We have a Steam curator now. You should be following it. https://store.steampowered.com/curator/44994899-RPGHQ/

Hooray: ****** gamedevs being fired thread

No RPG elements? It probably goes here!
Ignore Topic
User avatar
Val the Moofia Boss
Turtle
Turtle
Posts: 4371
Joined: Jun 3, '23

Geolocation

Adventurer's Guild

Post by Val the Moofia Boss »

Sounds like another round of Xbox lay offs and studio closures are happening.

Pretty funny that over a decade ago, Microsoft went around purchasing all of these gaming studios, only to end up with... what? What exclusives were worth buying an Xbox for? And now they shutting them down.
User avatar
Finarfin
Connoisseur of Slop
Posts: 5181
Joined: May 20, '24
Location: Tirion upon Túna

Geolocation

Adventurer's Guild

Post by Finarfin »

LOL, Ninja Theory is being shut down. Compulsion Games, Double Fine and Arkane are trying to do a Managment-Buy-Out.
Last edited by Finarfin on June 15th, 2026, 23:54, edited 1 time in total.
Steam code: 10514930
My Reviews:
El Matador RECOMMENDED
Dungeons of Sundaria NOT RECOMMENDED
VLADiK BRUTAL
RECOMMENDED
Ultimate Zombie Defense 2 INFORMATIONAL
Deathless: The Hero Quest RECOMMENDED
Door Kickers 2 RECOMMENDED
Folklands INFORMATIONAL
User avatar
Valter
Posts: 1855
Joined: Jun 12, '24

Geolocation

Adventurer's Guild

Post by Valter »

Finarfin wrote: June 15th, 2026, 23:53
LOL, Ninja Theory is being shut down. Compulsion Games, Double Fine and Arkane are trying to do a Managment-Buy-Out.
I'm glad I recognize none of those names
Last edited by Valter on June 16th, 2026, 00:30, edited 1 time in total.
Steam friend code: 1525876263
User avatar
Roguey
Turtle
Turtle
Posts: 3184
Joined: Feb 4, '23

Geolocation

Adventurer's Guild

Post by Roguey »

Valter wrote: June 16th, 2026, 00:30
Finarfin wrote: June 15th, 2026, 23:53
LOL, Ninja Theory is being shut down. Compulsion Games, Double Fine and Arkane are trying to do a Managment-Buy-Out.
I'm glad I recognize none of those names
Double Fine made one good game 20 years ago. Arkane also put out a few good ones before the founder left, nothing but slop since. They became a two-studio location, and one already closed after one failure, seemed inevitable the other one would follow.
User avatar
Finarfin
Connoisseur of Slop
Posts: 5181
Joined: May 20, '24
Location: Tirion upon Túna

Geolocation

Adventurer's Guild

Post by Finarfin »

Regarding Double fine and arkane, that tells me more about you tbh. Psychonauts and Brutal Legend were Double Fine's best games and Arkane made Arx Fatalis, Dark Messiah of Might and Magic, Dishonored.
Steam code: 10514930
My Reviews:
El Matador RECOMMENDED
Dungeons of Sundaria NOT RECOMMENDED
VLADiK BRUTAL
RECOMMENDED
Ultimate Zombie Defense 2 INFORMATIONAL
Deathless: The Hero Quest RECOMMENDED
Door Kickers 2 RECOMMENDED
Folklands INFORMATIONAL
User avatar
wndrbr
Turtle
Turtle
Posts: 3652
Joined: Feb 4, '23
Location: Siberia
Gender: Dinosaur

Geolocation

Adventurer's Guild

Post by wndrbr »

Nothing of value would be lost.

Double Fine's last ok game (Psychonauts 2) came out six years ago, in six years the only thing they've made is some crappy game that looks like it was made for a gamejam by a bunch of transsexual indie devs in a basement in a few weeks.

Arkane's last good games were Prey and Dishonored 2, both came out nine years ago.

Ninja Theory's only good game was ******* DMC with Donte, which came out almost fifteen years ago. Nothing but slop moviegames since.

