Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (USE SPOILER TAGS!)

[kamphausd1]

Originally Posted by Cook

From what I've heard Disney didn't feel Lucasarts games were marketable for them. They want something they can sell to kids and disneyfy. Just heresay right now. What I do know 100% is disney has a bad track record in video games. So whatever star wars games they release won't be fit to play.

Yeah but still, shutting down the company and laying everybody off. Damn.

[kamphausd1]

And so much for the supposed hands off approach we thought was going to take place as well.

[Ernest Rister]

You guys don't understand..."Disney" didn't close LucasArts, LucasFilm did. LucasFilm has shut EVERYTHING down -- movies, TV shows, books and games -- to re-tool and focus on Episode VII, so when it comes, everything is unified and part of a master marketing strategy.

From what I've heard Disney didn't feel Lucasarts games were marketable for them. They want something they can sell to kids and disneyfy.

That's complete malarky. I have friends in the game industry, and two weeks ago, I heard LucasArts employees were sitting around twiddling their thumbs. They suspected this was coming. But "Disney" didn't make this call, LucasFilm did.

[supersix4]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

You guys don't understand..."Disney" didn't close LucasArts, LucasFilm did. LucasFilm has shut EVERYTHING down -- movies, TV shows, books and games -- to re-tool and focus on Episode VII, so when it comes, everything is unified and part of a master marketing strategy.



That's complete malarky.

Agree.. They're simply dumping deadweight and getting everything to go in one direction.

[kamphausd1]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

You guys don't understand..."Disney" didn't close LucasArts, LucasFilm did. LucasFilm has shut EVERYTHING down -- movies, TV shows, books and games -- to re-tool and focus on Episode VII, so when it comes, everything is unified and part of a master marketing strategy.



That's complete malarky. I have friends in the game industry, and two weeks ago, I heard LucasArts employees were sitting around twiddling their thumbs. They suspected this was coming. But "Disney" didn't make this call, LucasFilm did.

I really had hopes that the acquisition would help turn the reputation of both the company and the franchise around, (and for a while it sounded like things were heading in that direction), but I think they pretty much shot that in the foot with this. Regardless of what the intentions might be, this is pretty bad PR.

[blonde_devil]

surprised there wasn't something in place when Lucas sold the company saying side companies like this need to stay open for x-number of years. nothing like closing down a company just because you don't want it around anymore.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by kamphausd1

I really had hopes that the acquisition would help turn the reputation of both the company and the franchise around, (and for a while it sounded like things were heading in that direction), but I think they pretty much shot that in the foot with this. Regardless of what the intentions might be, this is pretty bad PR.

It's never a good situation when you have to lay people off. But the headlines "Disney closes LucasArts" are completely misleading.

[supersix4]

Originally Posted by kamphausd1

I really had hopes that the acquisition would help turn the reputation of both the company and the franchise around, (and for a while it sounded like things were heading in that direction), but I think they pretty much shot that in the foot with this. Regardless of what the intentions might be, this is pretty bad PR.

chill brah... People freaked out the kid who got the spiderman role, people freaked about heath ledger, we have know idea whats coming and until then its not worth getting worked up.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by blonde_devil

surprised there wasn't something in place when Lucas sold the company saying side companies like this need to stay open for x-number of years. nothing like closing down a company just because you don't want it around anymore.

LucasFilm under Kathleen Kennedy and her team did it, not Disney.

[kamphausd1]

Originally Posted by supersix4

chill brah... People freaked out the kid who got the spiderman role, people freaked about heath ledger, we have know idea whats coming and until then its not worth getting worked up.

Not necessarily getting worked up, and I really don't think everything else will be this bad from here on out (like many people, I'm still pretty sure we'll get the UOT in a couple of years), but I'm just saying, it's pretty bad PR.

[supersix4]

Originally Posted by kamphausd1

Not necessarily getting worked up, and I really don't think everything else will be this bad from here on out (like many people, I'm still pretty sure we'll get the UOT in a couple of years), but I'm just saying, it's pretty bad PR.

I'll freakout if I go watch it and they've got like Jar-Jar training honey boo boo how to be a jedi.

[Col. Zombie]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

You guys don't understand..."Disney" didn't close LucasArts, LucasFilm did. LucasFilm has shut EVERYTHING down -- movies, TV shows, books and games -- to re-tool and focus on Episode VII, so when it comes, everything is unified and part of a master marketing strategy.

Look at your avatar. Ernest, everybody knows you're just a Disney plant.

[Show spoiler]j/k

[Ernest Rister]

It's bad PR because it is being misreported with misleading headlines. It reminds me of the Miramax days, when Miramax would release a film that won Best Picture, and all the headlines would read, "Miramax Wins Best Picture!", but when Miramax would do something controversial, like Priest, all the headlines read "Disney to release anti-Catholic movie!", etc.

[BleedingBlu]

The games arent dead im sure they will find an outside developer to finish them.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-...s-report-says/

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by BleedingBlu

The games arent dead im sure they will find an outside developer to finish them.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-...s-report-says/

"After evaluating our position in the games market, we've decided to shift LucasArts from an internal development to a licensing model, minimizing the company's risk while achieving a broader portfolio of quality Star Wars games," LucasFilm said in a statement. "As a result of this change, we've had layoffs across the organization. We are incredibly appreciative and proud of the talented teams who have been developing our new titles."

Details of the shutdown were first reported by Kotaku.

Although LucasArts itself will halt development of its two major projects, "Star Wars 1313" and "Star Wars: First Assault," it appears that those games are not dead in the water. A source with knowledge of the decision told CNET that neither game is being fully shut down, but that it has not yet been determined what will happen to them. However, LucasFilm has decided that "Star Wars" games should now be developed either by third-party studios or by Disney Interactive.

Disney purchased LucasFilm and all its subsidiaries last October. But the source told CNET that LucasFilm had been looking at moving to a licensed model for some time, presumably even before the acquisition last fall, in large part because doing so reduces the financial risk associated with developing ambitious -- and expensive -- games."

[blonde_devil]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

LucasFilm under Kathleen Kennedy and her team did it, not Disney.

crap, that is even worse. but they had to have talked with Disney about it - are you going to close a company with games in the works just because? unless they were losing more money than people knew and it wasn't worth keeping them running.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by blonde_devil

crap, that is even worse. but they had to have talked with Disney about it - are you going to close a company with games in the works just because? unless they were losing more money than people knew and it wasn't worth keeping them running.

No, when Lucas flipped the switch on Episodes VII, VIII, and IX, everything went on hold. Everything is being focused on the new trilogy.

[tommyboy81]

Peter Jackson for Episode VIII???

[Will21st]

Originally Posted by tommyboy81

Peter Jackson for Episode VIII???

Belated April Fool's?

[tommyboy81]

Originally Posted by Will21st

Belated April Fool's?

most likely. They posted it today. From his production dairy.