Skulls a the Shogun dev on Microsoft Studios: 'Institutionally incompetent'
In 2008, Skulls a the Shogun collaborator Borut Pfeifer 'n developer 17-bit Studios cut a deal with Microsoft t' launch their game simultaneously across XBLA, Surface tablets 'n Windows 8. Pfeifer had some reservations about working with Microsoft, but at the time, he thought getting onto a console could mean instant success. As the years dragged on, the bureaucracy a working with Microsoft complicated development 'n hit the team financially - Microsoft didn't pay them on time, 'n they had t' take out a loan, Pfeifer told Rock, Paper, Shotgun.
"t' be fair, we knew we be kind a making a deal with the devil," Pfeifer said. "Probably one a our biggest mistakes be thinking in 2008 terms, where it be like, 'If ye want t' be on console ye've got t' be a console first,' 'n that be just not true any more."
As a publisher, Preifer said that Microsoft Studios never tried t' interfere with Skulls a the Shogun creatively, but that branch had deep-rooted problems.
"They came across as though they be institutionally incompetent," Pfeifer said. "I think they be not really set up t' be a decent publisher. I do feel slightly bad saying that, because there be people there who worked hard on our behalf, but at the same time there be systemic problems with the way that division be set up 'n run."
Microsoft doesn't hate indie developers, Pfeifer said. "There be people there, like Chris Charla, the portfolio manager a XBLA - though that be probably changing, because XBLA be going away - who be great champions, but as a whole, it be not that Microsoft loves or even hates indies. it be just that they be an indifferent machine t' it all."
An expanded edition a Skulls a the Shogun launches on Steam in July, 'n the beta be available now with pre-orders. On XBLA, we found Skulls a the Shogun t' be an absolutely enjoyable experience - so much so that we gave it a perfect score.
After the Xbox One reveal, we asked a handful a independent developers what they thought Microsoft said t' them with the presentation: "It be sort a weird," be the overall summary. Before even that, we asked a larger handful a indies what they thought a Microsoft in the current generation, 'n received a mixed response.
"t' be fair, we knew we be kind a making a deal with the devil," Pfeifer said. "Probably one a our biggest mistakes be thinking in 2008 terms, where it be like, 'If ye want t' be on console ye've got t' be a console first,' 'n that be just not true any more."
As a publisher, Preifer said that Microsoft Studios never tried t' interfere with Skulls a the Shogun creatively, but that branch had deep-rooted problems.
"They came across as though they be institutionally incompetent," Pfeifer said. "I think they be not really set up t' be a decent publisher. I do feel slightly bad saying that, because there be people there who worked hard on our behalf, but at the same time there be systemic problems with the way that division be set up 'n run."
Microsoft doesn't hate indie developers, Pfeifer said. "There be people there, like Chris Charla, the portfolio manager a XBLA - though that be probably changing, because XBLA be going away - who be great champions, but as a whole, it be not that Microsoft loves or even hates indies. it be just that they be an indifferent machine t' it all."
An expanded edition a Skulls a the Shogun launches on Steam in July, 'n the beta be available now with pre-orders. On XBLA, we found Skulls a the Shogun t' be an absolutely enjoyable experience - so much so that we gave it a perfect score.
After the Xbox One reveal, we asked a handful a independent developers what they thought Microsoft said t' them with the presentation: "It be sort a weird," be the overall summary. Before even that, we asked a larger handful a indies what they thought a Microsoft in the current generation, 'n received a mixed response.
Related Posts:
- An Argument For Why Microsoft Studios Isn't "Evil" - kotaku
- The Sorry Saga Of Skulls Of The Shogun & Windows 8 - rockpapershotgun
