Putting the 'role' back in role-playing games since 2002.
Donate to Codex
Good Old Games
  • Welcome to rpgcodex.net, a site dedicated to discussing computer based role-playing games in a free and open fashion. We're less strict than other forums, but please refer to the rules.

    "This message is awaiting moderator approval": All new users must pass through our moderation queue before they will be able to post normally. Until your account has "passed" your posts will only be visible to yourself (and moderators) until they are approved. Give us a week to get around to approving / deleting / ignoring your mundane opinion on crap before hassling us about it. Once you have passed the moderation period (think of it as a test), you will be able to post normally, just like all the other retards.

Arkane Arkane founder Raf Colantonio resigns (aka The Prince of Failure)

RoSoDude

Arcane
Joined
Oct 1, 2016
Messages
727
The last 18 years have been an amazing adventure - from starting Arkane in 1999, to making our first game, Arx Fatalis, to joining ZeniMax Media in 2010 and releasing the Dishonored series and Prey to critical acclaim - it is time for me to step out to spend some time with my son and reflect on what is important to me and my future.

I’ve had the opportunity to work with some of the best and brightest people in the industry, and I feel extremely lucky to have been part of this journey with everyone at Arkane.

I’ve lived many magical moments. I’ve also been through the hard times. But, I can say that joining ZeniMax took things to the next level and gave Arkane the opportunity to emerge as a world-class studio. ZeniMax enabled us to make the best games that we’ve ever made. And I know there is even more to come.

ZeniMax strongly believes in Arkane’s ability to make great games, and is committed to supporting the studio. My long-time friend and colleague, Harvey Smith, will oversee the team in Austin and I will be around for as long as necessary to ensure a smooth transition to the new management team in Lyon.

I wish the best to everyone at Arkane, Bethesda, and ZeniMax. Without a doubt I will miss everyone.

As I close, I’d like to thank the Arkane fans for their passion and support. I proudly join them as Arkane Studios' biggest champion, and I look forward to playing the extraordinary new games the studio is working on.

-Raf Colantonio

What do the Codex's resident conspiracy theorists make of his many mentions of ZeniMax and how wonderful they are? Any takers?
 

Ash

Arcane
Joined
Oct 16, 2015
Messages
6,230
Despite my sometimes critical comments regarding the direction Arkane went in I wish him all the best, and I am very appreciative of Arx.
Did Prey really do that bad though? I saw the earlier comments but I also saw elsewhere that it topped retail charts in the UK.

They really need to patch Prey, fix its fixable issues, add back in the gutted systems, and do a bit of refinement. Doesn't feel right it being his final send off work at Arkane. There's a lot of potential, a really good game in there that needs to be met.
 

DeepOcean

Arcane
Joined
Nov 8, 2012
Messages
7,394
I just don't get how Prey level design was so simplisctic, this is my biggest disappointment by far. I buy Arkane games for just one reason: enjoyable and clever level design but there are only like three great areas on the whole game and they are just on the same quality of a regular dishonored level, the areas before and after the Arboretum and the Crew Quarters are a bore with very little going on on them beyond hitting phantom in that face. Replaying Dishonored 2 now and the abysmal difference is noticeable. Could be that Prey got the short end of the stick development wise, especially after Dishonored 2 poor sales became obvious and Bethesda wanted to pull the plug?

Prey felt like something that needed one extra year to become something truly great. I worry we won't get games with good level design any time soon.
 

Wirdschowerdn

Ph.D. in World Saving
Patron
Joined
Nov 30, 2003
Messages
34,462
Location
Clogging the Multiverse with a Crowbar
Could be that Prey got the short end of the stick development wise, especially after Dishonored 2 poor sales became obvious and Bethesda wanted to pull the plug?

Two different teams, for the millionth time. Not to mention two entirely different concepts. One is mission based, the other is one gigantic "space dungeon".

How the fuck does that even make any sense claiming "One game got the short end of the stick due another game's sales performance"?
 

toro

Arcane
Vatnik
Joined
Apr 14, 2009
Messages
14,031
The guy resigned from the company he founded and Arkane's future just got dimmer.
 

