28 replies to this topic

[Mbob61]

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UK, April 29, 2010 - Bungie has just announced a deal with Activision Blizzard, spanning some ten years, that will see the publishing giant releasing the Halo developer's next big franchise.

Bungie President Harold Ryan explained the announcement, saying "We chose to partner with Activision on our next IP because of their global reach, multi-platform experience and marketing expertise, From working together over the past nine months on this agreement, it is clear that Activision supports our commitment to giving our fans the best possible gaming experiences."

Bungie is currently at work on Halo: Reach, a game that's now looking ever more likely to be its last entry in the franchise.

The deal gives Activision the rights to publish Bungie's games for the next 10 years across multiple formats, although Bungie remains independent and will still own its own intellectual property.

"Bungie has developed some of the most compelling and successful games, multiplayer experiences and thriving fan communities, and this alliance underscores our long-standing commitment to foster the industry's best creative talent," said Activision Blizzard's COO Thomas Tippl, "Our unprecedented partnership with Bungie will enable us to broaden our pipeline of exciting new games as we continue to strengthen our industry position and pursue long-term growth opportunities."

http://uk.xbox360.ig.../1086793p1.html

However, apparently the deal is not a replacement for Call of Duty

http://uk.xbox360.ig.../1086824p1.html

Thankfully Bungie still own their own content so hopefully Activison shouldn't be able to interfere too much.

Mike

Edited by Mbob61, 29 April 2010 - 17:57.

[SquigPie]

It won't be kong before only one single massive video-game company will remain.

after all these fusions and team-ups. It seems closer than ever.

[Wizard]

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UK, April 29, 2010 - ... it is clear that Activision supports our commitment to giving our fans the best possible gaming experiences.

F-U-C-K-O-F-F A-N-D D-I-E

Welcome to the beginning of the end mentlegen. Will the last PC gamer please shove their mouse into the nearest casual gamers arse on the way out of the lobby please.

[Libains]

Well I suppose there was only ever one way to shut the Halo fanboys up once and for all.

Well done Bungie, you've more or less ruined yourself.

[Shirou]

I wonder when they'll run to EA. Ten years? Hope they dont make five.

[TheDR]

AJ, on 29 Apr 2010, 19:32, said:

Well I suppose there was only ever one way to shut the Halo fanboys up once and for all.

Well done Bungie, you've more or less ruined yourself.

*puts on money face* But look at all the money they could make WHOA awesome! *takes off money face*

I want to see a WOW like MMO set in the Halo universe

[CJ]

TheDR, on 29 Apr 2010, 20:34, said:

I want to see a WOW like MMO set in the Halo universe

Hasn't that already been planned by Bungie sometime ago and then scrapped? D:

[Libains]

*Points at Halo Wars* Oh the good old days.

[TheDR]

Ensemble made Halo wars, but thats another story. *misses Age of Empires*

[Mbob61]

Given that Bungie are finishing the Halo franchise with Reach, maybe a change of publisher won't be such a bad move.
Sure Activision are soulless money grabbers but Bungie have said that they own all IP's so maybe Activision's input won't be too strong?

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UK, April 29, 2010 - ... it is clear that Activision supports our commitment to giving our fans the best possible gaming experiences.

Admittedly, this is a load of crap

Mike

Edited by Mbob61, 29 April 2010 - 19:18.

[CJ]

This isn't that much of a loss, Bungie is already a company which creates games destined to consolefags and casual gamers.
What could Activision possibly do to screw up their games? Put a dedi server on them? :o

[Pav:3d]

Wow I didnt know bungie was a fan, OF SATAN

[Kalo]

This could be interesting.

[Alias]

And nothing of value was lost.

[Mbob61]

Argetlam, on 29 Apr 2010, 20:31, said:

This isn't that much of a loss, Bungie is already a company which creates games destined to consolefags and casual gamers.
What could Activision possibly do to screw up their games? Put a dedi server on them? :o

I can't agree that they create games solely for "console fags" considering 2/3 main titles have been released on the PC as well. The Halo series is not aimed at casual games given the unforgiving nature of some of the weapons and skill required to become good. I presume you haven't played Halo 3 very much otherwise you would release that they take rather a lot of skill to become good.
Also, the arrogance of PC gamers to assume they are better than people who play games on consoles really pisses me off. Drop the High and mighty attitude all of you.

Mike

Edit - I edited the last line to make it less of a personal attack which it looked like when i read it back.

Edited by Mbob61, 30 April 2010 - 00:04.

[Wizard]

For my part, and my comment regarding PC gamers, it wasn't from a position of being higher and mightier (ie better) than console gamers, but that console gamers tend to be more 'casual' than PC gamers, which leads to the dumbing down of games. Specificially in that if you want to be able to play all PC games on then you have to be dedicated to the cause and spend the money, update the drivers and what-not. Games aimed at casuals do seem to be more common donominator these days. It wasn't a dig at consoles, but at the corporations who have almost now totally turned their backs on developing for the PC and convert the code as an after thought. Could've worded it better.

