Square-Enix sells all of its Western game studios and their games to Embracer • Hacker News Board

Re: Square-Enix sells all of its Western game studios and their games to Embracer

#51

Post by marginalia_nu » Mon, May 02, 2022, 5:06 PM UTC

TillE wrote: post #29

gundamdoubleO wrote: post #22

Hopefully a new Deus Ex game might be a possibility again.

The thing about Deus Ex is that there's nothing particularly special about the "IP". Anybody could make a near-future cyberpunk conspiracy-oriented immersive sim, and call it whatever. The modern Deus Ex games were really average, and (as detailed in the recent hbomberguy video) failed to grasp the key principles of level design that are required to make games like that work.

I think Human Revolution mainly fucked up its infamous boss fights. Beyond that, it's a decent Deus Ex game. Like it's not the greatest ever, but hard to say it's worse than Invisible War.

A lot of what made the original good was unraveling the conspiracy. That's a trick you can only do once, and I think in large, that's why the sequels (including IW) don't have the same impact.

Re: Square-Enix sells all of its Western game studios and their games to Embracer

#52

Post by marginalia_nu » Mon, May 02, 2022, 5:07 PM UTC

newsclues wrote: post #32

TillE wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The thing about Deus Ex is that there's nothing particularly special about the "IP". Anybody could make a near-future cyberpunk conspiracy-oriented immersive sim, and call it whatever. The modern Deus Ex games were really average, and (as detailed in the recent hbomberguy video) failed to grasp the key principles of level design that are required to make games like that work.

And yet cyberpunk and watch dogs aren’t close to being the same despite the similar aesthetic/theme.

Cruelty Squad nails it though, despite having LSD visual projectile vomit aesthetics.

Re: Square-Enix sells all of its Western game studios and their games to Embracer

#53

Post by oneoff786 » Mon, May 02, 2022, 5:10 PM UTC

levesque wrote: post #38

baby wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Then you should play uncharted and the last of us. This is peak AAA

Am I the only one that can't stand these games? They are so restrictive in their gameplay, so linear! It feels like watching an interactive movie more than playing a game.

Linear games are better in my opinion. Linearity isn’t the problem though. Mario is linear and very fun. Tomb raider just sort of takes away you doing anything. You have no real agency for a lot of it. Just told what buttons to press indirectly and then you do it.

Re: Square-Enix sells all of its Western game studios and their games to Embracer

#54

Post by MikusR » Mon, May 02, 2022, 5:10 PM UTC

This deal is 300m for multiple studios + IP. Microsoft paid 100m for a year long exclusive of a single Tomb Raider game.

Re: Square-Enix sells all of its Western game studios and their games to Embracer

#55

Post by patmorgan23 » Mon, May 02, 2022, 5:12 PM UTC

halfmatthalfcat wrote: post #36

mywittyname wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think that's just pandering. The markets expect to hear this line and will punish the stocks of tech companies that don't show some kind of investments into this kind of stuff. They'll make some NFT-based card game with advanced self-learning AI opponents just to tick all the right boxes.

Why? Because enough VCs/Hedge Funds have bought into the lie that is crypto or “AI”. Is this some kind of economic extortion?

Yes, precisely. Executives want to pump the stock price because it's a large part of their compensation. Many Hedge funds/VCs want to invest in "innovative" companies .

Re: Square-Enix sells all of its Western game studios and their games to Embracer

#56

Post by robonerd » Mon, May 02, 2022, 5:14 PM UTC

baby wrote: post #34

haunter wrote: post #18

>The Transaction will assist the Company in adapting to the changes underway in the global business environment by establishing a more efficient allocation of resources, which will enhance corporate value by accelerating growth in the Company’s core businesses in the digital entertainment domain. In addition, the Transaction enables the launch of new businesses by moving forward with investments in fields including b…

I think a lot of their games are really niche too. Nier is definitely not for everyone.

Few games are for everybody, but Nier: Automata sold millions of copies. The niche of action gamers who like asses is pretty big.

Re: Square-Enix sells all of its Western game studios and their games to Embracer

#57

Post by robonerd » Mon, May 02, 2022, 5:19 PM UTC

newsclues wrote: post #32

TillE wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The thing about Deus Ex is that there's nothing particularly special about the "IP". Anybody could make a near-future cyberpunk conspiracy-oriented immersive sim, and call it whatever. The modern Deus Ex games were really average, and (as detailed in the recent hbomberguy video) failed to grasp the key principles of level design that are required to make games like that work.

And yet cyberpunk and watch dogs aren’t close to being the same despite the similar aesthetic/theme.

They aren't cynical and bitter enough. Cyberpunk should be revolting, not appealing.

Re: Square-Enix sells all of its Western game studios and their games to Embracer

#58

Post by newsclues » Mon, May 02, 2022, 5:19 PM UTC

marginalia_nu wrote: post #52

newsclues wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And yet cyberpunk and watch dogs aren’t close to being the same despite the similar aesthetic/theme.

Cruelty Squad nails it though, despite having LSD visual projectile vomit aesthetics.

Visual vomit for real, that looks grotesque!

Re: Square-Enix sells all of its Western game studios and their games to Embracer

#59

Post by mehlmao » Mon, May 02, 2022, 5:21 PM UTC

WillPostForFood wrote: post #25

swarnie wrote: post #10

I'd be interesting to see the full list of IP they've sold. The article only gives three examples, one game I've never heard of, one recycled shooter from the 2000s and then there is Tomb raider - a series with twenty instalments, already milked to dust for pre-sequels, squeals and reboots more times then seems fair. Clearly someone thinks they can squeeze a few more dollars out of people here but personally im not s…

The three Crystal Dynamics Tomb Raider games sold 38 million units, so probably something like a billion in revenue. Plus whatever value in Film/TV income, plus some decent mobile games. They can probably recoup the cost with effective management of Tomb Raider, and then the other IP is where they can mine for some value and make the deal look good. They got two great AAA studios with Crystal Dynamics and Eidos Montr…

The newer Tomb Raider games were all very heavily discounted soon after launch. I think I paid ~$10 for each of them within a year of them coming out.

Re: Square-Enix sells all of its Western game studios and their games to Embracer

#60

Post by [deleted] » Mon, May 02, 2022, 5:21 PM UTC

TillE wrote: post #29

gundamdoubleO wrote: post #22

Hopefully a new Deus Ex game might be a possibility again.

The thing about Deus Ex is that there's nothing particularly special about the "IP". Anybody could make a near-future cyberpunk conspiracy-oriented immersive sim, and call it whatever. The modern Deus Ex games were really average, and (as detailed in the recent hbomberguy video) failed to grasp the key principles of level design that are required to make games like that work.

[deleted]