Which Game Studio is in the most UNSTABLE right now!?

Yeah, whether people like them or not, most companies here are quite successful. Of these, only Blizzard is in a questionable position. I say questionable, because it is am mix of both good and bad.

https://www.gamespot.com/articles/blizzard-is-undergoing-an-indie-exodus-right-now-report/1100-6491894/

https://www.gamespot.com/articles/blizzard-reportedly-lays-off-50-people-to-pivot-away-from-live-in-person-events/1100-6488903/

https://massivelyop.com/2021/05/04/activision-blizzard-q1-2021-financials-blizzard-maus-down-to-27m/

And despite this they are still making record revenue.

Konami is stable. They're just not really a video game company now. CDPR is the most unstable dev that is actually still interested in making video games.

Konami by a mile

Those are all publishers, not studios.

Konami or Sony.

Konami: have a bunch of great IPs that they won't use outside of pachinko machines despite how desperate people are for new console installments.

Sony: they literally just killed off a new IP and are making a remake of a game that isn't even a decade old nor needs one.

Bend is working on a new IP. A sequel to a cookie cutter zombie open world game wasn't needed.

You really wanna talk about companies that kill off new IP?

How many successful IPs has Xbox created in their 20 year history? Where are the sequels to Ryse, Quantum Break, Crimson Dragon, Lococycle, Project Spark, Recore? And let's not forget Scalebound. Only Microsoft could screw up a partnership with Platinum Games.

@NathanDrakeSwag: I love how you assume that I think Microsoft are much better, please show me the most recent studio they shut down because they no longer care about a region.

Bioware seem like they are clinging on by a thread.

All the good talent gone. Regular staff leaving in droves. Their name sullied. Busted game after busted game with either mediocre scores or mediocre sales.

Sega is not unstable.

Sega sales update

That's a combined 15.2 million sales in the last year just from four IPs (Sonic, Persona, Total War, Football Manager). How is that unstable?

Sega Sammy also has its successful pachinko business, which sells far more pachinko machines than Konami.

And in terms of quality:

Metacritic's 11th Annual Game Publisher Rankings: #1: Sega

Sega was the highest-rated publisher of 2020.

Whether in terms of sales or quality, Sega is far from unstable.

@Jag85: You mistook this thread for being logical and grounded in reality.

Konami. This is the company that gave us Super Castlevania, Turtles in Time and Silent Hill. But nowadays I can't find a single title to get excited about.

For those concerned about Konami's situation, their Digital Entertainment Business has achieved record profits for the last fiscal year. I quote from Twinfinite:

"Today Konami announced its financial results for the fiscal year 2021, which ended on March 31, 2021.

Looking at the whole company, revenue increased 3.7%, while business profit increased 44.8%. Operating profit increased 18%

As for the Digital Entertainment Business (which includes video games), sales increased 33.1%, business profit grew 70% (a record-high), and operating profit grew 71.9%, proving by far Konami’s pillar and strongest segment for the fiscal year. All other segments operated at a loss.

Mobile sports games recorded strong performance while Momotaro Dentetsu: Showa Heisei Reiwa mo Teiban! for Nintendo Switch surpassed 3 million shipments as of May 2021."

It is emphasized that PES and Yu-Gi-Oh! Mobile are doing well in China, Yu-Gi-Oh!'s card games are globally successful, and Momotaro Dentetsu for Switch has sold 3 million units in Japan. Despite Konami struggling with its pachinko, casino and fitness businesses due to the current pandemic, these games offset those damages and brought more profits to the company than last year. I say they are not unstable.

@st_monica: Are you further highlighting the overall ignorance of gamers?

@Pedro: Well, in my case, I was actually surprised that they were making good profits when I looked into it. But again, it's thanks to their mobile games and Yu-Gi-Oh!, so I wasn't impressed.

None of those are unstable but aside from Konami that basically don't put out games anymore, MS is the weaker of the bunch. It hasn't released a quality game in 10 years?

Well Microsoft hasn't made a good game since 2011, that's ten years of straight up failure. but doesn't really qualify as unstable though? I mean they have been consistently trash for a decade. Stable.

Konami hasn't made a decent game since Metal Gear Solid V (masterpiece) 6 years ago. So maybe them.

What xbox game came out in 2011?

TaleWorlds. If you look at the state of things with Bannerlord, they could be doing a much better job at catering to both the Multiplayer and Singleplayer crowd.

@st_monica: Yeah, Konami isn't really making that much from pachinko, but it's mainly mobile, sports and card games that make them the most money. Yu-Gi-Oh, PES, Pro Yakyu and Momotaro Densetsu are highly successful franchises for Konami. Yu-Gi-Oh is the best-selling trading card franchise, PES is one of the biggest sports franchises, and Pro Yakyu one of the biggest baseball franchises.

Well according to this scientific poll, MS is the winner. Which I agree that MS just can’t produce a quality game any more ☹️

I agree with you and I remember you often pointed out the importance of those franchises to Konami.

I find it as interesting that Konami is making a good profit from the Hudson Soft IPs that it acquired in 2012, just as Sega is making a good profit from the Altus' IPs that it acquired in 2014.

Atlus' Persona 5 has sold 5 million worldwide and has made headlines. On the other hand, Hudson's Momotaro Dentetsu sold 3 million and Super Bomberman R sold 2 million, for a total of 5 million, which no one cares. But for those companies, money is money.

Blizzard seems to have lost all their original staff, and generally seem pretty confused as to what they want to do. Feels like they're torn between doing cool stuff and whatever Activision wants them to. And Overwatch 2 is just a mess.

So from being the most stable and strongest devs around to what they are now. Gets my vote.

Edit: Just to be clear, I'm not talking about profits. I'm sure Blizzard's as healthy as ever on that front. That goes for all of the companies in the poll, so I just assumed we were talking about games.

CDPR. Gone from top tier to shit tier and losing out on all those PS4 sales has hurt them.

@st_monica: Oh yeah, I forgot about Bomberman! That's the OG "battle royale" game, and still the best IMO. Konami doesn't seem to get much credit for it though, much like how Sega doesn't get much credit for Persona.

@gym_lion: Still don't get what CDPR were thinking releasing an unfinished beta for consoles. What did they expect? They didn't think there'd be blowback? They could've just launched it for PC only at first, then consoles when those versions were complete.