|
Title: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Jeff Kelly on June 16, 2005, 07:28:08 AM CorpNews (http://www.corpnews.com/node/75) claims that Monolith has sold The Matrix Online to Sony. This is still a rumor at the Moment but according to Corp they have laid off most of their MMO Staff already.
Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: schild on June 16, 2005, 07:30:01 AM THe Matrix Online and Star Wars in the same stable. Two bad tastes that taste even worse together.
I'll believe it when I see the press release. Rumormongering with big names isn't very tactful. Edit: I should note, I'm not surprised The Matrix is dead. I am surprised that: 1. Someone would buy it. 2. It would be SOE. Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Trippy on June 16, 2005, 07:52:03 AM The Matrix Online isn't owned by Monolith, they are just the developers -- WB owns the game. It's highly highly unlikely they would sell something related to their Matrix franchise outright to Sony. It's possible that WB canned Monolith as the developers and are hiring SOE (maybe SOE North, the Mythica guys) to redo the game, sort of like how LA and SOE teamed up to do SWG (and we all know how well that went...) It was obvious from the Beta that Monolith was in way over their heads in terms of developing an MMO. They clearly did not have the technical expertise to get it right, even if they might've had some interesting gameplay ideas.
Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: schild on June 16, 2005, 07:55:29 AM I'm not so sure. They might've sold it lock, stock and barrel. I'm pretty confident the licensing rights to Freaky Friday would be more expensive than the Matrix at this point. BUT, selling it when they know they've got more Matrix games in development (Path to Neo for example) seems odd. Who knows, SOE might've offered them a really sweet deal.
Unfortunately, this just makes SOE look worse. See, purchasing shit is purchasing shit. No matter how you slice it. Of course, it's just another thing they can add to their station pass. Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Azazel on June 16, 2005, 08:04:16 AM I love it! :evil:
Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: HaemishM on June 16, 2005, 08:37:08 AM Until I see some official kind of confirmation, or some official press release stating that MxO has laid people off, I'm calling bullshit on this.
Matrix license is owned by Warner Bros., and MxO is one of the WB's games divisions premiere games. To sell the development of it off to one of their biggest entertainment competitors is essentially saying, "We give up, we don't know how to make games." Which, according to reports of MxO, may be true, but still. That's a corporate form of seppuku. EDIT: Also, has MxO offered a free trial yet? I like haranguing bad games as much as bad movies. Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Soln on June 16, 2005, 09:02:35 AM I know kung fu
tried it, quit it, same day. Level1-5(?) were literally the same mission, the same map EACH FREAKING TIME. Left me stunned how the missions designs and the combat were so poor. The rock/paper/scissors model didnt need to be literally implemented that way (couldve been normal attack styles on a hotkey bar that players would figure out over time. ie. style1 overcomes style2 really well). Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Jdub on June 16, 2005, 09:52:41 AM 2 different people in #hate got the news from 2 different friends who work on MxO within an hour of each other. Could still turn out to be bs, but sure doesn't look like it.
Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: HaemishM on June 16, 2005, 10:03:38 AM Again, I don't give a fuck about some IRC rumor. Show me facts.
Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Jdub on June 16, 2005, 10:22:46 AM Just to see if Haemish can twitch some more, let's throw out there the conspiracy theorists on the MxO forums, who after seeing the news report via corp have been commenting quite a bit on the sudden disappearance as of yesterday of all MMO job openings from Monolith's web site. Fascinating timing :wink:
Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Shockeye on June 16, 2005, 10:23:07 AM I agree, I call bullshit on this because it doesn't make any sense. I can see WB farming out the running of the game to someone else, but I seriously doubt they would sell it outright, especially to Sony.
Maybe Sony is buying all of Warner Brothers and the world is ending. The sky is falling. Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Fargull on June 16, 2005, 11:43:55 AM Qto3 (http://www.quartertothree.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=19629&sid=747181b82c7f411ccff1f7b738ce58d0) has some mention which is headed by the Corp, but Div makes an appearance that adds some creedance.
Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: schild on June 16, 2005, 12:18:58 PM Div adds creedence?
