Rhode Island politicians speak out against 38 Studios deal

@Skizem

There are a lot of companies that make games that never see the light of day. They still provide people with jobs via investors who pay them to work on the game. As silly as it sounds, a development company doesn't need to actually publish games to be successful.

They've built themselves up quite a bit already though. $75 million won't seem like a lot if everything works out, and then the investors/RI could stand to make a lot more back.

They've been working with Todd McFarlane, they're partnering with Electronic Arts to publish their first big title, and they have Big Huge Games' experience to build off of. Kingdoms of Amalur looks great, and doesn't need to move mountains to bring in that $75 million, or make a profit. All it needs to do is hook a small bit of the same crowd that ate up Dragon Age and Oblivion and it will be fine.

@Punkrawk Bbob
While it's true that even if the game tanks, the staff that makes it will still be paid along the way, but we only know that 450 jobs will be created. I doubt the loan stipulates exactly how it will be spent. For all we know, $30 million of it might just be thrown into the furnace of operating expenses to keep the lights on. Some of it might go into the pockets of higher-ups like Curt or whoever he retains from other cities.

Pretty much any way you slice it, the money is better spent if it's spent on creating SUSTAINABLE jobs, and not just providing burn money for doomed startups. I'm not saying 38 Studios is totally doomed, but there's definitely a chance of it...and I don't know how much money the EDC doles out, but this definitely seems like a pretty big egg in the basket. Certainly there must be less volatile options. High-priced game development by companies with no track record can certainly pay off well if you luck out, but the odds are slim.

@sigma8 Right. After their first two games are out they will like pretty much everyone else lay off staff and consolidate before creating another huge team. Maybe shrink that loan a bit and try to encourage some people to start hiring

@sigma8
It's impossible to know upfront which jobs are your so-called sustainable. Any business in any industry can tank for tons of reasons. Restaurants flop, clothing stores flop, software houses flop, etc. This seems as good an investment as any, especially since they ALREADY COMMITTED TO IT. Good luck luring any other businesses in any other industries to Rhode Island if you welsh on this deal, and Schilling'll probably see you in court too. I'm all for debating possibilities before a deal is made, but these are slimeball politicians if they're actually considering re-negging.

I'd never vote for somebody who is actually campaigning on the concept of breaking a contract. They may not realize it, but that kind of thing makes everything else you say basically worthless.

@sigma8

Dude... Not sure if you've noticed or not, but the US (and world) economy is in a continuous downward spiral. No business has guaranteed longterm jobs. This would be a safe investment for RI since the business plan for 38 Studios is rock solid (IE, they are already a functioning business). Giving 1 million to 75 smaller new operations probably wouldn't do much but give people a chance to open the store of their dreams, only to have it fail within a year and clean the debt they're left with. Without a business, how do you see RI getting their investment back then?

As sad as it may seem, the only businesses really growing are high profile corps. Best Buy, Walmart, Target, GameStop, McDonalds, Starbucks, etc. So unless someone plans on franchising a fast food chain, there's a huge risk and probably zero payoff in investing in private business ATM. Times are too risky. At least with 38 Studios, if they had a good stipulation setup and they violated it, you could sue Curt for the money - We all know he has it.

@Themoreyouknow

Haters always hate.

@Osnaz

Because, our system of government recognizes those who are successful in their career paths. Never the ones working harder and never seeing success.

An Average Joe can run for office. It's a right of every man over the age of 35 in the US. But it doesn't mean he will win.

Voters are mostly stupid, and don't realise that they're voting for the same type of person every year. The electorates who say, "I will listen to the people of my State and side with them" or some other crock that they never hone up to.

Politicians are worthless. We need to get rid of the "representatives" and Senators from congress and make it to where us Americans can vote on everything. SBs and HBs. Vote on budget cuts and etc.

If us Americans had that power, a true transparent power, then this country would be much better than it is.

@LiqwidZero

Because those idiots who always elect the same people are fit to make grand, far reaching decisions?

Sounds like solid logic, to me. It's not like a popular vote would ever cause anything negative, right? If minorities wanted rights, they should've thought of that before being in the minority!

This is poppycock. Video games are always an easy target in political arguments. Given the economic climate, any amount of money spent on a medium that these politicians' constituents don't understand is too much money.

@Osnaz
I thought the "one sin government" was more original. Tell me more about that.

@sigma8

You'd better hope that one sin is debauchery and not corruption

@makoto99
It's a state? I thought it was a city. Well golllll-lee!!

@makoto99 Hey, in 5 years when you're an underage college student looking for a bar to drink at illegally, visit Providence and tell me it's a sucky state.

@Mr Itcher Been there, done that, 15 years ago. Also lived there. Sorry if you take offense to it being the suckiest state :P

@makoto99 I'm not sure anyone needs to be convinced that Rhode Island, for whatever faults it may have, is better than Mississippi or Alabama.

I thought they became a city too, you know when they changed The classification of Pluto.

(joke)

@satn
I think that's kind of the point - I'd guess that the state is hoping this is seed money for the industry, not just the studio. By giving money to the studio, they bring the talent to the state. Once the talent's there, it's a lot easier for another company to attract talent there, bring in former 38 Studios guys, take advantage of any tax breaks, etc.

No clue if it'll actually work.