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Dumpshock Forums _ Shadowrun _ R.I.P. FASA Studio
Posted by: Demonseed Elite Sep 13 2007, 01:02 AM
| QUOTE |
| The rumors were true. Shadowrun developer FASA Studio has indeed closed its doors with studio manager Mitch Gitelman confirming the news on the official Shadowrun community forums today. According to Gitelman, today was the last official day of work for employees still at FASA, with many former FASA team members moving on to other positions at Microsoft Game Studios. Rumors about the studio's closure surfaced in March of this year, well before Shadowrun shipped, when a former FASA worker wrote of an employee exodus and that decision makers would "cut the tumor that is FASA Studio from the body of Microsoft." Gitelman wrote that hardcore Shadowrun players needn't worry about being abandoned as "We have kept our Community Manager and Technical Support Manager on the job to aid and support you and will continue to do so while people continue to play our game." We're waiting to hear back from Microsoft PR to learn more about the situation. Mitch's full statement is linked below. |
http://forums.shadowrun.com/forums/thread/126659.aspx
I was disappointed in the SR game they made, but now I'm doubly disappointed that FASA Studio is gone. Mostly because it probably didn't have to be. Ah well.
Posted by: Platinum Sep 13 2007, 01:25 AM
Good riddance. It wasn't the FASA that we knew and loved anyhow. Terrible game that squandered potential.
I wonder what spin the PR department will put on this. Somehow I have a feeling that we will be told how good this is for shadowrun and will add to the success of sr4.
Posted by: Nychuus Sep 13 2007, 01:36 AM
Having never played the Shadowrun (2007) game, I shall repeat a line I read about it: "It's practically Counterstrike in 2070"
The question here is if the rights, as in all the legal mumbo-jumbo, to all things Shadowrun (and of course, the other things that came out of FASA) were cleanly transferred over to another corporate body.
This is why some of the great games of past aren't getting remade 
Posted by: Fortune Sep 13 2007, 01:39 AM
| QUOTE (Nychuus) |
| The question here is if the rights, as in all the legal mumbo-jumbo, to all things Shadowrun (and of course, the other things that came out of FASA) were cleanly transferred over to another corporate body |
Not a chance. Microsoft still maintains possession of those.
Posted by: Demonseed Elite Sep 13 2007, 01:54 AM
Yeah, despite the studio closing, Microsoft hasn't sold the rights. However, it is possible those rights will just grow cobwebs in a dark Microsoft closet somewhere.
| QUOTE |
| I wonder what spin the PR department will put on this. Somehow I have a feeling that we will be told how good this is for shadowrun and will add to the success of sr4. |
The PR department for the print RPG? O_o
FanPro's public comments about the video game were pretty harsh, actually.
Posted by: Ancient History Sep 13 2007, 01:56 AM
<shrug> It was Shadowrun-In-Name-Only. I wish only the best to the last Freedonians, if only they could have done better.
Posted by: Nychuus Sep 13 2007, 02:10 AM
| QUOTE (Demonseed Elite) |
| Yeah, despite the studio closing, Microsoft hasn't sold the rights. However, it is possible those rights will just grow cobwebs in a dark Microsoft closet somewhere. |
Fert... oh well... at least the location is known and that the rights are clear cut owned by Microsoft instead of something foggy.
There always is the SNES, Sega Genesis, and Sega Mega CD Shadowrun games
(btw, if anyone has a copy of or knows where I can appropriate the Mega CD version...)
Posted by: Wounded Ronin Sep 13 2007, 02:37 AM
Oh well, at least FASA Studio had nothing to do with FASA.
Posted by: Kagetenshi Sep 13 2007, 02:52 AM
| QUOTE |
| The rumors were true. Shadowrun developer FASA Studio has indeed closed its doors with studio manager Mitch Gitelman confirming the news on the official Shadowrun community forums today. |
Awesome.
| QUOTE |
| Gitelman wrote that hardcore Shadowrun players needn't worry about being abandoned as "We have kept our Community Manager and Technical Support Manager on the job to aid and support you and will continue to do so while people continue to play our game." |
Not awesome.
~J
Posted by: Demonseed Elite Sep 13 2007, 02:58 AM
Wow, I somehow missed this. Back in March, a former FASA Studio employee ranted on the FASA Studio forums about the company and revealed that Microsoft was looking to close them down.
| QUOTE |
| “FASA Studios is closing and good riddance.� The poster stated at the start of the thread entitled ‘Studio Closing’. “After years of substandard management (Mitch) and bad hiring decisions (Evan). Many of its employees (my friends) left to greener pastures because of the reasons stated earlier. It seems that someone finally took notice and decided to cut the tumour that is FASA studios from the body of Microsoft.� The reason, according to the poster, is a combination of poor internal management, the company not releasing any products in the last few years and the quality of Shadowrun itself. They continue; “The Shadowrun game offers nothing new in the aspect of first person shooters and it looks visually uninspiring and mediocre. Save your money for Halo 3.� When queried by another forumite, boomstick did reveal that he had worked for the company, apparently naming and shaming some members of FASA for their decisions in the recent past. “They have brought more attention to themselves by hiring unethical, walking HR violations such as Evan. Call FASA and see how they avoid your calls as instructed by Mitch last week in the studio wide meeting; isn’t that correct Mitch? Don’t take the call?� |
Posted by: hyzmarca Sep 13 2007, 03:27 AM
| QUOTE (Demonseed Elite @ Sep 12 2007, 08:54 PM) | ||
Yeah, despite the studio closing, Microsoft hasn't sold the rights. However, it is possible those rights will just grow cobwebs in a dark Microsoft closet somewhere.
The PR department for the print RPG? O_o FanPro's public comments about the video game were pretty harsh, actually. |
IP ownership law can be a bit more complex than that, though I'm pretty sure that Microsoft's lawyers have thought everything through.
From what I understand, FASA originally granted FASA Interactive an irrevocable exclusive license to make video games utilizing FASA IP. When Microsoft bought FASA Interactive, the license came with the studio.
Since the license was owned by FASA Studio and only indirectly owned by Microsoft as a result of its ownership of FASA Studio, there must be some questions as to the disposition of the license now that FASA studio is closing. Depending on the terms of the original license, it is not impossible that the rights could revert to FASA.
Posted by: Lazerface Sep 13 2007, 05:17 AM
That would work, if FASA Studio was a separate entity from Microsoft.
As it was explained to me FASA Interactive =/= FASA Studio. FASA Interactive was bought and completely absorbed by Microsoft. Microsoft in turn created FASA Studio as a game studio, not a subsidiary, not a separate company, just an entity within Microsoft.
The dismantling of FASA Studio just means that Microsoft gets to do whatever it wants with the FASA IPs. Sit on them, sell them, create another studio to make games about them, whatever.
Posted by: Tanka Sep 13 2007, 12:07 PM
Ah fuck. Just posted this in the General Gaming area.
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