Sounds more like an indie thing, not an AAA thing. That way of handling a blockbuster game would of never been able to work long term wise.
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Jez alluded to the studio wanting to be a more high tier indie studio that released games slowly, but the hype around the studio and being attached to Perfect Dark meant they needed to shift gears.
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The way the original vision is being described is a team like Play Dead or Valve, make one game a generation with 0 pressure to release anything.
If this is true, then good riddance. Valves ‘democratic’ structure is one of the most overrated stories in the gaming industry. Of course this does not work.
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Yeah, if “safe” AAA sequels from normal established studios take can take 4-5 years to make now, that TI alleged vision seems like a fantasy already but the pandemic and WFH probably ruined even that fantasy lol
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Like Rare too now no? No thanks, I rather games actually release 
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Ok so… yeah. TI had a cultural clash, people left because of that. MS helps the studio by bringing CD to help develop the game (which shouldn be the normal in the future but, hey, if its helping the studio and the game I see as an absolute plus) and now the TI changed focus and seems like they will work as any other studio…
Why the media did not report the whol- Oh…
Will xbox youtubers and influencers tell the while story or just the part that brings more clicks?
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This sucks but it eventually won’t matter if the game’s great.
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I’m not sure I want them to just pass it off, but there is something exciting about the idea of them prototyping and making concepts for new IP’s then moving onto the next. Especially with the talent they once had.
My only thing is I want Perfect Dark to have a home studio so unless Crystal Dynamics is taking on that role I don’t want them abandoning these projects that are supposed to be pillars.
Edit: fwiw I posted this before reading the updated developments
My guess is The Initiative will probably restructure their team after PD releases, but since they were already 3 years into the studios lifetime they didn’t want to completely overhaul everything and have to delay Perfect Dark, so they brought in CD for “man power” and will have to staff up down the road.
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That would have resulted in an interesting experiment actually.
It’s a drought for Xbox youtubers, ain’t nothing in the news aside from dumping on 343 for HI issues.
Sounds like the perfect time to drop a Starfield trailer.
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And they did it in Microsoft way - just hired AAA studio straight from the third party publisher 
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And professional videogame sites :c
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Did MS/Xbox changed the way hires at 343i works or its still the same?
It’s company wide at Microsoft and I don’t expect it to change if you’re talking about the 18 month contract thing.
I’m not sure but hopefully they do change the way they do hiring instead of using contractors.
Yeah that one. Now that phil is the CEO of their gaming division I hope he could change that because thats not good way to maintain a GAAS even less one that is supposed to last for years to come.
In regards to The Initiative adjusting the studio, could they just be waiting it out till Activision deal closes. I’m pretty sure Avtivision has studio in the same location.
Have CD do dev on Perfect Dark and then possibly work with the Activision studios