Bungie's layoffs came directly from Bungie, not Sony. Updated Bloomberg article.

[Bryank75]

Missing projections target by 45% is a bit different than a 45% drop in revenue.

Meaning they expected more from Lightfall with possibly the previous year’s growth for comparison. Player numbers are down year from last year similar point in season by a sizable amount.

Filler expansions and seasons have consequences. Witch Queen did wonders for player sentiments and that entire year. As a player it’s a tangible feeling where as this year feels like “work in progress… wait till final shape.”

With the 8 percent cut Bungie has still grown 200 employees since the Sony deal.

This is up there with previous Bungie drama. Most likely surpasses them. Salvatori is just as huge of a loss creatively as when Marty left. And they lost two composers with these cuts. I love the music in these games. This is huge. Legendary shoes to fill.

The irony is this posturing and pandering Bungie does when Parsons has shown to consistently do asshole spreadsheet moves and should be expected to.

They can't change it now... but maybe if they delayed Lightfall and made it better?

It just didn't seem that good.

Or maybe they should have just cancelled Light fall and coupled a condensed version into the final shape....

Focus on having a really amazing and huge last expansion! What do you think?

 

[Gods&Monsters]

Salvatori is just as huge of a loss creatively as when Marty left. And they lost two composers with these cuts. I love the music in these games. This is huge. Legendary shoes to fill.

Isn't it possible to give him a contract for the next game if they want?

Since when studios have a full time composer working at the studio? Bear McCreary doesn't work at Santa Monica full-time. Is Inon Zur an employee at a studio? Same for movies and everything else.

 

[Bryank75]

Isn't it possible to give him a contract for the next game if they want?

Since when studios have a full time composer working at the studio? Bear McCreary doesn't work at Santa Monica full-time. Is Inon Zur an employee at a studio? Same for movies and everything else.

That's what I was thinking... they might just be contracted for a few pieces of music. No need to have him in house. It's kinda insane that everything he did was just for Bungie... you don't see that as much these days.

But this is where communication comes in...if that was the case, people wouldn't be so angry.

 

[Gamernyc78]

Isn't it possible to give him a contract for the next game if they want?

Since when studios have a full time composer working at the studio? Bear McCreary doesn't work at Santa Monica full-time. Is Inon Zur an employee at a studio? Same for movies and everything else.

Of course, most composers are independent contractors, they don't stay on the development team in perpetuity usually. They usually get the job done and get contracted to do other things and yes circle back around if they are asked to for sequels.

 

[Zzero]

More fanfiction from you. Bloomberg attributes this being part of a Sony money-saving initiative to no one (poor journalism) and then quotes an analyst who speculates it's restructuring.

Its me directly restating what the tweet in question said, so tough.

 

[Cool hand luke]

Its me directly restating what the tweet in question said, so tough.

The tweet is also speculation which I was making fun of. I don't see how you restating it changes anything.

 

[Yurinka]

Isn't it possible to give him a contract for the next game if they want?

Since when studios have a full time composer working at the studio? Bear McCreary doesn't work at Santa Monica full-time. Is Inon Zur an employee at a studio? Same for movies and everything else.

Both in AAA or indie teams, the most common case, by far, is having composers as freelancers. But there are also many cases, both in indie games and AAA games, where they have their composer as full time employee.

In many cases where they have the composer as full time employee, during the development of a single game the composer works in multiple games, both internal of the company/studio or doing outsourcing work for other game studios or things like cinema or ads. In some other cases the composer is also their sound designer: which means to do sound effects, ambiental sounds, the audio mix of the game, etc.

In the case of the small indie teams, like the rest of the team he/she pretty likely does other task unrelated to their main role: maybe finantials, paperwork, cleaning the office, Q&A, design, production etc. Depends on the case.