"Metal Gear" games. Perhaps now he'll get his chance.

[christian]

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/2384 ... bisoft.php

After 14 years at Ubisoft spanning work on everything from Beyond Good & Evil to Assassin's Creed, Valiant Hearts content director Yoan Fanise is calling it quits and getting out of triple-A development.

This is somewhat surprising, because the last time I talked to Fanise (alongside his fellow Valiant Hearts content director Paul Tumelaire), he credited the "crazy and a bit artistic" culture of his now-former studio, Ubisoft Montpellier, as being integral to the development of Valiant Hearts.

[christian]

http://notch.net/2014/09/doom/

Doom to me represents some of the best qualities games had before they got all complicated and huge with all sorts of expectations on them. I really, really miss those days

Ecclesiastes 7:10

Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.

[christian]

Shortly after writing that, Markus Persson officially dropped out. Not going to be too hard on him here, since it seems that he never meant to inherit the position that he did in the first place.