Microsoft flight sim "Aces studio" axed

[ElAurens]

This really is not a good thing. On several levels.

First off, a whole lot of folks just lost their jobs. Nearmiss's drivel aside, this is never a good thing. Microsoft didn't just do some pruning of "bad" employees, they axed an entire studio, and all their contract workers. Loosing one's job is not pretty, and my sympathies go out to those people.

Secondly, the flight sim genre is simply too small to be able to absorb the loss of a true giant of the type like MS is. Like it or not MSFS is the largest selling, longest running flight sim product ever. It's easy to say YAY!!!! Oleg now has no competition!!! However, the reality is that any other publisher out there that is involved with or is contemplating involvement in the flight simulation genre is now going to take a second look at continuing, because if the largest seller is calling it quits, well, if I have to explain it you don't have a grasp of the economy.

This is a dire development, for all of us.

[skarden]

Originally Posted by PE_Tigar

I've had PPL for five years, this year I'm finishing CPL+MEP+IR, finishing ATPL theory course on Sunday. I'm pretty sure what I'm talking about. For procedures and IFR flying, sure some of the add-ons have pretty good button-pushing stuff. For flight model, Sturmovik any day.

Have you tried or looked at those add ons though?? They ARE used by real pilots.oh and by the way,not all of us can afford to get our PPL's or more importantly pay to get the hours up.I guess where just poor wanna be's eh?

here i"ll save you the trouble

http://www.precisionmanuals.com/priv.../fsx/744x.html

http://www.precisionmanuals.com/priv.../fsx/md11.html

sorry for the hijack,that elitest crap gets me everytime.


Edit:I just read that MS made 16billion last year,clearly not enough :/

[SlipBall]

I think in time as the economy improve's worldwide, maybe 5 years out or so. That once again MS flight will rise up


Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer said the company and the technology sector are in the “midst of a once in a lifetime set of economic conditions.” He said the economy is resetting to a lower level of business and consumer spending.
“Neither the consumer nor the business side of the technology industry is immune to these economic conditions,” said Ballmer, noting that IT spending represents 50% of U.S. business spending.
Ballmer said that while current economic conditions may slow the adoption of some technology in the market, he said ultimately it will be a pause. “In the long run the pause the economy is imposing on our industry will certainly be just that. There will be renewed strong growth in the technology industry overall and certainly at Microsoft.”

[Baron]

The money to be made isnt big enough for MS to care one way or the other when cuts has to be made.
( Has to is a relativ term here ).

Where they losing money on flights sim market? Proppably not, they just dont earn enough on it to be worth while.



Oleg and team however makes enough money allowing them to do pretty much what ever they want with SoW. (His words, not mine)

[dflion]

Over the years I have collected all the MS Flight Simulators. I have gradually watched the MS Flight Simulator grow more complex.
Sadly I thought FSX was the worst attempt of them all. It just about completely 'cut-off' third party aeroplane developers, making it very hard for people to contribute (which is the real secret of any flight simulation). Eventually Microsoft relaxed some third party development rules, then it was too late. People were then divided between MSFS 2004 (where third party aeroplane development had reached its height) and the later FSX - result dwindling sales and sadly ending in a lot of very good people losing their jobs.

I do blame the Microsoft Marketing people for a lot of the problems. Not really looking at the the success of MSFS 2004 and then building on a better compatible FSX.
As IL2 dedicated fans we all know the pros and cons of CFS2 and CFS3 - again Microsoft Marketing had a hand it making both these simulations gradually die.(Oleg has helped as well!)

Lets hope that Oleg is taking the demise of Microsoft Simulation in the market place very seriously, especially closely looking at why they failed. Microsoft have made a lot of mistakes - poor attention to detail, poor compatability between versions, upgrading graphics with no compatibility between versions, not getting their dedicated community more involved, cancelling production of their excellent Sidewinder sticks etc. etc.

I am sure the $16Bn profit posted by Microsoft last year is a a great consolation for the people that lost their jobs.

DFLion

[Codex]

I'm a "the glass is half full" guy, I see this a perfect opportunity for these people to start their own sim / game. Just remember MS and the other fat cats like Sony/PS3 need huge operating capital just the survive from day to day. It makes sense to cut minor revenue streams that cost more to keep than the $$$ they bring in. On the other hand this leaves the door open for smaller Indie developers to pick up the niche market. Its a perfect opertunity as thier financial requirements are much much smaller, heck there are some that operate at no profit all and do it just for the fun of it, but later get picked by a devlopement studio, Splash Damange is one that springs to mind.

The simple truth is that big companies like MS are going back to core businesses, ACES was a "nice to have" studio, but when times are tough and money is short cuts like these will happen, its simple economics. But there are advantages to being / staying small.