Working Designs is no more :(

[Parn]

This is an interesting read, and shares my sentiment that Working Designs killed themselves.

 

[Jedi Master Thrash]

I don't really understand the beaurocracy of the industry, but I really wonder:

"I can't guarantee that the games I personally choose for us to release in the US can actually get approved and come out,"

"to say that you would buy what we wanted to sell if we could sell it."

Isn't working designs its own company? If they chose to release a game, what is stopping them? They've got a product, sell it! Call walmart and get them to order 10 copies for every store. Put copies up on their website or on e-bay. I mean, GoodDealGames is selling new SegaCD games, nothing's stopping them.

Is it something to do with gettings sony's license to release something with the "PS2" logo on it? Like if Sony doesn't "approve" of the game, then it's illegal to sell the game in the states? That sounds like crap.

Who "laid off" working designs? Does sony "own" them?

Pardon my questions of blatant ignorance.

I just bought a "2D" PS2 game. Well, the graphics are 3D, but the gameplay is 2D. Castle Shikagami 2. I saw it at GameStop for only 9.99. I was extremely suprised. I didn't think Sony America would approve of anything as old school as a 2D veritical shooter. It's pretty sweet though, it has the TV turn capability. It's kind of sad that the only PS2 game I've thought fun enough to buy for myself in 3 years was from the "bargain bin".

 

[Mask of Destiny]

Originally posted by Jedi Master Thrash@Mon, 2005-12-19 @ 01:03 AM

Is it something to do with gettings sony's license to release something with the "PS2" logo on it? Like if Sony doesn't "approve" of the game, then it's illegal to sell the game in the states? That sounds like crap.

Well more like it's illegal to release anything using Sony's devkit (which of course Sony owns the copyright for) without proper licensing and approval from Sony. Technically most of GDG/OlderGames releases are illegal too since for the most part they are previously unreleased games using the official devkits and AFAIK they never got proper approval from the original console makers. Making homebrew from scratch (or with a homebrewed devkit) is perfectly legal without any licensing.

Who "laid off" working designs? Does sony "own" them?

Sony doesn't own them. I get the impression they basically ran out of money and were forced to lay off their employees and close down. Some would argue that Sony's practices killed them or at least hastened their demise, but it's difficult to say with any certainty. Without taking a look at WD's books and knowing the complete truth about the policies Sony is accused of we have little to go on. The linked article does call in to question the business sense of Vic, but a small lean company can survive on niche items like limited edition, figurine laden imports. It's really a matter of operating costs. If they were profitable, it's certainly conceivable that some rejections/forced bundling/price reductions from Sony QA could push them into the red given the nature of their business. It's also perfectly conceivable that they ran it into the ground themselves and Sony had little or nothing to do with it.

I didn't think Sony America would approve of anything as old school as a 2D veritical shooter.

Well the accusation is that they force such titles into being "bargain" titles or bundled together with other games. It's also debatable what exactly qualifies a game for the iron fist of Sony bargain basement (assuming it does indeed exist). 2D gameplay? 2D graphics? Old looking 2D graphics? My assumption is that it's the last of those, but I haven't been paying much attention to the whole Sony 2D "scandal" so I don't really know.