View Full Version : Bungie's Strained Relationship with Microsoft
Siraris
11-06-2008, 11:30 AM
http://techdigest.tv/halo3-action.jpg
Nelly Furtado (http://www.modelvolume.com/nelly_furtado/nelly_furtado.jpg) eloquently asked in one of her recent songs: "Why do all good things come to an end?". The latest evidence of this seems to be applicable to the relationship between Bungie and Microsoft. Microsoft decided to step in and launch it's fledgling console business a few years ago with their monstrous console the Xbox. Many greeted the idea with trepidation, but their worries were slightly abated when they got their hands on a little title known as Halo.
Halo defined a generation of gaming, and brought the FPS genre to the forefront of a medium that was mostly dominated by RPG's and platform games. Coming to light in a new interview over at Gameplayer (http://www.gameplayer.com.au/gp_documents/Bungie-for-PS3.aspx), it seems that the relationship between Microsoft and Bungie is straining, coming to a bit of a climax with the recent announcement debacle at E3.
Suggestions by Microsoft’s Don Mattrick that Bungie studio president Harold Ryan laughed about the decision were met by thinly veiled anger from Bungie as it did not take the decision lightly. “Keeping things clean, I certainly didn’t agree with the decision to delay our news until the TGS,” Ryan said later. “Bungie is always concerned first and foremost with our fans. Whenever we are prevented from exceeding their positive expectations it is not a laughing matter.”
I always felt that things had to be straining between the two companies when Bungie decided to split off from the pack. I'm really interested to see where Bungie heads from here. Will the games they make outside of the Halo universe have the same sheen?
Goronmon
11-06-2008, 11:32 AM
Gameplayer link is borked.
http://www.gameplayer.com.au/gp_documents/Bungie-for-PS3.aspx
KingGorilla
11-06-2008, 11:40 AM
Halo Recon- strike 1, two strikes to go.
We all know why Marathon 4 aka Halo ended up on Xbox, Mac gaming was dead, Bungie had to find someone willing to fund a troubled project.
Lionhead went the same way, EA coul no longer funf Peters strange ideas.
MS development is that you remake your one successful IP forever. Bungie is not about that. After Halo 2 they were disgruntled and pissed off. MS has that effect on developers.
muddi900
11-06-2008, 11:41 AM
"Fledgeling Console business"? WTF??
And by "monstorous", do you mean by size?
JayVe
11-06-2008, 11:46 AM
We all know why Marathon 4 aka Halo ended up on Xbox...
MS development is that you remake your one successful IP forever. Bungie is not about that.
Wait...
Bungie was making marathon/Halo prior to dealing with Microsoft. You even called Halo, Marathon 4. Yet how can you say that Bungie isn't about making the same game over and over again? They'd already made 3 of them before they were asked to make it again!
Shadowstorm
11-06-2008, 11:49 AM
"Fledgeling Console business"? WTF??
And by "monstorous", do you mean by size?
I dunno. I rather liked (adored even) the design of the original Xbox.
Sexy motherfucker, it was.
I'm surprised it took this long for a creative, hilarious group of designers who were heroes to Mac owners everywhere (because let's face it, Marathon was the ONLY game that PC owners couldn't play at the time) to finally start to hate being under Microsoft's thumb.
Bungie at the time really needed the money... and now she's feeling dirty for the arrangement. I'd love to see what they will come up with after this is all over.
Siraris
11-06-2008, 11:53 AM
Gameplayer link is borked.
http://www.gameplayer.com.au/gp_documents/Bungie-for-PS3.aspx
Yea, I put double quotes in the URL link, and I sometimes hit ' instead of ".
PathMaster
11-06-2008, 12:01 PM
[CENTER]I always felt that things had to be straining between the two companies when Bungie decided to split off from the pack. I'm really interested to see where Bungie heads from here. Will the games they make outside of the Halo universe have the same sheen?
Huh? How did they choose to split away from them? How does a company owned by another get that chance?
Purple Santa
11-06-2008, 12:01 PM
I dunno. I rather liked (adored even) the design of the original Xbox.
Sexy motherfucker, it was.
You thought the original Xbox was a sexy design? Dude, you have some serious geek issues...:D
KingGorilla
11-06-2008, 12:05 PM
Wait...
Bungie was making marathon/Halo prior to dealing with Microsoft. You even called Halo, Marathon 4. Yet how can you say that Bungie isn't about making the same game over and over again? They'd already made 3 of them before they were asked to make it again!