Compulsion games made... a four hours long platformer where we play as a black woman.

If anything, i'd shutter MORE studios than that. I don't know a single well-managed Microsoft-owned studio. All of them are incompetent, and either incapable of shipping a game in less than 8 years, or capable of doing that but their entire output is garbage no one wants to play.
User avatar
Maxlofla-32
Posts: 59
Joined: Nov 6, '25

Geolocation

Post by Maxlofla-32 »

These firings do little to make us excited for anything, as long as inclusion/anti-discrimination workplace policies exist.
User avatar
rusty_shackleford
Site Admin
Posts: 46432
Joined: Feb 2, '23
Gender: Watermelon

Geolocation

Adventurer's Guild

Post by rusty_shackleford »

Tim Cain recently left retirement to go work at Obsidian again, think I mentioned it before but I assumed it was related to Obsidian releasing flop after flop.
Thank you for your attention to this matter!
Steam friend code: 40552640 https://steamcommunity.com/friends/add | email: [email protected]
Having trouble running an old Windows game?
Rusty's Stuff Collection
User avatar
ThulsaDoomer
Posts: 769
Joined: Jan 9, '25
Location: Tree of Woe

Geolocation

Post by ThulsaDoomer »

rusty_shackleford wrote: June 16th, 2026, 01:16
Tim Cain recently left retirement to go work at Obsidian again, think I mentioned it before but I assumed it was related to Obsidian releasing flop after flop.
Rest assured, Obsidian fans, with Tim Cain on board, our next game will be an even bigger flop, but with 100x more homosexuality. :tipsfedora:
User avatar
Tangerine
Posts: 3795
Joined: Dec 1, '24

Geolocation

Adventurer's Guild

Post by Tangerine »

wndrbr wrote: June 16th, 2026, 01:13
Nothing of value would be lost.

Double Fine's last ok game (Psychonauts 2) came out six years ago, in six years the only thing they've made is some crappy game that looks like it was made for a gamejam by a bunch of transsexual indie devs in a basement in a few weeks.

Arkane's last good games were Prey and Dishonored 2, both came out nine years ago.

Ninja Theory's only good game was ******* DMC with Donte, which came out almost fifteen years ago. Nothing but slop moviegames since.

Compulsion games made... a four hours long platformer where we play as a black woman.

If anything, i'd shutter MORE studios than that. I don't know a single well-managed Microsoft-owned studio. All of them are incompetent, and either incapable of shipping a game in less than 8 years, or capable of doing that but their entire output is garbage no one wants to play.
There was a thread a while back about what you'd do if you were rich. My answer is now to buy studios and shutter them as acts of mercy.
User avatar
wndrbr
Turtle
Turtle
Posts: 3652
Joined: Feb 4, '23
Location: Siberia
Gender: Dinosaur

Geolocation

Adventurer's Guild

Post by wndrbr »

rusty_shackleford wrote: June 16th, 2026, 01:16
Tim Cain recently left retirement to go work at Obsidian again, think I mentioned it before but I assumed it was related to Obsidian releasing flop after flop.
Obsidian will start making based games again!
User avatar
UltraFan123
Posts: 2711
Joined: May 25, '24
Gender: Potato

Geolocation

Post by UltraFan123 »

Ah, I knew I heard Ninja Theory before.

I'm aware that nobody was hyped for the DmC reboot, but for what it was worth, I think the re-imagined setting had good potential, even if the game's plot was just another "we live in a society! Awaken sheeple!" story.

Had that game been its own original IP unrelated to Devil May Cry, then I think it would've been better for the long run since it wouldn't be forever stuck in the original series' shadow.

