15 replies to this topic

[IMG News]

On Thursday Microsoft's game unit announced it had acquired Lionhead Studios, the UK developer started by Peter Molyneux and known for games like Black & White, and Fable. Lionhead will now develop exclusively for the XBox 360 and Windows-based PCs.

Video game publishers frequently acquire the external developers that are responsible for their hit franchises, not only to increase their own in-house development talent, but also to cut down on milestone and royalty payments that independent developers command as part of making a game.

Microsoft had previously acquired high-profile developers such as Bungie Studios, maker of the "Halo" franchise, and Rare Ltd., which made some of Nintendo's most popular games of the 1990s.

There is no word yet on the fate of Lionhead's current projects, or whether this buy-out will mean an end to Feral's Mac ports of Lionhead's games. To learn more follow the links below.

Return to Full Article - InsideMacGames News

[nagromme]

February 8, 2011 - Reuters - Microsoft, once known for business operating systems and office productivity, has experienced its fifth consecutive quarter of meager but solid profits in its new role as the world's leading game company. Its former Windows product line has gradually evolved into GameWindow, the widespread environment and API used to develop games for consoles, Linux and the now-dominant Macintosh platform. Micosoft also releases its own game titles, under the X-Box label taken from its former game console. X-Box titles typically run on Mac, Playstation VR, and Nintendo Neural, thanks to the latest version of GameWindow which finally adopts industry standards such as OpenGL and OpenAL. Microsoft Office, although currently free and open source, continues to lose ground to more modern open source prouctivity packages. Microsoft also retains its hardware division, leading the market in the number of buttons they can fit on both mice and remote controls. In addition, a small profit is made by their Legacy Services division, which helps enterprises complete migrations from the now-defunct Windows family, to more modern and secure platforms. An enthusiastic Steve Ballmer told reporters, "There has never been a more fun time to work for Microsoft! Games are a gold mine for us, and we're confident that we will remain the leader in games forever!

[the Battle Cat]

nagromme, on April 7th 2006, 10:17 AM, said:

An enthusiastic Steve Ballmer told reporters, "There has never been a more fun time to work for Microsoft! Games are a gold mine for us, and we're confident that we will remain the leader in games forever!

Let me fix that quote for you:

"An enthusiastic Steve Ballmer, shrieking like a chimp who just got bikini wax ripped off of his groin, skipped and pranced while glowering at anyone who flinched.  Despite his frenetically pounding heart breaking 3 of his fat-padded ribs in an attempt to supply blood to his chair-bound legs, he managed to pant, 'There has never been a more fun time to work for Microsoft!'.  Taking a minute to suck O2 from the room, he concluded through an ashen complexion, 'Games are a gold mine for us, and we're confident that we will remain the leader in games forever!'  A medic was called to the scene to inject Ballmer with triox compound."

[Tesseract]

You forgot the part where he throws a chair at someone and screams that he's going to "f***ing kill Google Games!"

[NightCougar_37]

Wonder how many companies M$ can buy before they face somemore monopoly charges .

[kingarthur_kom]

IMG News, on April 7th 2006, 10:02 AM, said:

There is no word yet on the fate of Lionhead's current projects, or whether this buy-out will mean an end to Feral's Mac ports of Lionhead's games.

Yes there was word on if it would affect Feral's ports. http://www.macworld....nhead/index.php

[the Battle Cat]

NightCougar_37, on April 7th 2006, 02:52 PM, said:

Wonder how many companies M$ can buy before they face somemore monopoly charges .

Hey!  You used the wrong smiley!  =-->  :pennybags:

[mrnintendoguy]

<serious> I think Peter Molyneux is going to leave Lionhead, just like he did with Bullfrog, when they were bought. </serious>
I think that he likes being "free" from "the Ballmer"

[Frost]

Seeing this happen just annoys me.

1) Game developer makes cool products
2) Normal platform maker courts them onto support for their product

But when you're dealing with Microsoft...

1) Game developer makes cool products
2) Microsoft buys them, traps them in sequelitis, and does all manner of things to lower product quality and eventually strip the studio of its soul (*cough*FASA*cough*)
3) Microsoft starts looking for fresh meat

[nagromme]

kingarthur_kom, on April 7th 2006, 06:12 PM, said:

Yes there was word on if it would affect Feral's ports. http://www.macworld....nhead/index.php

Thanks for the link. Good to know B&W2 and Fable:TLC are safe on Mac.

[AussieMacGamer]

Frost, on April 9th 2006, 05:05 AM, said:

Seeing this happen just annoys me.

1) Game developer makes cool products
2) Normal platform maker courts them onto support for their product

But when you're dealing with Microsoft...

1) Game developer makes cool products
2) Microsoft buys them, traps them in sequelitis, and does all manner of things to lower product quality and eventually strip the studio of its soul (*cough*FASA*cough*)
3) Microsoft starts looking for fresh meat

*Cough*Halo*cough* Fool this does not mean lion head will fall into sucktitude halo was a GREAT GAME!

[Batcat]

"A mysterious air attack occurred overnight on the Western Seaboard of the United States. The San Diego Port Authority reports that a warehouse, shut down for the night and reportedly containing mostly copies of Aspyr's new Quake 4 computer game for Mac, was struck by air-launched PGMs, perhaps from a US Air Force F-16."

"Overall damage was surprisingly light, but the stocks of Quake 4, most bound for Australia, was essentially obliterated."

"Aspyr is reportedly offering Australian Quake 4 buyers copies of The Sims 2, RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 or Spongebob Squarepants: The Movie as replacements for their lost games, which were part of the only planned production run."

"Authorities blame terrorists or the National Game-Hating Coalition for the attack."

[the Battle Cat]

Hey I'm not a terrorist!  Just consider it a team kill, I only wanted to see SPK's reaction!

[nagromme]

Halo was a great game--in fact, I only just bought it and am halfway through it now!

But it was scaled back in some ways vs. the original plan (for instance the wild animals were removed). No telling whether MS had anything to do with those changes of emphasis, but they DID change a Mac-centric project into an X-Box project.

[Batcat]

the Battle Cat, on April 9th 2006, 09:19 AM, said:

Hey I'm not a terrorist!  Just consider it a team kill, I only wanted to see SPK's reaction!

Frost wants his Falcon back now. (And no, you can't 'go buzz Bungie.' )

nagromme, on April 9th 2006, 07:17 PM, said:

Halo was a great game--in fact, I only just bought it and am halfway through it now!

But it was scaled back in some ways vs. the original plan (for instance the wild animals were removed). No telling whether MS had anything to do with those changes of emphasis, but they DID change a Mac-centric project into an X-Box project.

Halo... Halo? Never heard of it.

[Frost]

Batcat, on April 9th 2006, 05:06 AM, said:

"A mysterious air attack occurred overnight on the Western Seaboard of the United States. The San Diego Port Authority reports that a warehouse, shut down for the night and reportedly containing mostly copies of Aspyr's new Quake 4 computer game for Mac, was struck by air-launched PGMs, perhaps from a US Air Force F-16."

I deny everything. I deny my denial!