> “18/6 Rule.” Basically, the developers that Microsoft would hire on a contract basis—that is to say, for a fixed term without healthcare or benefits—could only work for a maximum of 18 months before being required to take six off.
> Putting aside the obvious concern that this is generally a poor and offensive way to treat people and their livelihoods, particularly for the world’s richest corporation, the policy’s effect may also be observed in the quality of Microsoft’s releases as of late. […] Halo Infinite, Xbox’s big first-person shooter tentpole for 2021, also suffered through serious problems in its first year. Not unlike Forza Motorsport, it was also known to rely on a lot of contract work.
If anyone is still unsure why Xbox just can’t seem to build the sort of first-party calibre that PlayStation and Nintendo have, they need look no further than this story.
No amount of acquisitions, or Phil Spencer “we hear you”s will change the thoroughly underwhelming experience of Xbox games whilst this is their approach to business.
If there’s no love shown for your people, there is no love shown in the game.
Edit: This post isn’t indented to be some console war rubbish as some commenters seem to be upset about. I game primarily on Xbox myself because as a time-poor family man I find their ecosystem second-to-none. I can play when I want across multiple devices, I can buy whatever game/DLC I like without different versions preventing me. The parental controls are streets ahead of the others. So as a platform, Xbox is amazing.
boner_sauce
It really shows.
JohnnyJayce
Yet Horizon games has been fine.
EDIT: The nitpicking here is crazy. Microsoft isn’t the problem. They’ve been using contractors forever. Forza Horizon 5 used them, this game used them. Turn10 just couldn’t deliver. That’s the fact. If you’re arguing that there’s something wrong with using contractors, fine. But saying that’s the problem with this game, you’re delusional.
bideodames
It’s embarrassing how much of any type of IT and development work is done via contractors vs hiring FTEs. Modern management style is only concerned with dealing with the thing that is 3 inches in front of their face rather than making investments in their business that they will appreciate their past selves for down the line.
The lack of any inherited knowledge from contract to contract is one of the biggest self-caused problems modern companies deal with
wicktus
I understand far more the issues now.
I played FM2023 and desperately tried to appreciate it because I REALLY liked FM7 before it and always held T10 to high regards
This is extremely disappointing to read tbh, Halo Infinite, Forza Motorsport, so many games being ruined by poor Xbox decisions.
They need to do better because those Gamepass subscriptions are stagnating for a reason !
twonha
This confirms something I’ve long thought to be true, but never gave much more thought or attention. I sat through the Halo Infinite credits and noticed that the core 343 crew names list was relatively short, compared to other AAA games. Instead, there were a ton of names and companies related to the game as outsourced help.
The model of outsourcing part of your development to god knows where is something Ubisoft has been doing for a long while, with support studios ensuring they can build enormous games. But we all know that Ubisoft’s games aren’t at the same level of quality as flagship titles – the level of Sony’s exclusive games.
So my thought was always that if Halo Infinite was developed by a (comparatively) barebones crew with outside support, then it’s no wonder it was never able to compete on the level fans expect it to. I never gave this much further thought because I hadn’t read about it anywhere online, but this Forza release is basically the same story. Barebones crew, outside support, disappointing launch and never able to catch up.
I think it’s ridiculous Microsoft’s falling for this trap. If you want to create the best games, you need the best people, and if you want the best people, you need to treat them accordingly.
IputTheStudInStudy
The MS hate boner continues. People not realizing this is pretty common practice in the industry and has been around for years.
Kitakitakita
im told the reason American games have such huge budgets is because companies need to pay for things like health insurance… But then they hire absurd amounts of contract workers to dodge those bills, so what’s really going on?
Dylan_TheDon
it shows, forza fell off hard at FH5
the dialogue and core gameplay was so bland but people just praised graphics (which have been bugged on pc since release lol)
bluebarrymanny
It’s almost like churning through contractors to dodge employee benefits costs (from the world’s richest company as the article notes) produces a disjointed, often incomplete, and messy game release. Now I wonder why so many of Xbox 1st party releases have been a shit show at launch… it’s just sooooo puzzling.
Ghostieau
I like it
Windyandbreezy
So how does this bode with Fable development?
BitingArtist
Modern CEOs are vile. And it’s not even for the shareholder benefit. They do it to make short term profits spike, and then the subsequent fallout of volatile contracting hits, they are already out the door, getting hired by the next unsuspecting company that sees the short term spike and gets dollar signs in their eyes.
Vatican87
This is one of the reasons why dedicated teams to a game with prior experience and knowledge are so successful: path of exile, helldivers 2 etc
JaySteveo96
I still don’t understand how they decided that changing the whole essence of Forza by being able to buy a car and do whatever the fuck you want with it instantly was a good idea.
esmori
Funny how “gaming journalism” is not covering this, the same that awarded Forza Motorsport with “game of the year” despite the “built from the ground up” marketing lies and all the flaws.