And since Ninja Theory never bothered to continue exploring the setting, I reckon it's a good thing that it closed.
User avatar
J1M
Turtle
Turtle
Posts: 5212
Joined: Feb 15, '23

Geolocation

Adventurer's Guild

Post by J1M »

If all of the studios close, the knowledge of how to make a game in Unreal that can't run above 40 fps regardless of how powerful the hardware is will be lost.
User avatar
Killagain665
Posts: 501
Joined: Jun 14, '25

Geolocation

Adventurer's Guild

Post by Killagain665 »

J1M wrote: June 16th, 2026, 02:17
If all of the studios close, the knowledge of how to make a game in Unreal that can't run above 40 fps regardless of how powerful the hardware is will be lost.
I am more upset about the tech that allowed us to get past the immense radiation of the Van Allen radiation belts being lost.
User avatar
DDC
Posts: 339
Joined: Feb 3, '24

Geolocation

Post by DDC »

Val the Moofia Boss wrote: June 15th, 2026, 22:18
Sounds like another round of Xbox lay offs and studio closures are happening.

Pretty funny that over a decade ago, Microsoft went around purchasing all of these gaming studios, only to end up with... what? What exclusives were worth buying an Xbox for? And now they shutting them down.
The real exclusives were the virtue-signaling vanity projects they made along the way that appealed to audiences mostly consisting of the devs themselves. South of Midnight literally has more devs than players.
Solidus Snake Did Nothing Wrong
User avatar
Acrux
Turtle
Turtle
Posts: 6746
Joined: Feb 8, '23

Geolocation

Adventurer's Guild

Post by Acrux »

J1M wrote: June 16th, 2026, 02:17
If all of the studios close, the knowledge of how to make a game in Unreal that can't run above 40 fps regardless of how powerful the hardware is will be lost.
Anyone who knew how to do that has already been pushed out.
Last edited by Acrux on June 16th, 2026, 05:41, edited 1 time in total.
Like my posts? Consider a donation: PayPal
Hate my posts? Consider a donation: PayPal
Indifferent to my posts? Consider a donation: PayPal
User avatar
Bertram_Tung
Posts: 2256
Joined: Jan 2, '24
Location: SunCo Gasoline Facility

Geolocation

Adventurer's Guild

Post by Bertram_Tung »

wndrbr wrote: June 16th, 2026, 01:13
Double Fine's last ok game (Psychonauts 2) came out six years ago
Psychonauts 2 has an entire level dedicated to helping two ******* get married. The entire last third of the game is constant LGBT ********. Woke trash.

Psychonauts 2 Said \u2018Gay Rights!\u2019

Helmut Fullbear and Bob Zanotto\u0027s Relationship - Psychonauts 2 (PS5/XBOX/PC)[1080p60fps]
Last edited by Bertram_Tung on June 16th, 2026, 06:14, edited 3 times in total.
User avatar
wndrbr
Turtle
Turtle
Posts: 3652
Joined: Feb 4, '23
Location: Siberia
Gender: Dinosaur

Geolocation

Adventurer's Guild

Post by wndrbr »

Bertram_Tung wrote: June 16th, 2026, 06:09
wndrbr wrote: June 16th, 2026, 01:13
Double Fine's last ok game (Psychonauts 2) came out six years ago
Psychonauts 2 has an entire level dedicated to helping two ******* get married. The entire last third of the game is constant LGBT ********. Woke trash.

Psychonauts 2 Said \u2018Gay Rights!\u2019

Helmut Fullbear and Bob Zanotto\u0027s Relationship - Psychonauts 2 (PS5/XBOX/PC)[1080p60fps]
sad. I haven't played it yet. Probably never will now that I know this.
User avatar
Bertram_Tung
Posts: 2256
Joined: Jan 2, '24
Location: SunCo Gasoline Facility

Geolocation

Adventurer's Guild

Post by Bertram_Tung »

wndrbr wrote: June 16th, 2026, 06:20
Bertram_Tung wrote: June 16th, 2026, 06:09
wndrbr wrote: June 16th, 2026, 01:13
Double Fine's last ok game (Psychonauts 2) came out six years ago
Psychonauts 2 has an entire level dedicated to helping two ******* get married. The entire last third of the game is constant LGBT ********. Woke trash.