The sky really is falling. I joke. I joke. Seriously though, sounds too bullshitty. The whole situation. Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Jdub on June 16, 2005, 12:20:04 PM Would you like to make a small wager on whether this story will prove to be true, then? :-D
Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: schild on June 16, 2005, 12:21:08 PM Would you like to make a small wager on whether this story will prove to be true, then? :-D A shitty MMOG being acquired by one of the four horsemen? That wouldn't surprise me. The fact the WB would give Sony anything attached to The Matrix surprises me. Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Jdub on June 16, 2005, 12:37:22 PM "Giving" Sony MxO is something akin to Lord Amherst giving Native Americans those lovely blankets.
Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Evil Elvis on June 16, 2005, 12:44:06 PM I'd find it harder to believe that two big corporations wouldn't want to rape what's left of some shitty licenses corpse for whatever monetary value it has left. Shit, Sony is actually publishing Turbines Throne of Destiny expansion pack for AC.
I doubt anything is being sold to Sony. More likely, Sony Online is just going to be maintaining the game from now on. Lets not forget WB bought out Monolith some time ago when it was in a financial crisis while making MxO. Transfering operation over to SO is probably much cheaper, and they probably figure they'll benefit from their online advertising and all access pass. Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: slog on June 16, 2005, 01:49:42 PM Again, I don't give a fuck about some IRC rumor. Show me facts. Corp updated the story with the following "Edit: Yes, it's true. The story has been quadruple confirmed by four seperate sources on the inside. Word is official press announcements will come late today or tomorrow." Any of the l33t f13 sources confirm or deny it? Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Shockeye on June 16, 2005, 01:51:37 PM Again, I don't give a fuck about some IRC rumor. Show me facts. Corp updated the story with the following "Edit: Yes, it's true. The story has been quadruple confirmed by four seperate sources on the inside. Word is official press announcements will come late today or tomorrow." First of all, we'll accept it as fact if and when those press announcements occur. Until then it is still rumor. K, thanks. Any of the l33t f13 sources confirm or deny it? Are we trying to confirm it? No. If it's real a press release should be forthcoming. Have a nice day. Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: schild on June 16, 2005, 02:02:10 PM Let me reiterate:
Shitty game. Who cares? Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: HaemishM on June 16, 2005, 02:44:07 PM I've emailed Monolith's PR contact. And got nothing back so far. Which means, it's still a fucking rumor. About a shitty game almost no one plays being sold/licensed/farmed out to a company almost everyone hates. Except for Raph. And some people even hate him, despite his cuddliness and genuine naivete.
Please, tell me why I should care about something that cannot even be officially confirmed? Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Rasix on June 16, 2005, 02:45:05 PM EDIT: Also, has MxO offered a free trial yet? I like haranguing bad games as much as bad movies. That's the only way any of this would mean jack squat to me. I'm just curious with this title (bullet time + teh suck = 1 day of amusement max) but I wouldn't dare spend more than a quarter on it. Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Shockeye on June 16, 2005, 02:50:31 PM The new Matrix game, The Path of Neo (http://www.atari.com/us/games/matrix_pon/pc) is coming up which is being developed by Shiny and published by Atari. Seems strange that WB would farm out Matrix Online to SOE now. I guess we'll see in a day or two.
Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: slog on June 16, 2005, 03:11:39 PM Quote from: Shockeye Are we trying to confirm it? No. If it's real a press release should be forthcoming. Have a nice day. Quote from: Haemish I've emailed Monolith's PR contact. And got nothing back so far. Which means, it's still a fucking rumor. Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: schild on June 16, 2005, 03:12:20 PM slog, you have the biggest penis and the most friends. If I were Japanese, I'd commit seppuku.
Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: slog on June 16, 2005, 03:19:40 PM slog, you have the biggest penis and the most friends. If I were Japanese, I'd commit seppuku. err ok. Except I have nothing to do with corp news, and I was serious about if you industry contacts had any insider info. After all, you did in the industry for a bit.. Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: schild on June 16, 2005, 03:21:16 PM Then don't be a snide dickhead. Just say that.
