The Mouse Cleans House: Disney Shuts Down LucasArts

[Chibi Halo]

Darth Acheron

I hate disney now. Leave it to them to screw up a perfectly good franchise. I also agree about the EU, but Darth Kryat is the only interesting character.

They didn't screw up a "perfectly good franchise" though. Having four presidents since 2004, a creative head who left leaving an unnamed project nowhere near being started, a very limited focus, games that are constantly panned in recent years, and no good revenues to even consider what they've been creating as of late a success. Lucas Arts and Disney had been discussing this for months. They knew this was going to happen because they knew Lucas Arts wasn't producing the way they used to be.

Lucas Arts hasn't even attempted to make something new in the same vein as the Monkey Island franchise and Grim Fandango again. They've been too Star Wars focused and that's hurt them badly. The last thing they put out, Star Wars Kinect, was panned seven ways to Sunday for how bad it was. People were saying Star Wars 1313 looked promising and there might be a chance they'll have someone step in and complete the project but they can't risk keeping Lucas Arts going because of a few promising screen shots and test animations shown at E3. Promising isn't enough to save a company.



We Are Organisms



While money is a factor, it's not the only thing they care about. When you look at all the evidence from Game Insider that I mentioned in the first part of this post you see a company that was destined to eventually close up shop. Lucas Arts doesn't answer to simply one man anymore. They answer to a sea of investors, like me, who want to see a profitable company under the umbrella of the parent company. Lucas Arts wasn't doing enough to justify keeping it running for much longer.


(And no I'm not white knighting Disney at all. I'm looking at things objectively from the viewpoint of the investors)

[Ask Jappleack]

Chibi Halo

While money is a factor, it's not the only thing they care about. When you look at all the evidence from Game Insider that I mentioned in the first part of this post you see a company that was destined to eventually close up shop. Lucas Arts doesn't answer to simply one man anymore. They answer to a sea of investors, like me, who want to see a profitable company under the umbrella of the parent company. Lucas Arts wasn't doing enough to justify keeping it running for much longer.


(And no I'm not white knighting Disney at all. I'm looking at things objectively from the viewpoint of the investors)

Well, its about money, so is investing. But key word you use is eventually, yes the bussiness would die eventually, most do actually, but they are lucas arts no more basically. Just a name now that disney owns. And you didnt give a factor besides money, saying its not effective, just means its not effective at making money, so its really providing evidence for my point.

[Chibi Halo]

We Are Organisms

Chibi Halo

While money is a factor, it's not the only thing they care about. When you look at all the evidence from Game Insider that I mentioned in the first part of this post you see a company that was destined to eventually close up shop. Lucas Arts doesn't answer to simply one man anymore. They answer to a sea of investors, like me, who want to see a profitable company under the umbrella of the parent company. Lucas Arts wasn't doing enough to justify keeping it running for much longer.


(And no I'm not white knighting Disney at all. I'm looking at things objectively from the viewpoint of the investors)

Well, its about money, so is investing. But key word you use is eventually, yes the bussiness would die eventually, most do actually, but they are lucas arts no more basically. Just a name now that disney owns. And you didnt give a factor besides money, saying its not effective, just means its not effective at making money, so its really providing evidence for my point.

I'm guessing you might not have read the first part where I mentioned they had gone through four presidents since 2004, lost the head of their creative department and whatever project it was he wanted to produce before he could produce it, they canceled Star Wars Battlefront III and got into an ugly finger pointing game with Free Radical, they couldn't maintain subscribers to Star Wars: The Old Republic no matter how good the reviews were, and anything Indiana Jones that wasn't a third party produced Lego game failed to do anything in the Game Industry. It's not just a lack of sales but also a lack of quality. The games have become lackluster in their quality to keep the fan base from coming back and purchasing future games. The writing was on the wall and it came as no surprise to the people in the industry and those who report on it.

The series of articles written by Game Informer paint a very vivid picture of what's been going on over at Lucas Arts. The last year alone was filled with a lot of disappointment.

[Chibi Halo]

Here's a question for all of you. Would George Lucas, if he still retained full control of all his companies, have done what Disney did this week considering all the problems Lucas Arts has been having in the last decade?

[darth acheron]

Chibi Halo

Here's a question for all of you. Would George Lucas, if he still retained full control of all his companies, have done what Disney did this week considering all the problems Lucas Arts has been having in the last decade?

I didn't realize Lucasarts was having so many problems. Thanks for the info. I'd heard 1313 looked promising but that was about it. I don't think Lucas would've. He's too involved in the Star Wars franchise to see the problems. I still don't like them for canceling Clone Wars although I'd missed quite a bit i did see a few of the new episodes.

[Chibi Halo]

Darth Acheron

Chibi Halo

Here's a question for all of you. Would George Lucas, if he still retained full control of all his companies, have done what Disney did this week considering all the problems Lucas Arts has been having in the last decade?

I didn't realize Lucasarts was having so many problems. Thanks for the info. I'd heard 1313 looked promising but that was about it. I don't think Lucas would've. He's too involved in the Star Wars franchise to see the problems. I still don't like them for canceling Clone Wars although I'd missed quite a bit i did see a few of the new episodes.

That's the thing. He's been all Star Wars this and Star Wars that that I fear if Disney hadn't stepped in and he wanted to retire we'd more than likely have been treated to Star Wars 3D in the next year or two with more added effects changes. The thing is though, it's not just Lucas Arts that's having problems. Disney had to let go of two hundred people over at Disney Interactive last year and they're pairing down people in a few other departments as well. Streamlining things seems to be the main goal this whole deal.

And while 1313 had favorable remarks based on a few test animations, concept art images, and some other things shown at E3 last year that doesn't mean the whole thing is going to be good. Promising doesn't bring in revenue just initial interest.