[BIZ] Bethesda acquisisce id Software [UPD: e la sh di Mikami] [UPD2: Carmack lascia iD]

[Turrican3]

UPDATE novembre 2013

John Carmack lascia iD Software:
http://www.gamers4um.it/public/smf/index.php?topic=6172.msg127407#msg127407

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UPDATE:

ZeniMax ha annunciato l'acquisizione di Tango Gameworks, la software house di Shinji Mikami

http://tangogameworks.com/



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Lo riporta Gamasutra:

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=24183

id Software è stata acquisita da ZeniMax, la holding che possiede Bethesda. Secondo l'articolo gli accordi di publishing pre-esistenti verranno onorati.

[Blasor]

Bomba! Di nuovo la crisi?

[Frozzo]

Fallout 4 con l'ID Tech 5 :Q____________

[Turrican3]

As a subsidiary, id will "continue to operate as a studio under the direction of its founder, John Carmack," Bethesda said in a statement, adding that "no changes will be made in the operations of id Software in the development of its games."

Said id CEO Todd Hollenshead, "This was a unique opportunity to team with a smart, sophisticated publisher like Bethesda Softworks where the interests of the studio and the publisher will be fully aligned in the development and marketing of our titles. In addition, we will now have financial and business resources to support the future growth of id Software, a huge advantage which will result in more and even better games for our fans."

id's principal employees, certain to include Hollenshead and Carmack, have also signed long-term contracts guaranteeing their tenure at the company for an unspecified period of time.

Carmack said, "We will now be able to grow and extend all of our franchises under one roof, leveraging our capabilities across multiple teams while enabling forward looking research to be done in the service of all of them. We will be bigger and stronger, as we recruit the best talent to help us build the landmark games of the future. As trite as it may be for me to say that I am extremely pleased and excited about this deal, I am."

Questa è una parte dell'articolo linkato.

Ne parlavo con Joe poco fa (che conosce molto meglio di me la storia di id) e da quel che mi ha detto mi pare di capire che questa acquisizione costituisca un vero e proprio evento per il mondo dei videogiochi, forse uno dei più importanti degli ultimi anni.

[Blasor]

Senza dubbio sì, tanto che io sinceramente avrei pensato al contrario, in una remota ipotesi il fatto che entrambe mantengano una certa indipendenza e si aiutino a vicenda con i "mezzi" mi sembra un'ottima cosa, porterebbe un bel po' di vantaggi per entrambe. Una svolta che mi lascia ancora molti dubbi ma comincia a stuzzicarmi non poco.

[Turrican3]

Carmack in un'intervista spiega i motivi che lo hanno spinto alla clamorosa cessione di id a Bethesda: sarebbe stato decisivo il successo riscosso da Fallout 3.

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=24211

There are a number of reasons why Doom house id Software sold to Bethesda Softworks parent Zenimax -- more security, positive synergies in their product lines, talent, and mutual respect.

But there are more concrete factors as well, one of which was the roaring success of Bethesda's Fallout 3, launched last year. Renowned id developer John Carmack told Gamasutra that Fallout 3's blockbuster status solidified while acquisition talks were underway.

"We looked at this and thought, if they can take this old niche IP like Fallout and turn it into this huge, successful phenomenon, then I think they are incredibly capable of taking Doom 4 and changing the world with it."

Per quello che diciamo da tempo a proposito della crisi delle software house odierne mi pare estremamente interessante questo passaggio:

From the id standpoint, we do worry about security and the future going forward. As game development has started to take up tens of millions of dollars and four years or so to develop a title, we've still been successful, and frankly, profitable. But there is always that worry as we move from 50 to 100 employees that there are a lot of employees and their families dependent on this business. And there's always that worry, what if one of our titles doesn't succeed? There's a lot of reasons why a title might not succeed; maybe it was a bad design, maybe it was a botched implementation, maybe the market has changed.

But more significantly, maybe our publisher decided it had better things to put its efforts behind. And that's been a real fear of ours in the last five or six years, as publishers have had more and more internal studios, and they have their internal studios doing products that are competitive with ours. That's an uncomfortable situation to be in. It's nothing malicious, but there are just natural run-the-numbers sort of things on where they want to focus their efforts -- and it's usually not on the titles owned by external developers for which they don't have sequel rights to.

[Romeo Guildenstern]

Ragazzi a me queste fusioni preoccupano. Come fa notare il passo citato dal Turry qui si parla sempre più di montagne di soldi per qualsiasi produzione.
Speriamo in bene.

