Seems many of you are unaware of The Grand Tour Game also by Amazon. Could be because it was never succesful and now removed from all storefronts.
If they are going to use UE4 then it indicates that they have given up their own Lumberyard game engine. Only 5 years or so waisted on making abandonware.
While I think people def have legitimate reasons not to like Smedley, saying he quit a job and abandoned games over at Daybreak is a bit much.
Sony sold SOE and Daybreak became a place that many didn't want to work for anymore. It's a job, people make choices in their life for all sorts of reasons.
As for Amazon Game Studios, their decision to push back New World shows me that they are at least listening to the community. They could have released incomplete as early access (as so many games do and have done). They could have said "more cool stuff on the way bro" and then proceeded to laugh and collect the money. Plenty of games have done this. But they made the choice to delay and focus on content. No idea if Smedley was involved in that exact decision, but I will say if the CEO was obstinately against the push back for New World, it wouldn't have happened. That gives me hope that Smedley and the powers that be that pull the strings over there at AGS, understand that they need to take the time to make a solid finished product.
But like most things in life, we won't know until we see the end result. Good luck to anyone looking for a job, hopefully AGS will rise from the ashes reformed with a reputation of doing what it takes to release a quality product.
Companies need to invest in the time it takes to create a quality experience and product. That's what instills the public trust (which is evident by the justified doubters in this very thread).
I forgot that John Smedley is in charge with Amazon Games. He lead one of the most powerful companies back in the days, SOE, and we all know what happened to it.
And..as far as I remember, AG has signed a contract to bring Lost Ark into EU/NA right? Didn't he did something..similar at SOE. What was the name of that game again?
Point is, now I don't have faith at all in AG. All he's doing now, he did at SOE. Make game after game or publish them, in hope that 1 will succeed.
I am not interested in New World as of now. The game is good but needs lots of fixes, content, etc. He will fuck it up, I'm sure.
Reporter: What's behind Blizzard success, and how do you make your gamers happy? Blizzard Boss: Making gamers happy is not my concern, making money.. yes!
Smedley. (((sigh)) I'm thankful for what part he played in EQ1 and Vanguard but I'm sure these games would have done better under someone elses management. EQ1 never got the updates it should have. Look how much better WoW has aged. Any game he has his hands on will be suspect from many fans like myself.
You all know this is separate studio from the one making New World, right?
A lot of people haven't clued in yet that they have 3 game studios: Seattle, San Diego and Orange County that work independently. Orange County is the studio making New World.
Smedley is the head of just the San Diego studio and the VP he reports to, who is in charge of all 3, is Chris Hartman who was formerly the president of 2K.
"Social media gives legions of idiots the right to speak when they once only spoke at a bar after a glass of wine, without harming the community ... but now they have the same right to speak as a Nobel Prize winner. It's the invasion of the idiots”
― Umberto Eco
“Microtransactions? In a single player role-playing game? Are you nuts?” ― CD PROJEKT RED
You all know this is separate studio from the one making New World, right?
A lot of people haven't clued in yet that they have 3 game studios: Seattle, San Diego and Orange County that work independently. Orange County is the studio making New World.
Smedley is the head of just the San Diego studio and the VP he reports to, who is in charge of all 3, is Chris Hartman who was formerly the president of 2K.
Thank you for clearing that up, I was getting a little concerned for NW there!
Thank god he's not involved with New World (the LA studio is making it). John Smedley has a long trail of failed games behind him. Any game he touches dies a slow and agonizing death.
The game they are making is the new lord of the rings MMO. That has been known for almost a year. I found out from a dev that works for amazon on the new world MMO. I think they will do an ok or better job at it.
Comments
If they are going to use UE4 then it indicates that they have given up their own Lumberyard game engine. Only 5 years or so waisted on making abandonware.
Sony sold SOE and Daybreak became a place that many didn't want to work for anymore. It's a job, people make choices in their life for all sorts of reasons.
As for Amazon Game Studios, their decision to push back New World shows me that they are at least listening to the community. They could have released incomplete as early access (as so many games do and have done). They could have said "more cool stuff on the way bro" and then proceeded to laugh and collect the money. Plenty of games have done this. But they made the choice to delay and focus on content. No idea if Smedley was involved in that exact decision, but I will say if the CEO was obstinately against the push back for New World, it wouldn't have happened. That gives me hope that Smedley and the powers that be that pull the strings over there at AGS, understand that they need to take the time to make a solid finished product.
But like most things in life, we won't know until we see the end result. Good luck to anyone looking for a job, hopefully AGS will rise from the ashes reformed with a reputation of doing what it takes to release a quality product.
Companies need to invest in the time it takes to create a quality experience and product. That's what instills the public trust (which is evident by the justified doubters in this very thread).
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.theverge.com/platform/amp/2019/6/16/18681082/amazon-gaming-studio-layoff-dozens-of-developers
This is not a thriving studio by any stretch.
No would seem to be a completely new game.
I forgot that John Smedley is in charge with Amazon Games. He lead one of the most powerful companies back in the days, SOE, and we all know what happened to it.
And..as far as I remember, AG has signed a contract to bring Lost Ark into EU/NA right? Didn't he did something..similar at SOE. What was the name of that game again?
Point is, now I don't have faith at all in AG. All he's doing now, he did at SOE. Make game after game or publish them, in hope that 1 will succeed.
I am not interested in New World as of now. The game is good but needs lots of fixes, content, etc. He will fuck it up, I'm sure.
Reporter: What's behind Blizzard success, and how do you make your gamers happy?
Blizzard Boss: Making gamers happy is not my concern, making money.. yes!
Smedley is the head of just the San Diego studio and the VP he reports to, who is in charge of all 3, is Chris Hartman who was formerly the president of 2K.
“Microtransactions? In a single player role-playing game? Are you nuts?”
― CD PROJEKT RED
John smedley redeeming himself
EQ1, EQ2, SWG, SWTOR, GW, GW2 CoH, CoV, FFXI, WoW, CO, War,TSW and a slew of free trials and beta tests
Good luck to them