Microsoft acquires Lionhead Studios

No April Fool this time...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4882330.stm

He's the closest we and Microsoft have to "Shigeru Miyamoto".

In fact, I think Microsoft Game Studios will be someone chuffed with the aquisition.

Mmm, I ponder the thought of them getting "Minter" and "Molyneux" working together.

Microsoft wouldn't employ Minter as a janitor, let alone anything else.

So, Microsoft claim they'll let Molyneux have free-reign over what he produces? Hmm, I wonder how that'll work out, in reality - especially when it says his last two games didn't sell very well.

Well Microsoft hate creativity unless they can buy it out.
Looks like Lionhead are gonna get ruined and make no good games anymore, just like with Rare.

gfk:

Hmm - where did M$ get the visualizer for 360?

And anyone remember Unity? Wasn't that Minter working with Lionhead?

Lionhead will do well under microsoft. Some of my old co-workers develop games for them and couldn't be happier. And considering the alternative, which was EA, I'm really pleased.

This isnt all that bad, i've had fun with alot of MS games.

Some could say Microsoft are trying to be "Gods"... get it? Gods? no? oh......

the other thing to remember is that Lionhead didn't produce a loss for Microsoft, It was EA that published those titles. Microsoft published Fable which did very well indeed on the original Xbox. Despite not meeting the hype, it was still one of the best most fun RPG's in recent years.

Some of the most enjoyable games 've ever played were created by Molyneux. Populous(1and2), PowerMonger, Dungeon Keeper (1and2) and The Movies were/are excellent distractions.
It will be very interesting now that he has both time and money backing him and his teams up.

Peter always thinks big, really big and it has gotten him in trouble a few times. That's good trouble to be in as far as I'm concerned :)

Allan

Heh, yeah - not only did they employ him, they put his code in the firmware of every single 360 they're building. :)

To bad they won't be creating any more games in your favorite genre tho'. After all, Populous isn't exactly XBox360 material.

I expect we will see more RPG/god games on consoles once HDTV screens are the norm. MS havent disallowed the use of mice and keyboards. And Sony have designs on replacing your PC with the PC and using it for every day computing tasks like email, and watching and listening through their PS3 equivalent of online itunes music and video service. One of the key components to the PS3 online HUB.

RPG/God games would be really great if MS does something like the Nintendo wand controller. I guess we'll see ... I can imagine that thing being very fun for those sorts of games. It's got to fee very godly to just flick your wrist and make something happen on screen.

Toby no like. Bad medicine.

MS made a general purpose wand controller in house 2-3 years ago which looked pretty cool. Let you control your PC like a mouse and mess with the lights and appliances etc in the room too.

Maybe after nintendo's example MS might take another look at that tech again. Seems like a good idea for a "digital lifestlye media centre" or whatever its called :)

They were bought by Microsoft, not the Xbox division of Microsoft.

.

I can only imagine why Microsoft wants to monopolize the computer industry, now they want to monopolize the computer game industry? I'm telling you, MS and EA are the two companies that're head to head monopolies, they aren't giving the little guy a chance... Of course, with Bill Gates' salary, why not? He has enough $$$ to pay off those lawsuits against him, too. Of course, since Ballmer's the new CEO, they'll STILL pick on Gates more than anyone else.

Darn, guess we'll never get another Syndicate (Wars). :(

You mean like Rare and Bungie?

Because monopolies can charge whatever they want for their products.

It's not really a monopoly if theres two companies (you forgot Take Two, Activision, Atari and Ubisoft BTW).

Thank god. That was headed in an entirely wrong direction anyway. Besides which I think Mr. Peter Molyneux has proven beyond any doubt, that he is utterly incapable of making decent sequels (with Populous 2 being the only notable exception).

Hooray for Populous 2. I think I must have played that on Amiga for years and years.

Microsoft actually develops <10% of the games they
release. If you had fun, good, but Microsoft doesn't
deserve credit for it.

Yeah, that'll bring Molyneux back to old days again. Remember how he was acquired by EA Games back during the old Bullfrog days? What makes you think that Molyneux won't start another game company behind Microsoft's back, like he did with EA?!