It’s nice to read a video game development story like that for once, a relief from crunch.
That’s a great story, and I’m glad they included some of the ways they achieved four days (shortening and triaging meetings) and the results of the employee surveys.
One thing they didn’t mention that someone here might know, based on similar experiences: what kind of communication software were they likely using and how might they have changed usage of it? I’m sure they had to start writing more down to replace meeting attendance–just wondering what tools they might’ve used to make it easier to get the writing to the right people. I’m also curious how they might’ve improved ticket management, assuming they were using Jira or some such.
I don’t work in games but I work in a heavily project-oriented environment, and getting people to take writing seriously to replace meetings is always challenging, especially when working with people who were hired for their conversational/persuasive skills more than anything else.
Nacon bought Daedalic Entertainment.
Yves Guillemot told investors on the latest conference call that while Ubisoft is not looking to sell, and the company is comfortable remaining independent, they would review any serious offers presented to them.
While this is expected from most companies, it is a 180-degree turn from when Vivendi was looking to purchase them back in 2017/18. Back then, Yves said they were staunchly independent and their independence was their strength.
Were people throwing around Billions like the money was burning their pockets back then? And maybe the people buying companies right now are better on the independence front.
Though I doubt Microsoft would buy Ubisoft, that move would probably trigger a EU “monopoly” investigation.
Vivendi was looking to buy Ubisoft as early as 2004, when I was at Vivendi Universal Games. They brought in a guy from Universal Music who specialized in mergers and acquisitions (Bruce Hack) and I think were super serious about it, but then EA stepped in and bought 20% of Ubisoft.
I think the failure to buy Ubisoft (or any other major publisher) is what led Vivendi to sell their gaming group (which also included Blizzard) to Activision.
I wonder what’s behind this. Daedalic had a management buyout only 2 years or so ago. Their one big game - The LotR action-adventure Gollum - should be close to finished. At least it’s supposed to come out in the middle of the year. Nacon already bought into it as a (co-)publisher.
Why sell now?
It seems clear Nacon bought them for Gollum. The only other IP with at least some value is Mimimi’s Shadow Tactics.
Well, balls. 1C was always good for rolling the occasional 20 and putting out something good/great (Fell Seal, Armored Princess (the first couple times anyway), etc.
OTOH, given everything, I don’t even know how to react to this post-Russian-neo-imperialism so :(
It isn’t 1C the publisher, but 1c Entertainment, which are based on Poland.
https://1ce.games/en/pages/1c-entertainment-1
That’s the parent org of the publisher, right?
https://1ce.games/en/pages/production-of-video-games:
The most important publishing series which the Group holds copyright to include Men of War, King’s Bounty and IL-2 Sturmovik.
The Group’s product portfolio includes a broad collection of video games and DLC published in 1998–2017, including over 50 active titles available on the Steam platform.
That’s a great way of putting it. I’m always surprised when a 1C game is worth buying, but it does happen! I liked this one a few years ago:
Digital Extremes, a vassal of Tencent, just donated $100k to the Canadian Red Cross to support efforts in Ukraine. So the mark of the CCP doesn’t seem to automatically cost you your soul. /P&R
I guess either the BBC did the “Maths” wrong or they just like a nice round number of 30 instead of 31 because it sounds better?
Anyway, what a disappointingly short article. I enjoyed seeing the screenshots of the original Civ though. It looks worse than in my head!
One of those games that probably looks better on a CRT.
Still wish Civ 1 & 2 were legally available to buy on something like GOG
Just use dos box with the files.
Huh. First ArtStation, now this.
Countdown to when “Epic Games” becomes “Epic Meta”
This one time, at bandcamp, I got bought by Epic Games.