[Ian_solo]

Il fattore economico purtroppo è la mina che fà girare l'intero mercato...
L'unione però di 2 software house così lanciate sui giochi in prima persona mi sembra molto promettente.
L'ID ha sempre sviluppato motori impressionanti, mentre la Bethesda ha sempre dato "spessore" hai suoi giochi, un nuovo capitolo della serie Elder Scroll, o Fallout con il nuovo motore Id sarebbe impressionante

[Turrican3]

CELEBRATED GAME DEVELOPER SHINJI MIKAMI JOINS ZENIMAX MEDIA

Creator of Resident Evil Will Develop Titles for Bethesda Softworks
Mikami's Tango Gameworks acquired in latest deal for ZeniMax

October 28, 2010 (London, UK) – ZeniMax Media Inc., parent company of noted game publisher Bethesda Softworks, today announced acclaimed game designer and director, Shinji Mikami, has joined ZeniMax in a deal where ZeniMax acquired Tango Gameworks, the development shop founded and run by Mikami. Best known as the creator of the Resident Evil series, Mikami is a 20-year veteran of the industry who has developed numerous award-winning titles.
"It's refreshing to find a publisher who understands, trusts, and supports the development of blockbuster games and works to make it a collaborative effort," said Mikami. "The library of AAA franchise titles ZeniMax owns speaks for itself. We are very excited to be joining ZeniMax and working with a company that is dedicated to creating the best games ever made."
Based in Tokyo, Mikami has an extraordinary track record as one of the world's most successful game developers. Five of his projects, including Resident Evil, have scored 90 or above on Metacritic.com and Gamerankings.com.
The development studio Mikami founded, Tango Gameworks, is dedicated to AAA multi-platform game development and has attracted some of Japan's most accomplished and experienced developers who served key roles on game franchises like Resident Evil, Devil May Cry and Final Fantasy. Tango will continue to be run by Shinji Mikami, and he will serve as the creative lead for all future projects.
"Shinji Mikami has earned a stellar reputation as one of the industry's finest game developers," said Robert Altman, Chairman and CEO of ZeniMax Media. "He has repeatedly created hit titles that have earned praise from fans and critics around the world. We share his vision for innovative, genre-defining games and look forward to working with Shinji and his team at Tango."
Tango joins a distinguished group of development studios at ZeniMax that includes Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, and Arkane Studios. This most recent acquisition reflects Bethesda Softworks' unwavering commitment to delivering premier titles to gamers worldwide.


About ZeniMax Media Inc.
ZeniMax Media is a preeminent media organization which has brought together a team of world class game developers, artists and designers, programmers, producers, and leading executives and talent from traditional media. ZeniMax Media creates and publishes original interactive entertainment content for consoles, the PC, and handheld/wireless devices. ZeniMax Media divisions include Bethesda Softworks, Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, Arkane Studios, Vir2L Studios, ZeniMax Europe Ltd., ZeniMax Asia K.K. and ZeniMax Online Studios. For more information on ZeniMax Media, visit www.zenimax.com.

About Bethesda Softworks
Bethesda Softworks, part of the ZeniMax Media Inc. family of companies, is a premier developer and worldwide publisher of interactive entertainment software. Titles from some of the world's top development studios – Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, and Arkane Studios – are featured under the Bethesda Softworks label and include such blockbuster franchises as DOOM®, QUAKE®, The Elder Scrolls®, Fallout®, Wolfenstein™ and RAGE™. For more information on Bethesda Softworks' products, visit www.bethsoft.com.
ZeniMax, Bethesda Softworks, Bethesda Game Studios, Vir2L, The Elder Scrolls, Oblivion, Morrowind and related logos are registered trademarks or trademarks of ZeniMax Media Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. ID, id Software and related logos are registered trademarks or trademarks of Id Software LLC in the U.S. and/or other countries. Fallout is a registered trademark or trademark of Bethesda Softworks LLC in the U.S. and/or other countries. Arkane and related logos are registered trademarks or trademarks of Arkane Studios in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

http://tangogameworks.com/

[Turrican3]

Metti che gli viene voglia di fare un gioco con quelli di iD...

[Blasor]

Oh santa polenta, li sta prendendo tutti!

[Joe]

Metti che gli viene voglia di fare un gioco con quelli di iD...

Praticamente un golden team. 
Certo che questo è un segnale davvero importante, l'occidente che compra una punta di diamante dell'oriente. 

[Turrican3]

Certo che questo è un segnale davvero importante, l'occidente che compra una punta di diamante dell'oriente.

Beh Vanquish già stilisticamente strizza l'occhio all'Occidente...

Alla tua osservazione aggiungerei che questa mi pare l'ennesima conferma di un trend che vede le "piccole" (ma anche le "medie"...) sempre più facile preda delle "grandi", nell'ottica di maxi-accorpamenti in un mercato in mano a pochi(ssimi) colossi.

[Joe]

Beh Vanquish già stilisticamente strizza l'occhio all'Occidente...

Intendi come gameplay? Di base sì, ma esteticamente mi pare molto giappo, no? 

[Turrican3]

No no intendevo proprio esteticamente.

Del gioco ho visto solo la demo quindi per ora (penso di prenderlo) posso dire ben poco.