I could have called SOE or WB. But honestly, the rumors of Troika closing down were far more interesting than this. This is simply non-news as it involves a shitty shitty shitty game. Edit: Let me say, if the news involved Monolith getting shut down and F.E.A.R. being scrapped or shelved indefinately, I would have been on the phone all morning. But it doesn't. Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Johny Cee on June 16, 2005, 08:31:32 PM "Giving" Sony MxO is something akin to Lord Amherst giving Native Americans those lovely blankets. Good old Lord Jeff DID get some small New England college named after him.... Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: luckton on June 17, 2005, 06:33:29 AM http://vnboards.ign.com/message.asp?topic=88169947&start=88171116
Official enough for ya? Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Trippy on June 17, 2005, 06:57:43 AM Well the MxO details are sketchy but they do use the word "acquisition" so it sounds like more than just SOE being hired to fix up MxO so I guess I was wrong. I wonder who, though, is going to be in control of the ongoing storyline. Jason Hall makes it sound like WB will still be involved somehow but he might just be saying that to save some face since it was his idea to use Monolith to develop the game (the company he founded and left to join WB).
Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Shockeye on June 17, 2005, 07:34:33 AM Looks like WB Interactive still owns the game but SOE is going to continue development and run it.
Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: HaemishM on June 17, 2005, 08:23:22 AM http://vnboards.ign.com/message.asp?topic=88169947&start=88171116 Official enough for ya? No, it's not. First, it's the fucking Vault. However, that story IS on PR Newswire, yet somehow, no one in gaming industry sites has even picked up the story, other than the Matrix Vault. Which I find strange, but whatever. It's also on none of the company sites, including SOE, Warner Bros. games site, the Matrix Online's site, nothing. Which tells me that, official or not, it registers as not even a /meh on the whole industry's scale. Because it's a shitty shit shit shitty shit shit game that can't even attract enough customers to make WB think the MMOG scene is important enough to develop in-house. Quote from: Jason Hall "We've done just that with The Matrix Online. Because of our compelling work in developing and launching that game we can now move it over to the leaders in the MMO space, SOE. We look forward to working with SOE to enhance our overall services to massively multiplayer online gamers for The Matrix Online and a new DC Comics game." Translation: Ooops, we fucked up. The game sucks, we had no clue how to launch it and no one bought it. We'll pay SOE to keep this albatross afloat and make us a decent DC Comics branded MMOG, because we got no fucking clue. But, we need to promote our DC Comics brand, because the brands will make more money in other media than they can in comics. Oh, and we suck at games. Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Shockeye on June 17, 2005, 08:36:54 AM http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/06-17-2005/0003880384&EDATE=
Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Shockeye on June 17, 2005, 08:40:55 AM Quote from: Reuters/Hollywood Reporter DC heroes enter online arms race (http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20050617/en_nm/media_superheroes_dc) By Chris Marlowe Fri Jun 17, 8:35 AM ET LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - A literal battle of the superheroes is shaping up in the highly volatile world of online games. Sony Online Entertainment Inc. and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment are set to announce Friday an exclusive long-term licensing agreement that will let gamers share a universe with DC Comics' Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, the Sandman and other action immortals. The companies also disclosed that Sony Online had acquired Warner's "The Matrix Online" game. All 25 staff members currently operating the subscription-based massively multiplayer online game have been offered their existing position under the new ownership. "We see DC as a very valuable brand," said Jason Hall, senior vp at Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment which, like DC Comics, is owned by Time Warner Inc. "There's a lot of opportunity sitting in the DC universe, and we're looking at those gems and how to present them in a compelling way to the consumer." Sony Online already has demonstrated expertise in this arena with such significant hits as the "EverQuest" franchise, "PlanetSide" and "Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided." It also brings economies of scale to operating these labor-intensive properties. "By working with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, we will fuse the knowledge SOE has in the online space with some of Warner Bros.' phenomenal properties," Sony Online Entertainment president John Smedley said. "SOE will work closely with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment to maintain the authenticity consumers demand from the DC Comics franchises and the existing 'The Matrix Online' game." Sega of America will continue to manage distribution of "The Matrix Online," while Warner will oversee content development and relinquish operational involvement. Ubisoft withdrew from its involvement with the property in early 2004. "Our goal is to deliver quality