Bungie was like Monolith, a stable of games, a few risks. Myth, Marathon, and Halo are their money makers, but they have done action and adventure games as well.
Food Nipple
11-06-2008, 12:08 PM
Huh? How did they choose to split away from them? How does a company owned by another get that chance?
By buying back their company at a heavy price tag.
muddi900
11-06-2008, 12:08 PM
You thought the original Xbox was a sexy design? Dude, you have some serious geek issues...:D
Some people like'em slick, others like'em fat, and they're called chubby chasers:p
You thought the original Xbox was a sexy design? Dude, you have some serious geek issues...:D
Fat (consoles) need lovin' too.
Seriously after years of skinny-ish consoles the Xbox was like a giant, evil mothership coming to roost in the entertainment center. Sexy? No. But imposing? I think Microsoft's message was clear: "We are here to crush all who resist!"
Siraris
11-06-2008, 12:36 PM
Huh? How did they choose to split away from them? How does a company owned by another get that chance?
Are you being sarcastic? I can't really tell. They split from Microsoft because they asked Microsoft to become a privately held company.
PathMaster
11-06-2008, 12:49 PM
The way the OP stated it came off to me like one day they decided to part ways with no consequences at all, like there was never a relationship to begin with. Sort of like a one night stand. That is all I was referring to.
Deunnero
11-06-2008, 01:05 PM
They are still sleeping together.
No one thinks it's odd that stories like this come out periodically to keep Bungie in the news? No one?
I call BS on the whole "Strained Relationship" thing, it's just clever marketing.
That said, more Halo plz.
The interview might be new, but the quote used from Ryan is extremely old.
I couldn't find anywhere in the interview where they say they're actively looking to develop for anything but the Xbox 360 in any case. They've actually said multiple times that they're looking forward to continuing to work with Microsoft.
What's with the ridiculously slanted "news" articles lately?
AgtFox
11-06-2008, 02:24 PM
If the rumors are true Bungie is Microsoft's bitch forever. The rumor is that in order to get the ability to buy themselves to independence that Bungie had to agree to give Microsoft first refusal on any idea they had.
Bottom line is if it is true (and really, there's no reason to think it isn't...Microsoft had to get something positive out of this deal) Microsoft has deep enough pockets that they could buy any idea Bungie has and decide to produce it or not.
Bungie is as in a corner as they were when they were a wholly owned subsidiary, it's just that Microsoft no longer breathes down their neck while developing a game like they did with Halo 1-3 (and things got really heated with 2 and 3, Bungie wanted to have more time with both).
And I don't know why this is news honestly.
If the rumors are true Bungie is Microsoft's bitch forever. The rumor is that in order to get the ability to buy themselves to independence that Bungie had to agree to give Microsoft first refusal on any idea they had.
Bottom line is if it is true (and really, there's no reason to think it isn't...Microsoft had to get something positive out of this deal) Microsoft has deep enough pockets that they could buy any idea Bungie has and decide to produce it or not.
Bungie is as in a corner as they were when they were a wholly owned subsidiary, it's just that Microsoft no longer breathes down their neck while developing a game like they did with Halo 1-3 (and things got really heated with 2 and 3, Bungie wanted to have more time with both).
And I don't know why this is news honestly.
First right of refusal for production requires the game go into production. They couldn't simply buy it and shelve it indefinitely, just to keep it off another system.
Gorvi
11-06-2008, 02:29 PM
Let me know when they make a sequel to Oni that's good.
JayVe
11-06-2008, 02:30 PM
Let me know when they make a sequel to Oni that's good.
There's a REASON there is no sequel to Oni... the first one wasn't good.
Gorvi
11-06-2008, 02:31 PM
There's a REASON there is no sequel to Oni... the first one wasn't good.
But it had some good ideas, which is why I'd like a sequel that actually is good.
jeffbax
11-06-2008, 04:34 PM
We all know why Marathon 4 aka Halo ended up on Xbox, Mac gaming was dead, Bungie had to find someone willing to fund a troubled project.
Halo was for Mac and PC.
BabyJesus
11-06-2008, 04:46 PM
Microsoft probably made them all rich, and they are still crying? I don't think so, I think its just pub.
Gameplayer sure is making a lot out of a disagreement over when to announce something and Siraris still hasn't learned journalistic skepticism.