Psychonauts 2 Said \u2018Gay Rights!\u2019

Helmut Fullbear and Bob Zanotto\u0027s Relationship - Psychonauts 2 (PS5/XBOX/PC)[1080p60fps]
sad. I haven't played it yet. Probably never will now that I know this.
In typical deceptive fashion they mostly back-load it to the latter parts. It's a shame because the game was mostly enjoyable in the earlier parts, and the first game was pretty good. But as you get further and further in Psychonauts 2, it gets really over the top and nauseating. Especially because the whole game is centered around children.
Last edited by Bertram_Tung on June 16th, 2026, 06:30, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
MrTwinkls
Posts: 669
Joined: Mar 12, '24

Geolocation

Post by MrTwinkls »

ThulsaDoomer wrote: June 16th, 2026, 01:26
rusty_shackleford wrote: June 16th, 2026, 01:16
Tim Cain recently left retirement to go work at Obsidian again, think I mentioned it before but I assumed it was related to Obsidian releasing flop after flop.
Rest assured, Obsidian fans, with Tim Cain on board, our next game will be an even bigger flop, but with 100x more homosexuality. :tipsfedora:
The most disappointing thing which their latest games showed me is that with each new game Obsidian is growing in skill and in theory can make a good game again even with young blood on their team. But I don't understand why they still didn't do it. I can't blame only Microsoft all the time.
User avatar
Finarfin
Connoisseur of Slop
Posts: 5181
Joined: May 20, '24
Location: Tirion upon Túna

Geolocation

Adventurer's Guild

Post by Finarfin »

wndrbr wrote: June 16th, 2026, 01:13
Nothing of value would be lost.

Double Fine's last ok game (Psychonauts 2) came out six years ago, in six years the only thing they've made is some crappy game that looks like it was made for a gamejam by a bunch of transsexual indie devs in a basement in a few weeks.

Arkane's last good games were Prey and Dishonored 2, both came out nine years ago.

Ninja Theory's only good game was ******* DMC with Donte, which came out almost fifteen years ago. Nothing but slop moviegames since.

Compulsion games made... a four hours long platformer where we play as a black woman.

If anything, i'd shutter MORE studios than that. I don't know a single well-managed Microsoft-owned studio. All of them are incompetent, and either incapable of shipping a game in less than 8 years, or capable of doing that but their entire output is garbage no one wants to play.
Don't forget that really gay retro-futurism game where everyone is wearing masks and taking drugs to be constantly happy and aggressive towards wrong-think. We Happy Few. (also had to include a ****** playable character who is I think looking for his ****** boyfriend)
Steam code: 10514930
My Reviews:
El Matador RECOMMENDED
Dungeons of Sundaria NOT RECOMMENDED
VLADiK BRUTAL
RECOMMENDED
Ultimate Zombie Defense 2 INFORMATIONAL
Deathless: The Hero Quest RECOMMENDED
Door Kickers 2 RECOMMENDED
Folklands INFORMATIONAL
User avatar
Breathe
Posts: 3039
Joined: Nov 16, '23
Location: Decentralize

Geolocation

Post by Breathe »

So are they closing 343, or are they skating by again?
User avatar
KnightoftheWind
Posts: 3528
Joined: Feb 27, '23

Geolocation

Post by KnightoftheWind »

Close Bethesda :smug:
User avatar
Rand
Posts: 6769
Joined: Sep 4, '23
Location: On my last legs

Geolocation

Adventurer's Guild

Post by Rand »

MrTwinkls wrote: June 16th, 2026, 11:18
with each new game Obsidian is growing in skill
Clearly they are not.
You may as well not bother replying to my posts if it's to argue anything except concrete facts or your personal opinion. I still probably won't see it.
Reject your retarded-wing political programming and learn to think.
If you can.
User avatar
7Trickster
Posts: 255
Joined: Mar 3, '24

Geolocation

Post by 7Trickster »

Rand wrote: June 16th, 2026, 18:03
MrTwinkls wrote: June 16th, 2026, 11:18
with each new game Obsidian is growing in skill
Clearly they are not.
It's actually sad to see how they went from New Vegas to Outter Butthole. Then again, it's not the studios who make the games great but the people working on them.

