>>> Anyway, I'd love to hear your comments about the failed Microprose merger. Were you in favor of it? Did it concern you that it fell through? Are there other companies that you would like to see GT pick up? <<<
Greg, I don't have any comments other from an observer standpoint, since GT didn't ask my help or opinion on the merger before it was announced. ;)
That said, I wasn't sure that this merger was the best move for GT because I didn't see a lot of value in the brands Microprose (MP) owned. MP doesn't have a solid claim to the Civilization name, since Activision is also claiming rights to that name. MP has several Star Trek games lined up, I believe, but those are licenses, which means there future is in question, plus MP must pay a license fee (meaning less profits off these titles). MP didn't seem to have an abundance of quality developers--most larger publishers that have internal development don't, since most cream-of-the-crop developers desire to run their own companies or be part of a smaller, focused developer house.
I think GT's new plan, of buying into smaller development companies and letting them pretty much run themselves, is the best way to get and keep talent. Talented game developers see themselves as artists, and it's tough to own a talented artist without giving them a tremendous amount of freedom to do what they want to do.
Scott Miller
Apogee |
