In an interview with Microsoft Game Studio head, Phil Spencer, Gamespot AU threw a curveball of a question that came fairly unexpected. As the interview drifted from E3 2008 and the Xbox 360 platform, it got interesting when Phil was asked about Microsoft working with Krome again on another project called "Scene It?", leading to this fantastic question...
GS AU: Are you going to buy them (Krome Studios)?
PS: (laughs) You know, the financial relationship with studios is something that is the outcome of our working relationship--I don't look at it the other way around. We're not trying to force some type of business relationship with any developer. We've got partners like Epic that we've worked with for many years and had tremendous success with, and studios like Turn 10 which we obviously own that we've also had success with. It's about the idea and success of the games.
That's most likley a no, although I guess Microsoft do have some pretty deep pockets that would cover the largest independent game developer in the world with 340+ employees and have some change left over.
Thats a pretty silly
Thats a pretty silly question...
Microsoft don't always just buy up companies that are willing to work with them.
Even then, i don't think krome would sell out... i think they pride themselves on being independent.
Selling out
"i don't think krome would sell out"... seriously? I think that's a little naive, and I don't know why you would call it "selling out" rather than just "selling". Why on earth wouldn't or shouldn't the owners of Krome sell if the price is right?
Because maybe the owners
Because maybe the owners care more about the company than money?
I also don't think that Walsh would sell it unless he was planning on retiring or something.
I'm sure if they offered
I'm sure if they offered $100 million they'd jump... and then go start another :)
I know for a fact that the
I know for a fact that the would sell at the right price. No question.
Not uncommon during company
Not uncommon during company meetings a employee at Krome will ask if the company is going to be bought out. Microsoft has come up on people's lips a few times. Walshie always said it'd have to fit in with Krome's working philosophy. Which means it can happen but the offer would have to be right, and Walshie being the type of guy he is would want to make sure he does right by his employees.
Yes
Phil Spencer should have replied with a resounding "Yes" just to make everyone's head explode.
That would have been pretty
That would have been pretty funny :D
Why?
UM.. why would microsoft be that stupid? Especially after the release of hellboy which got a 3.5 on IGN? Kromes games have never been good enough to warrant someone buying them. That is why EA pulled out and microsoft will do the same eventually i guess. Krome are not even worth a 100 million, get real! at best maybe 30 million. If i were the owners, I would be wanting to sell as they took on a lot of debt to setup the studios in melbourne and adelaide.
Metacritic scores
It's probably more better to use the Metacritic score than just IGN's one. Let's take a look at how Krome has been doing...
2008 - Hellboy: Science of Evil (48-49)
2007 - Viva Pinata: Party Animals (56)
2007 - The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night (54-60)
2006 - The Legend of Spyro: A new beginning (64-69)
2005 - Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 3: Night of the Quinkan (66-68)
2004 - Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2: Bush Rescue (69-71)
2004 - King Arthur (59-61)
2002 - Ty the Tasmanian Tiger (69-70)
To me, Krome has been pretty consistent with their scores. If hitting 69 to 70 often is a sign of a bad studio to you, then you've some pretty high standards! Although the scores indicate that they've been slipping in the past year, we'll have to see how the Star Wars games do.
I agree. They have been
I agree.
They have been fairly consistent. And i hope TFU is the best game they have ever made to date :)
haha... you think I have
haha... you think I have high standards when a developer averages for the last 3 years around the 50 mark? Are you serious? The games you have listed are not a good average... it's obvious you have bias for krome. If it wasn't krome and some developer in the states then you wouldn't be so nice. Hellboy's score is simply not good enough.. what I have noticed is that Pinata and Hellboy had clear game design flaws which shows that Krome need an overhaul of their game design and gameplay department. I wouldn't be surprized if their are a few who have been around too long who have too much power and their ideas are just not that great anymore.
Using the lower frame of the
Using the lower frame of the scores Souri gave,
the average overall is 60.62. The last 3 years is 57.6.
So the overall score is closer to 60, which isn't bad. a lot of Room for improvement of course, but not bad.
Not biased
Like the other anonymous posted, it's more like 60.