17 Comments
> “18/6 Rule.” Basically, the developers that Microsoft would hire on a contract basis—that is to say, for a fixed term without healthcare or benefits—could only work for a maximum of 18 months before being required to take six off.
> Putting aside the obvious concern that this is generally a poor and offensive way to treat people and their livelihoods, particularly for the world’s richest corporation, the policy’s effect may also be observed in the quality of Microsoft’s releases as of late. […] Halo Infinite, Xbox’s big first-person shooter tentpole for 2021, also suffered through serious problems in its first year. Not unlike Forza Motorsport, it was also known to rely on a lot of contract work.
If anyone is still unsure why Xbox just can’t seem to build the sort of first-party calibre that PlayStation and Nintendo have, they need look no further than this story.
No amount of acquisitions, or Phil Spencer “we hear you”s will change the thoroughly underwhelming experience of Xbox games whilst this is their approach to business.
If there’s no love shown for your people, there is no love shown in the game.
Edit: This post isn’t indented to be some console war rubbish as some commenters seem to be upset about. I game primarily on Xbox myself because as a time-poor family man I find their ecosystem second-to-none. I can play when I want across multiple devices, I can buy whatever game/DLC I like without different versions preventing me. The parental controls are streets ahead of the others. So as a platform, Xbox is amazing.
It really shows.
Yet Horizon games has been fine.
EDIT: The nitpicking here is crazy. Microsoft isn’t the problem. They’ve been using contractors forever. Forza Horizon 5 used them, this game used them. Turn10 just couldn’t deliver. That’s the fact. If you’re arguing that there’s something wrong with using contractors, fine. But saying that’s the problem with this game, you’re delusional.
It’s embarrassing how much of any type of IT and development work is done via contractors vs hiring FTEs. Modern management style is only concerned with dealing with the thing that is 3 inches in front of their face rather than making investments in their business that they will appreciate their past selves for down the line.
The lack of any inherited knowledge from contract to contract is one of the biggest self-caused problems modern companies deal with
I understand far more the issues now.
I played FM2023 and desperately tried to appreciate it because I REALLY liked FM7 before it and always held T10 to high regards
This is extremely disappointing to read tbh, Halo Infinite, Forza Motorsport, so many games being ruined by poor Xbox decisions.
They need to do better because those Gamepass subscriptions are stagnating for a reason !
This confirms something I’ve long thought to be true, but never gave much more thought or attention. I sat through the Halo Infinite credits and noticed that the core 343 crew names list was relatively short, compared to other AAA games. Instead, there were a ton of names and companies related to the game as outsourced help.
The model of outsourcing part of your development to god knows where is something Ubisoft has been doing for a long while, with support studios ensuring they can build enormous games. But we all know that Ubisoft’s games aren’t at the same level of quality as flagship titles – the level of Sony’s exclusive games.
So my thought was always that if Halo Infinite was developed by a (comparatively) barebones crew with outside support, then it’s no wonder it was never able to compete on the level fans expect it to. I never gave this much further thought because I hadn’t read about it anywhere online, but this Forza release is basically the same story. Barebones crew, outside support, disappointing launch and never able to catch up.
I think it’s ridiculous Microsoft’s falling for this trap. If you want to create the best games, you need the best people, and if you want the best people, you need to treat them accordingly.
The MS hate boner continues. People not realizing this is pretty common practice in the industry and has been around for years.
im told the reason American games have such huge budgets is because companies need to pay for things like health insurance… But then they hire absurd amounts of contract workers to dodge those bills, so what’s really going on?
it shows, forza fell off hard at FH5
the dialogue and core gameplay was so bland but people just praised graphics (which have been bugged on pc since release lol)
It’s almost like churning through contractors to dodge employee benefits costs (from the world’s richest company as the article notes) produces a disjointed, often incomplete, and messy game release. Now I wonder why so many of Xbox 1st party releases have been a shit show at launch… it’s just sooooo puzzling.
I like it
So how does this bode with Fable development?
Modern CEOs are vile. And it’s not even for the shareholder benefit. They do it to make short term profits spike, and then the subsequent fallout of volatile contracting hits, they are already out the door, getting hired by the next unsuspecting company that sees the short term spike and gets dollar signs in their eyes.
This is one of the reasons why dedicated teams to a game with prior experience and knowledge are so successful: path of exile, helldivers 2 etc
I still don’t understand how they decided that changing the whole essence of Forza by being able to buy a car and do whatever the fuck you want with it instantly was a good idea.
Funny how “gaming journalism” is not covering this, the same that awarded Forza Motorsport with “game of the year” despite the “built from the ground up” marketing lies and all the flaws.
Microsoft PR is very strong.
And still no force feedback…