Oddbean new post about login | logout I think anthem is the prime example of this as well. Bioware fucked off like a half a billion dollars on it but couldnt work on it because ea demanded they work mass effect and the resulting patches and DLC. Then the EA money marketing machine went brrrrr and they blew another half a billy on that when no game even existed. But who gives a shit so long as the money moves. If they take a loss it just get written off an EA can just canabalize another firm to offset it. There are no game companies anymore. Just marketing firms who push shovelware and hope you fall for it.
The real question is why is it now impossible for 20 guys too make a game like halo?
it's not.
nitter.poast.org/hellscreen_game this is one guy with a vision, iirc.
also he has a vaporwave pinball .. soooooooooooooo it kind of makes you wonder.
Those twenty White guys (and one or two japs) had not-insignificant resources and support provided to them by Bungie. Bungie got looted by Activision. Every game company besides valve got looted by the publishers and financiers. And valve decided its not worth the risk/reward to make games any more. Russia, or Eastern Europe in general, might have its own video game golden age if nuclear hearts is anything to go by, a team of twenty slavs made that.
Bungie was its own thing prior to any activision shenanigans
Isn't that what almost always happens though? A good game company gets fucked over by the publishers and the diversity squad