If they leave, you lose the soul of the company. Now Obsidian is filled with clowns and fat women.
User avatar
MrTwinkls
Posts: 669
Joined: Mar 12, '24

Geolocation

Post by MrTwinkls »

Rand wrote: June 16th, 2026, 18:03
MrTwinkls wrote: June 16th, 2026, 11:18
with each new game Obsidian is growing in skill
Clearly they are not.
After they were done with CRPGs they made OW, then Avowed and finally OW2. I played those three and each game is objectively better than a previous one. They all are still mediocre at best because of story elements and characters but evolution of gameplay felt undeniable to me.
User avatar
Tangerine
Posts: 3795
Joined: Dec 1, '24

Geolocation

Adventurer's Guild

Post by Tangerine »

MrTwinkls wrote: June 16th, 2026, 19:31
Rand wrote: June 16th, 2026, 18:03
MrTwinkls wrote: June 16th, 2026, 11:18
with each new game Obsidian is growing in skill
Clearly they are not.
After they were done with CRPGs they made OW, then Avowed and finally OW2. I played those three and each game is objectively better than a previous one. They all are still mediocre at best because of story elements and characters but evolution of gameplay felt undeniable to me.
This is possibly the saddest endorsement of OW2 I've heard.
User avatar
rusty_shackleford
Site Admin
Posts: 46432
Joined: Feb 2, '23
Gender: Watermelon

Geolocation

Adventurer's Guild

Post by rusty_shackleford »

Tangerine wrote: June 16th, 2026, 19:40
MrTwinkls wrote: June 16th, 2026, 19:31
Rand wrote: June 16th, 2026, 18:03

Clearly they are not.
After they were done with CRPGs they made OW, then Avowed and finally OW2. I played those three and each game is objectively better than a previous one. They all are still mediocre at best because of story elements and characters but evolution of gameplay felt undeniable to me.
This is possibly the saddest endorsement of OW2 I've heard.
He's right, Outer Worlds 2 is mechanically a fun game with good map design and some cool mechanics expanded from OW.
Completely destroyed by the setting/writers, but it is what it is. I can imagine a New Vegas 2 style game made the same way — with proper writers — and it would be extremely popular.
Thank you for your attention to this matter!
Steam friend code: 40552640 https://steamcommunity.com/friends/add | email: [email protected]
Having trouble running an old Windows game?
Rusty's Stuff Collection
User avatar
Nemesis
Director of Synchronous Communication Channels
Posts: 1302
Joined: Feb 2, '23

Geolocation

Adventurer's Guild

Post by Nemesis »

They will after Elder Scrolls VI.
User avatar
wndrbr
Turtle
Turtle
Posts: 3652
Joined: Feb 4, '23
Location: Siberia
Gender: Dinosaur

Geolocation

Adventurer's Guild

Post by wndrbr »

Bioware are next on the chopping block.

https://www.techtimes.com/articles/3185 ... tudios.htm
French journalist Sylvain Trinel, a BFMTV reporter with a documented record of accurate industry scoops, warned overnight that Ninja Theory is not the end — it is the start. "What's happening with Microsoft is just the beginning of a massive bloodbath for publisher-owned studios," Trinel posted on social media, naming Sony, Electronic Arts, and a list of specific studios that readers of TechTimes should have on their radar before July 1 arrives.

...

The source of Monday's wider alarm is Trinel's overnight social media activity, which went well beyond Xbox. He singled out id Software and Bethesda Game Studios — both still under Microsoft's umbrella — as studios whose internal situations he described as "far from encouraging." He then identified BioWare, the Electronic Arts studio behind Mass Effect and Dragon Age, as facing comparable exposure. But his comments about Arkane Lyon — the French developer behind the Dishonored series and the currently in-development Marvel's Blade — have proven most specific. Multiple industry insiders describe the studio's closure as no longer a possibility but a scheduled outcome. Trinel placed a specific marker on the calendar: "Remember the date: 01/07/26. That's when the circus begins."