Unkillable Cat

LEST WE FORGET
Patron
Joined
May 13, 2009
Messages
27,089
Codex 2014 Make the Codex Great Again! Grab the Codex by the pussy
What do the Codex's resident conspiracy theorists make of his many mentions of ZeniMax and how wonderful they are? Any takers?

No conspiracy on my half, just corporate shenanigans. This looks just to be part of the steaming pot of lies the severance package mandates of him if he wants to walk away tall and with money in his pocket.

Yes, I know "severance package" is used for people that get fired.

It's all part of the deal: He lies for ZeniMax, and ZeniMax lies for him. Everyone walks away happy and he gets some cash thrown at him once he signs the NDA.

Gut feeling tells me that he's done in the gaming industry. Fortunately for him the world is a big place.
 

Mynon

Dumbfuck!
Dumbfuck
Joined
Apr 28, 2017
Messages
1,138
Wonder if this has something to do with the bad sales performance of Prey....
Those dedicated immersive sim "fans" from the Prey thread who kept nitpicking the game and happily anticipating its poor sales are not doubt satisfied. Those who kept digging for any slightest reason not to buy it, from Denuvo to Bethesda being the publisher, can go fuck themselves.
 

Ash

Arcane
Joined
Oct 16, 2015
Messages
6,230
Wonder if this has something to do with the bad sales performance of Prey....
Those dedicated immersive sim "fans" from the Prey thread who kept nitpicking the game and happily anticipating its poor sales are not doubt satisfied. Those who kept digging for any slightest reason not to buy it, from Denuvo to Bethesda being the publisher, can go fuck themselves.

Eh, I bought the game totally expecting it to be a let down based on Arkane's other recent works and it half delivered on that (first half was pretty good though not exceptional, second half falls short). I wouldn't hold it against other fans that didn't buy the game because Arkane hasn't delivered something truly to the standards and ideals of the Immersive Sim since their first game. Not that anyone is these days. They were bar-raising, uncompromising, relatively hardcore games.
The only reason I sometimes feel obligated to support the modern approach is because the competition/alternatives have become truly abysmal.
 

Hines

Savant
Joined
Jan 26, 2017
Messages
258
Wonder if this has something to do with the bad sales performance of Prey....
Those dedicated immersive sim "fans" from the Prey thread who kept nitpicking the game and happily anticipating its poor sales are not doubt satisfied. Those who kept digging for any slightest reason not to buy it, from Denuvo to Bethesda being the publisher, can go fuck themselves.
Don't be a dopey cunt. Bethesda's marketing failed to convince console players to pick up the game. End of story. While Beth did a great job promoting the first Dishonored, they've been complacent assholes with Arkane's recent games. With Prey, P.R.'s first and final thought was "you can turn into a mug." Not only did they fail to capitalize on why people should be excited by the game, they shoe-horned an unrelated title with a toxic past on the game, and made Arkane deal with all that history in every single interview because they were cowardly, proud, and greedy fools. They wholly own Prey's failure.
 

Black

Arcane
Joined
May 8, 2007
Messages
1,872,592
Arkane are ludicrously overrated on cuckdex. I think it's because they appeal to people who like to think they're smarter than everyone else.
Isn't this the site for people who think they're smarter than everyone else?
A founder quits not long after his company is devoured by greediest and slimiest of fuckwads, what a coincidence.
 

Latelistener

Arcane
Joined
May 25, 2016
Messages
2,579
So, if even Arkane games aren't selling well enough, despite that they are already dumbed down to the point that it actually hurts the genre, what else the future has in store? Even more decline?

:despair:
 

Ash

Arcane
Joined
Oct 16, 2015
Messages
6,230
So, if even Arkane games aren't selling well enough, despite that they are already dumbed down to the point that it actually hurts the genre, what else the future has in store? Even more decline?

:despair:

Probably. But I agree with Hines. Marketing or lack thereof is the primary reason. The game design was dumbed down enough to be mass market friendly, or near enough. Some people complained about difficulty despite it being relatively easy but there will always be a loud dumb minority in that regard if a game features even a modicum of challenge and complexity, and there isn't a huge hype train for them to ride on to convince them it's indicative of quality and they should power through. Marketing is (mostly) everything at the end of the day.
 

As an Amazon Associate, rpgcodex.net earns from qualifying purchases.
Back
Top Bottom