Grand Theft Ping Pong?
by Jeff Tunnell · 03/07/2006 (2:27 pm) · 45 comments
Here is my latest blog post from Make It Big In Games
I don't care who you are this is funny!
There's bleeding in the streets. Electronic Arts is laying people off. Activision lays off 7% of it's workforce. Atari is on it's last legs, taking Infogrames down with it. Lionhead lays off 20% of its workforce. PC sales are down 14% in 2005. Etc., etc.
How does Rockstar handle it?
PING PONG...
Oh, but it is next generation. This cracks me up.
These are the same guys that publish Grand Theft Auto, Midnight Club, Max Payne, Smuggler's Run, Manhunt, and Red Dead Revolver. I wouldn't even pay attention to this, but it seems to me that just a few years ago, when they were riding high on GTA, they were spouting all this crap about how nobody in the game business had a clue, and how they were going to change the game industry with adult titles, real stories, sex, and violence. And now, after all the failures and crapola maybe they can save their company with Ping Pong?
Oh yeah, the best part is that their parent company, Take Two Interactive, is rumored to be on the sales block. Hmmm. I have some free advice for anyone out there. Don't buy the stock.
Why did I write about this in a blog about how to make a living making Indie Games?
Because it is just so damn cool to not have to worry about Wall Street, sequels, industry upturns/downturns, sex, violence, or "transition years."
-Jeff Tunnell, Game Maker ... Make It Big In Games ... GarageGames
I don't care who you are this is funny!
There's bleeding in the streets. Electronic Arts is laying people off. Activision lays off 7% of it's workforce. Atari is on it's last legs, taking Infogrames down with it. Lionhead lays off 20% of its workforce. PC sales are down 14% in 2005. Etc., etc.
How does Rockstar handle it?
PING PONG...
Oh, but it is next generation. This cracks me up.
These are the same guys that publish Grand Theft Auto, Midnight Club, Max Payne, Smuggler's Run, Manhunt, and Red Dead Revolver. I wouldn't even pay attention to this, but it seems to me that just a few years ago, when they were riding high on GTA, they were spouting all this crap about how nobody in the game business had a clue, and how they were going to change the game industry with adult titles, real stories, sex, and violence. And now, after all the failures and crapola maybe they can save their company with Ping Pong?
Oh yeah, the best part is that their parent company, Take Two Interactive, is rumored to be on the sales block. Hmmm. I have some free advice for anyone out there. Don't buy the stock.
Why did I write about this in a blog about how to make a living making Indie Games?
Because it is just so damn cool to not have to worry about Wall Street, sequels, industry upturns/downturns, sex, violence, or "transition years."
-Jeff Tunnell, Game Maker ... Make It Big In Games ... GarageGames
About the author
#42
03/09/2006 (5:56 am)
This article shows that T2 is still too reliant on Rockstar's GTA series, of which the last one didn't get the sales. http://www.totalvideogames.com/news/Take-Two_Release_First_Quarter_Results_9459_0_0.htm 
#43
03/13/2006 (12:09 pm)
It's definitely ironic. But even if they're eating humble pie in the name of profit, is this the game to do it with? I might pay $40-$60 for a ping pong game on the Revolution (if the controller could succesfully mimick a paddle), but I really doubt I'll be able to see that much value if it's for the 360 or PS3. I'm not a big sports game fan in the first place, but does anyone besides Forest Gump want to play 30 years in ping pong career mode for the fun of it, or even to unlock a 100 point achievment? ;) For indies its all about the fun and using limited resources wisely. Rockstars budget may be big, but its still limited. I'm pretty sure the budget for this game would be better spent on something else, be it in line with Rockstar's current brand or a total paradigm shift like Ping Pong.
#44
I hated hearing about the layoffs and such but it is similar to what is happening in the movie industry. The consumer is getting pretty savy and is not buying the pure crap anymore and the industry hasn't figured that out yet.
It's like the post Y2K layoffs after the millenium craze. It's nothing more than market correction.
The pendelum is just swining back the other way and like a pendelum must, it will eventually change directions again.
03/23/2006 (10:06 am)
Perhaps Rockstar will include character nudity and sexual themes in tournament mode. I hated hearing about the layoffs and such but it is similar to what is happening in the movie industry. The consumer is getting pretty savy and is not buying the pure crap anymore and the industry hasn't figured that out yet.
It's like the post Y2K layoffs after the millenium craze. It's nothing more than market correction.
The pendelum is just swining back the other way and like a pendelum must, it will eventually change directions again.
#45
"Maybe it will be an adult themed Ping pong game. There will be a radio with gangsta rap playing, hot strippers trying to distract you from hitting the ball, and if you dont like your opponent you can smash his hands with your paddle. It will be a ping pong game with so many levels and will be so challenging that it will seem to go on forever and ever. You will get more bang for your buck and will be worth well more than the $50 you spend on it"
01/04/2008 (6:01 am)
lol @ Tom Bentz"Maybe it will be an adult themed Ping pong game. There will be a radio with gangsta rap playing, hot strippers trying to distract you from hitting the ball, and if you dont like your opponent you can smash his hands with your paddle. It will be a ping pong game with so many levels and will be so challenging that it will seem to go on forever and ever. You will get more bang for your buck and will be worth well more than the $50 you spend on it"
Torque Owner Jeff Tunnell