content and consistently advance our key properties within the online games space," Hall said. "We've done just that with 'The Matrix Online.' Because of our compelling work in developing and launching that game, we can now move it over to the leaders in the MMO space: SOE." Sony Online will be creating a DC Comics game for the PC and next-generation gaming platforms, scheduled to be released in late 2007. "DC has got a very large depth and history to it," Smedley said. "And it isn't a bad thing that 'Batman Begins' just came out, then 'Superman' next year and 'Wonder Woman' after that." Another advantage of the Sony-Warner pairing is the Station Access Pass, which gives unlimited access to all of Sony's MMO (massively multiplayer online) games for $21.99 a month. Hall said this means all 600,000 existing Station subscribers could minimize the risk and hassle of experiencing "The Matrix Online" or the upcoming DC Comics game because they already are included in the monthly fee. "We believe strongly that the cable model is the right one," Smedley agreed. "You're bringing a lot of high quality to the consumer at the right price." DC's won't be the first superhero MMO game. In 2002, Marvel Enterprises Inc. signed a worldwide licensing agreement with Vivendi Universal Publishing to create an MMO based on Marvel's more than 4,700 other characters, including Spider-Man, the Incredible Hulk and the X-Men. According to a Vivendi spokeswoman, that project is currently on hold. DC Comics will, however, be taking on NCsoft's "City of Heroes" MMO. Launched a year ago, it has more than 130,000 registered users, all of whom pay a monthly subscription fee of $14.95 in addition to purchasing the boxed game for about $30. Smedley said he was unaware of the Marvel MMO status but wasn't concerned. "I will put Super-Man against the X-Men any day," he said. "And 'City of Heroes' was massively successful, but now we're bringing the world's No. 1 comic into the MMO space." Hall was similarly unfazed by any potential competition. "DC is really where the classic archetype of the superhero lives, and there is nothing else like it," he said. "We're partnered with arguably the leader in this space for the longest period of time, and we're pairing them up with one of our largest properties. It's a great setup for success and for the experience DC fans want to have." Reuters/Hollywood Reporter Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: AOFanboi on June 17, 2005, 08:44:23 AM The game sucks Does not. Much, anyway. Don't go basing your impressions on the beta, they patch often compared to, say, Blizzard.Matrix Online, sold to the up-fuckers of SOE and stripped of the live event team, will eventually suck though. There is another thread for their future fucking-up of the DC universe, btw. Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Rasputin on June 17, 2005, 08:58:46 AM http://www.sonyonline.com/corp/press_releases/061705_warnerbros.html
There's your official-official. Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Soln on June 17, 2005, 09:15:50 AM Truly, this is bizarre. I am still waiting, of course, for AOL to be spun off...
Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: HaemishM on June 17, 2005, 09:27:01 AM http://www.sonyonline.com/corp/press_releases/061705_warnerbros.html Thank you, now you may speak on it without being considered rumor-mongering IRC twats. There's your official-official. Also, funny they still don't link that announcement from their front page. Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: AOFanboi on June 17, 2005, 09:59:34 AM Also, funny they still don't link that announcement from their front page. Or that Data Noe One (http://thematrixonline.warnerbros.com/web/live/index.jsp) does not mention it either. Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: schild on June 17, 2005, 10:01:49 AM Funnily enough, even now - when it's true, I still don't care. Maybe in 1999 back when The Matrix and SOE and DC Comics could have had a profound effect on my social life, I would have. But now? I'm just pissy we actually have two threads about it.
Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Rasputin on June 17, 2005, 10:14:52 AM Thank you, now you may speak on it without being considered rumor-mongering IRC twats. Also, funny they still don't link that announcement from their front page. It wasn't ever just a rumor. If it was, I'd have called it a rumor, as opposed to unnamed sources. Because those sources need to find jobs. Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: schild on June 17, 2005, 10:21:09 AM By the fact it was leaked to you guys, I'm pretty sure most of the people in the "know" figured out who it was damn near immediately. You may have been trying to do the right thing, but you probably fucked them. But we'll see. Either way, the Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes news is more interesting.
All SOE did here was hurt their image in my eyes. They went from the manufacturers of some bad games and Planetside to buying sinking ships as well. Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: WayAbvPar on June 17, 2005, 10:33:30 AM Quote All SOE did here was hurt their image in my eyes. Really? The only way they could worsen their image in my eyes would be to rape my grandmother on national TV, and then eat a few infants or something. Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Toast on June 17, 2005, 11:59:46 AM It's hard to comment on the acquisition without knowing the underlying details.