[Kalo]

I can safely just about everyone here would not be able to beat even the worst of MLG Players, Halo 3 is indeed like Mike says, it takes a lot of skill to be actually considered "Good."

Edited by Kalo, 30 April 2010 - 08:56.

[Alias]

The same can be said of every game, really. Halo 3 just has a significantly large enough group of players that there will be a significantly large group of 'very good' players within that group.

However, shooting games are far more competitive on PC than on a console. The best UT2k4 players would be far more skilled in comparison to the average UT2k4 player than the best Halo 3 players to the average Halo 3 player.

[Mbob61]

I've played enough UT2K4 to understand there probably are some very skilled players at that game.
I would consider myself an averagely good Halo 3 player. I got pretty high up the rankings tables (mid 40's out of 50) in 2-3 sections. Yet having seen the professionals play, I would be lucky to get a single kill. They use techniques I couldn't even do when i played the game a lot.

@ Wiz - I do agree that Casual gamers seem to be at the fore front of most developers minds these days which is bloody irritating. Too many games have features visibly aimed at people who can't really be bothered to get into the games. However I don't think Bungie will be too affected by this. The games they have made so far are good "hardcore shooters". Lets just hope their new IP's are the same quality.

The term ConsoleFag kinda makes it seem people are looking down onto console players as a whole as a second tier amongst gamers. Whilst I admit consoles have caused games to be dumbed down somewhat (especially anything ported onto the Wii as well), if you look at the skill of a player who has taken the time to become good on a console, they can be just as good as someone who has become good on their pc. I have proven myself that Mouse and Keyboard doesn't always beat the controller when i played MW1 on a pc using my 360 controller and was still top of the servers.

Mike

Edited by Mbob61, 30 April 2010 - 10:26.

[Wizard]

[Mbob61]

Bungie's Justification

Mike

[Pav:3d]

God theyre stupid. Dont they realise that once they release something worthwhile activision is going to have bungies balls firmly in their grip?

"We dont have time to comment on the many lawsuites activision files against its employee's and creative partners"

[Wizard]

Mbob61, on 30 Apr 2010, 11:15, said:

The term ConsoleFag kinda makes it seem people are looking down onto console players as a whole as a second tier amongst gamers. Whilst I admit consoles have caused games to be dumbed down somewhat (especially anything ported onto the Wii as well), if you look at the skill of a player who has taken the time to become good on a console, they can be just as good as someone who has become good on their pc. I have proven myself that Mouse and Keyboard doesn't always beat the controller when i played MW1 on a pc using my 360 controller and was still top of the servers.

In defence, most PC players do look down on console players, as the mere fact that a person has opted for a casual system and that resulting systems popularity means that games are now no longer developed as they were, back in the 'golden age', for PCs and we now have to live with hand me downs from console developers.

[Mbob61]

I don't think its really fair to label consoles as a whole the "casual" option.
I would readily admit the Wii is a almost solely a console aimed for the casual market but i would say the opposite about the 360 right now (lets hope Natal doesn't change that)
The 360 has a whole host of top quality developers making games which are both high quality and time consuming to get into. Epic who were mentioned above being one of those.
Being much more expensive than the Wii, the 360 appeals much more to the "hardcore" crowd of real gamers. Also, random aside, if we are talking about the "golden age" of shooters wouldn't that be around the time of GoldenEye and Perfect Dark which were console shooters?

Also, is it not a bit hypocritical to claim that the increasing popularity of console has caused a downgrade in PC games and then own a console yourself?

Mike

[Wizard]

Mbob61, on 30 Apr 2010, 14:30, said:

I don't think its really fair to label consoles as a whole the "casual" option.
I would readily admit the Wii is a almost solely a console aimed for the casual market but i would say the opposite about the 360 right now (lets hope Natal doesn't change that)
The 360 has a whole host of top quality developers making games which are both high quality and time consuming to get into. Epic who were mentioned above being one of those.
Being much more expensive than the Wii, the 360 appeals much more to the "hardcore" crowd of real gamers. Also, random aside, if we are talking about the "golden age" of shooters wouldn't that be around the time of GoldenEye and Perfect Dark which were console shooters?

Also, is it not a bit hypocritical to claim that the increasing popularity of console has caused a downgrade in PC games and then own a console yourself?

Mike

The systems themselves are certainly the 'casual' option. You buy one and then replace it when the next generation arrives (5 - 10 years later). Far less intensive than updating drivers, backing up software, upgrading RAM and video cards etc. As for whether the gamers are casual, well, it would be a generalisation to say that they are all that way. I would certainly suggest that a large proportion are. The Wii most certainly is the casual system, but the development of games for that platform has not, afaik, had an actual impact on the development of more serious genres of games, ie fps, rpg etc.

I will let you have the point regarding Golden Eye. The one game where the console developers got it almost perfect!

True, I own all 3 consoles, but their usage is less than 1% of my gaming time. I haven't even played a console game since I bought the missus the Wii for Christmas! My money and therefore the developers target, is on the PC.