In regards to me being biased, I'll have to add that while I do know of some people who work there, I'm not in regular contact with them, and I occasionally email Steve Stamatiadis once in a blue moon and chatted to Robert Walsh at GCAP 07. But the most contact I have with Krome is though their HR department, but apart from that, I have no affiliation with Krome whatsoever. And if I were, it wouldn't make any difference anyway. I think they're doing a fairly decent job.
Yeh, of course their releases could be better - it's the same with every other company. I would love for them to reach the heights of some of the great developers around whose games are highly anticipated the world over (the Metal Gear Solids and Grand Theft Autos of games), and the way they could reach that would be a whole great discussion for another thread, but I would say they would be one of the few local developers who have the potential for it. But at the moment, they're consistent, and they're releasing.
One thing I've been accused of is being too positive on the industry, and I'll admit to that. You don't spend 6 years working on a site for game developers just to trash talk about them and their games. So if you disagree that being consistent and having a 60-70 average metacritic score is a positive thing, then that's fine.
One thing i'd also like to
One thing i'd also like to add, is that Krome is a company that is keeping over 350 people employed. Thats a pretty damn good achievement, and it would not be possible if the publishers all thought they were crap.
I love coming here
...and seeing all the gossip. haha.
The level of quality, fun and production values is extremely lazy and weak at Krome.
Noones got any balls around here.
accepting mediocrity
i'm sorry souri, but you are being soft on krome. It is that soft, accepting 60 scores as okay which will be the downfall of the australian games industry. Yes they employ many people at the moment and have done well but it is the future that we have to worry about. The difference I found when i started working overseas was that game development in australia lacks the edge to compete with the big boys overseas.. it's rare to find a developer in aus that is shooting high for the 90 metacritic ratings and puzzle quest is an example of one such game.. but this game is not a next gen title. Krome need a 90 metacritic game to truly lift them up with respect.. If you ask anyone in the industry who is not from australia.. they don't think much of krome.
People sure like to whinge a
People sure like to whinge a lot.
Aka Krome has more work then they can handle, yet people like you, the "small" boys like to whinge about it. Sounds like a good case of Tall Poppy Syndrome to me.
Not a whole lot of people
Not a whole lot of people think much of quite a lot of other companies, either.
If you want an Australian Nintendo, or an Australian Blizzard, or an Australian Insomniac, start one. I don't think 'not being soft' on Krome will somehow magically motivate the entire company to suddenly create a 90 metacritic scoring game. If it were so easy to do, don't you think every large developer would be doing it?
All that said, it was a pretty funny left-fielded question. But then again, Microsoft has a reputation for buying everything in its path. :)
Not rocket science
Actually, its very easy to do. I know, because i've done it.
What makes it 'not easy' is the people. They're average.
Average people make average games.
Whats your background to
Whats your background to make such a game, titles published, roles etc.
Why do you ask?
...
Sorry then if you can't even
Sorry then if you can't even provide a background to back up your claims then theres no point making those comments.
Krome
Seeing as though 50% (or even 45%)is a pass at uni, Krome have never failed according to any of those scores. That alone is a great achievement.
Game scores are a bit different
Metacritic summarises the scores for games between 50-74 as "Mixed or Average Reviews". Scores between 20-49 are "Generally Unfavorable Reviews". The way that games are scored by games journalists are quite different to how movies and books are. Generally, good games score around 75-89.
Amazing...
...put Krome in the title of any discussion and everyone's whipped up into a frenzy. Play the games...if you like them, great. If you don't, then be objective about why not.
Metacritic's only part of the equation. 350 game developers, many of them extremely capable and well seasoned are an attractive proposition. Location is a challenge, which is why publishers and studios here come and go.
Of course it's a fair question - Krome's very much in bed with both Lucas and Microsoft at the moment (how long that lasts will perhaps depend on their ability to maintain those relationships) and if a proposition is sufficiently attractive individuals (and we can only hope the company too) only stand to benefit. Rare is a classic and there are several others.
I forecast that these responses will bottom out at around 48. Any advances on 48?
At your least your reply is
At your least your reply is better than "Oh I made fantastic AAA game, there easy as piss, why haven't you?".
Thanks for a rational assessment.
*yawn*
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*are you tired?*
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