Here's the trick to it. Obviously this disagreement over when to make an announcement is not an indicator that Bungie and Microsoft have a poor relationship; however, if that is the angle you want to take, then you report the facts (they disagreed on the announcement) and then speculate on whether their relationship is strained. If this was a professional site, you wouldn't be able to publish speculation based on one small disagreement like this and would need to support it with several facts. Plus, you would link directly to the interviews and not some other journalist's writing about the interviews.
From what I've read, it seems like most of the new editors know these basics of journalism. I've only seen Siraris repeatedly present unprofessional work.
I don't think this is about them getting away from MS, but more about them getting away from Halo. They stated that as the relationship with MS grows, they see them getting more and more distanced from HALO.
I would like to see a Bungie Ps3 game though... maybe that would inspire me to get one
Variable Gear
11-06-2008, 09:52 PM
The tags for this "news" item are redonkulous.
Crowe
11-06-2008, 11:42 PM
LOL, lolnellyfurtado. That is some funny shit.
Shadowstorm
11-07-2008, 08:23 AM
LOL, lolnellyfurtado. That is some funny shit.
I'm responsible.
menage
11-08-2008, 09:45 AM
I would like to see a Bungie Ps3 game though... maybe that would inspire me to get one
Huh? A game should be judged on the game, not a the machine it's played on, as if the games going to be remarkably better when it's on a ps3?
If you don't own a 360, well the comment is rather pointless. Seeing as you wouldn't be able to buy much then anyway, let alone inspire you to.
Wolvie
11-08-2008, 09:51 AM
I don't think this is about them getting away from MS, but more about them getting away from Halo. They stated that as the relationship with MS grows, they see them getting more and more distanced from HALO.
I would like to see a Bungie Ps3 game though... maybe that would inspire me to get one
I think it's a far gone conclusion that Bungie won't be doing future Halo games. And as far as Bungie appearing on the Playstation? I'd like to see it just to see Playstation fans suddenly start acting like Bungie is the best development studio ever. The hypocrisy would be hilarious.
Widgetcraft
11-08-2008, 10:27 AM
There's a REASON there is no sequel to Oni... the first one wasn't good.
But it could have easily been good, with a little polish and tweaking. The fundamentals of an awesome game were there.
Variable Gear
11-08-2008, 01:42 PM
I think it's a far gone conclusion that Bungie won't be doing future Halo games.
Halo 3 Recon?
I freaking love Oni. Now I'm going to have to go hunt down a copy of it...
Rogue_hunter
11-08-2008, 06:19 PM
I'd like to see it just to see Playstation fans suddenly start acting like Bungie is the best development studio ever.
Like all the Microsoft fans saying SquareEnix and Final Fantasy suck, then getting all happy about FF13 on the 360? Yeah, it would be funny.
menage
11-09-2008, 05:53 AM
Like all the Microsoft fans saying SquareEnix and Final Fantasy suck, then getting all happy about FF13 on the 360? Yeah, it would be funny.
Own both machines and I still say it sucks. :D
Like all the Microsoft fans saying SquareEnix and Final Fantasy suck, then getting all happy about FF13 on the 360? Yeah, it would be funny.
I've been excited about it on the PS3 and would have bought a PS3 if it came out this year (and was still exclusive). There are definitely some console fanboys here, but I think there are an equal number of us who are simply crazy about games.
Wolvie
11-09-2008, 10:28 AM
Halo 3 Recon?
The key word there is Halo 3. This game is basically a console expansion pack. Halo 4 will not be done by Bungie.
Like all the Microsoft fans saying SquareEnix and Final Fantasy suck, then getting all happy about FF13 on the 360? Yeah, it would be funny.
Yep, same result different platform.
BTW, I heard that news myself, shrugged and went:
"Meh, Square-Enix still sucks." :D
Variable Gear
11-09-2008, 10:58 AM
The key word there is Halo 3. This game is basically a console expansion pack. Halo 4 will not be done by Bungie.
I agree. I'm still curious to see who will be developing installment number four.
Wolvie
11-10-2008, 09:31 AM
I agree. I'm still curious to see who will be developing installment number four.
Me too, I hope they get someone who can fill Bungie's shoes. From what I've been hearing, they've been hiring people Like Frank O'connor to help keep the game true to the Halo flavor.
And they also hired some woman... forget her name at the moment. So it seems to me that they are building a new dev studio piece-meal style. I guess we'll find out soon enough.
JayVe
11-11-2008, 01:40 PM
And they also hired some woman...
A woman? Making games? Halo 4: Cooking Covanent?
I KID I KID! :D
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