Matrix Online has only sold somewhere near 50,000 copies since release. The game had to be running in the red. SOE probably got a ridiculously low price for taking this albatross. SOE can now leverage it's massive existing infrastructure to operate for next to nothing, incrementally. It may still lose money, but it will add another draw for the all-access pass. Maybe there was something in the game code they wanted to acquire? Maybe they'll be able to patch the holes and make some money off this little niche game. Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Simond on June 17, 2005, 12:11:16 PM Maybe there was something in the game code they wanted to acquire? Getting the DC comics license seems more likely to me. Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Trippy on June 17, 2005, 09:23:59 PM MxO Sony Acquisition FAQ (http://thematrixonline.warnerbros.com/web/live/game_info/gameplay_faqs_display.jsp?id=061705_faqtransition)
Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Margalis on June 17, 2005, 10:39:17 PM The last one is a doozy:
Will events continue after this change takes place? We’re very interested in hearing from our subscribers in regards to which content and features of the game should continue in the future. Translation: No, you're fucked. Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Surlyboi on June 18, 2005, 10:48:06 AM Matrix Online CU
Followed shortly by Path of the Jed...er One Finshed out with MxO expansion 1 Agent Smed's Wild Ride. Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: jpark on June 19, 2005, 12:03:40 AM THe Matrix Online and Star Wars in the same stable. Two bad tastes that taste even worse together. I'll believe it when I see the press release. Rumormongering with big names isn't very tactful. Edit: I should note, I'm not surprised The Matrix is dead. I am surprised that: 1. Someone would buy it. 2. It would be SOE. Too bad there is no one to take EQ2 off of SOE's hands :) Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Abel on June 19, 2005, 03:17:01 AM Quote Too bad there is no one to take EQ2 off of SOE's hands I think EQ2 is actually still making quite a lot of money, though probably well under SOE's expectations. MxO on the other hand is one of the most disastrous MMO releases ever and must have made a huge pit of debt that WB wanted to get rid of ... Likely SOE will slash down it's staff and support to minimal levels and then continue to run it as a small yet profitable niche MMO. It has enough players to make money if it can be freed from the big up-front investments. Tied with the WB superhero deal I think this is actually a smart move from SOE. Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Riggswolfe on June 19, 2005, 03:26:12 AM Well, if I was ever tempted to try MxO I am no longer. They'll do a combat revamp and try to patch EQ combat code in.
As for DC.... 1) I don't like DC nearly as much as Marvel. So the world isn't that big a draw for me. (Though, playing in Gotham City could be kinda cool) 2) I seriously doubt they'll do superhero combat as well as COH did it. So why bother? 3) It's Sony. They fucked up Star Wars. They'll fuck this up. It'll have slow paced combat and many built in time sinks. That's no longer acceptable to me. WoW is about as slow as I can tolerate my combat now, and I still have daydreams of putting COH style combat into WoW somehow. Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: HaemishM on June 20, 2005, 09:19:59 AM The last one is a doozy: Will events continue after this change takes place? We’re very interested in hearing from our subscribers in regards to which content and features of the game should continue in the future. Translation: No, you're fucked. To be fair, they were fucked the minute they decided to buy the product. This is just fucking with a different dick. As for EQ2 making money? Ummmm, maybe? I tend to not believe it's making all that much, what with the huge fucking budget and underwhelming hint of subscriber numbers lower than SWG. But then, I could be wrong, since SOE doesn't release exact numbers since they aren't top dog anymore. There are so many good ways to do a DC Comics MMOG. Unfortunately, SOE will probably pick all the bad ways first. Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Velorath on June 20, 2005, 03:49:04 PM There are so many good ways to do a DC Comics MMOG. Unfortunately, SOE will probably pick all the bad ways first. Look at it this way, instead of a grind to make the content drag out longer they can just get Geoff Johns to write the stories for each mission with his "pad them out to fill a tpb" style. They can throw in cutscenes of the same wordless panels being shown over and over at diffent sizes. Or they could take a lesson from Bendis over at Marvel and have entire missions that just involve heroes talking back and forth. Any time that your character gets nerfed, they can just say the Justice League mindwiped you for some reason making your character less effective. Camping for hours waiting for a mob to spawn? Nah, you're just staking out a building waiting for the criminals to show up. Ultra-rare loot that only the top catasses can get? You don't think they hand out Green Lantern rings to every fucking guy on the street do you? Get ready for EQ in tights Haemish. Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: HaemishM on June 21, 2005, 07:10:00 AM Arrrrggh, you just kicked me directly in my comics jimmy.
Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Kegien on June 21, 2005, 04:55:44 PM Time for 80 people to find new jobs :(
Quote According to official papers filed at the Employment Security Department of Washington and reported by the Puget Sound Business Journal, Monolith Productions has laid off 80 employees at its Kirkland, Washington offices. The layoffs are related to Monolith's sale of the Matrix Online game to fellow MMO creator Sony Online Entertainment - previously, no layoff figures had been given by either company. Monolith Productions is currently a subsidiary of Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment, following an October 2004 acquisition. The developer employed around 200 staffers prior to the layoff. The last day for the laid-off staffers will be August 15th, according to the Employment Security Department filing. However, it's important to note that some of the staffers will continue on the Matrix Online project at Sony Online Entertainment, which would otherwise have to maintain and support the game without any of its original staff - speaking to industry site GameDAILY late last week, SOE's Chris Kramer commented: "We've extended job offers to more than 25 members of the MxO team." Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Alkiera on June 21, 2005, 05:15:05 PM Time for 80 people to find new jobs :( Quote According to official papers filed at the Employment Security Department of Washington and reported by the Puget Sound Business Journal, Monolith Productions has laid off 80 employees at its Kirkland, Washington offices. The layoffs are related to Monolith's sale of the Matrix Online game to fellow MMO creator Sony Online Entertainment - previously, no layoff figures had been given by either company. Monolith Productions is currently a subsidiary of Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment, following an October 2004 acquisition. The developer employed around 200 staffers prior to the layoff. The last day for the laid-off staffers will be August 15th, according to the Employment Security Department filing. However, it's important to note that some of the staffers will continue on the Matrix Online project at Sony Online Entertainment, which would otherwise have to maintain and support the game without any of its original staff - speaking to industry site GameDAILY late last week, SOE's Chris Kramer commented: "We've extended job offers to more than 25 members of the MxO team." Well, assuming 'more than 25' is at least 26, and that those 26+ are included in the 80, then only 54 or so people need to find new jobs. Still, sucks to be them. Alkiera Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: HaemishM on June 22, 2005, 07:35:02 AM SOE and WBIE... learning to be raging douchebags TOGETHER!
Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: WayAbvPar on June 22, 2005, 10:11:10 AM Does this mean Vosx has to move out of town? He just got here!
Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Kegien on June 22, 2005, 03:00:54 PM It rains too much here anyway... San Diego sunshine ftw
Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Trippy on June 23, 2005, 12:47:02 AM Does this mean Vosx has to move out of town? He just got here! Those that were offered jobs at SOE and accepted will be working out of the SOE Bellevue office where the ex-Mythica guys are located.Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Samprimary on June 23, 2005, 01:49:55 AM You people need to start an MxO deadpool.
I checked the MxO forums, and liked reading all of the threads that read, essentially, "What the fuck, I'm trying to cancel my account but WB won't accept my petition to quit." and "LET ME QUIT GURRAMIT, WHAT'S THE BILLING ACCOUNT PHONE #?" and (this is real) "Sooo I called the number to cancel my account....It said I needed to call this wierd 9 didget number to do so. It also said that this call would cost $4. What is up with THAT?? This is the biggest bunch of bull I've ever heard of regarding this game. (which is saying a lot!!) Is this for real??? Am I just gonna have to cancel my check card and get a new one to keep from getting screwed over??" Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: HaemishM on June 23, 2005, 08:09:51 AM To be fair, he should have known he was getting screwed over the minute he bought the game, unless he never saw Revolutions or Reloaded.
Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: Furiously on June 23, 2005, 08:19:15 AM Well - I can guess that is one thing SOE will improve - the canceling process. They have made it relatively painless to quit their subscriptions.
Title: Re: Monolith sells Matrix Online to SoE Post by: WayAbvPar on June 24, 2005, 10:49:59 AM Well - I can guess that is one thing SOE will improve - the canceling process. They have made it relatively painless to quit their subscriptions. Now, if they can just lessen the pain to subscribe in the first place, they may be on to something. |