Straight4 statement on Project Motor Racing

[Ryan81]

I guess it's not that surprising. With the horrible reviews at launch and various glitches in the game, someone had to take the fall. Naturally, it's usually the "little people" "who are seen to be most expendable that get shafted. They'll maybe now run a skeleton crew until all the scheduled DLC is released and then it's a case of arrivederci.
Shame, the idea was really promising. Feel sorry for those who have to tell their families and friends the "good news" right before Christmas. But then, that's capitalism, unfortunately.

 

[NLxAROSA]

I don't support people losing there jobs that's always bad but I also dont support a developer that has the nerve to release a game in that STATE.

While I agree, many of the smaller studios don't have a choice. Money from pre-orders is only paid out by the stores to the publishers after release, they get paid nothing before (unless the publisher owns the store like MSFT, Sony, Valvem etc.). With PC2 the studio heads funded out of their own pockets to delay the release, but I guess that did not happen here, because they didn't have any.

So if a publisher funds a studio for 1-2 years (or the studio heads borrow/pay out of their own pocket, like what happened with PC2), at some point funds run out and they MUST release, ready or not. They took the gamble that sales would allow them to go on, and that gamble did not pay off this time (it did for PC2 for instance). Very few studios have enough meat on the bones to run without income for another six months or so.

Sad thing is the title will now never get the attention that it would need to really finish it. A waste of potential, and everyones money. And firing folks for right before Xmas (the most **** time to be out looking for a job) is just nasty. Also looking at how much was likely spent on some of their marketing stuff (check their YT vids), it leaves a bad taste in peoples mouth.

EDIT: We should be able to see in the publishers financial reports after this fiscal quarter on whether they made any money or not. I think they did not and cut their losses.

 

[EngieDiesel]

While I agree, many of the smaller studios don't have a choice. Money from pre-orders is only paid out by the stores to the publishers after release, they get paid nothing before (unless the publisher owns the store like MSFT, Sony, Valvem etc.). With PC2 the studio heads funded out of their own pockets to delay the release, but I guess that did not happen here, because they didn't have any.

So if a publisher funds a studio for 1-2 years (or the studio heads borrow/pay out of their own pocket, like what happened with PC2), at some point funds run out and they MUST release, ready or not. They took the gamble that sales would allow them to go on, and that gamble did not pay off this time (it did for PC2 for instance). Very few studios have enough meat on the bones to run without income for another six months or so.

See what's happened with Wreckreation for a very recent example. Three Fields was self-funding for many months before launch because THQ Nordic only gave them so much to work with. It ended up being less than they needed to get the game into a workable state, let alone one that would be considered "finished", and now they're under threat of having to shut the studio down entirely unless another backer steps in.

People also tend to forget that publisher money and sales revenue isn't exclusively going to game development, it also goes into all the other expenses of running a business like staff payroll, utility expenses, software licensing (this one can be a real killer on its own), and the like.

 

[NLxAROSA]

See what's happened with Wreckreation for a very recent example. Three Fields was self-funding for many months before launch because THQ Nordic only gave them so much to work with. It ended up being less than they needed to get the game into a workable state, let alone one that would be considered "finished", and now they're under threat of having to shut the studio down entirely unless another backer steps in.

People also tend to forget that publisher money and sales revenue isn't exclusively going to game development, it also goes into all the other expenses of running a business like staff payroll, utility expenses, software licensing (this one can be a real killer on its own), and the like.

Exactly. Many folks don't realise that many smaller studios absolutely need their game to be a success, and have to do it in a specific timeframe, or it's literally game over for the studio. They simply don't have the money to stay open without sufficient income for another 6 months or longer.

 

[MagpieRacer]

See what's happened with Wreckreation for a very recent example. Three Fields was self-funding for many months before launch because THQ Nordic only gave them so much to work with. It ended up being less than they needed to get the game into a workable state, let alone one that would be considered "finished", and now they're under threat of having to shut the studio down entirely unless another backer steps in.

People also tend to forget that publisher money and sales revenue isn't exclusively going to game development, it also goes into all the other expenses of running a business like staff payroll, utility expenses, software licensing (this one can be a real killer on its own), and the like.

And in any business, staff payroll can, and usually is, the biggest single outlay. If S4 had 100 staff all on an average game dev salary, that can be close to £300k per month and over £4m per year, just to pay the staff.

 

[Nakano219]

Turd games can be salvaged if the love and passion is still there. Look at No Mans Sky. That said, adult gamers really shouldn't be getting stung in 2025. You should know by now not to preorder anything unless it's made by a dev with a bulletproof track record, like Rockstar.

People bring up No Man's Sky and Cyberpunk, but I don't think they're especially relevant to games like this.

Those games were unique experiences nobody else offered. If you wanted that experience, your choice was a) wait for it to get better/fixed, or b) don't have that experience at all. So people were willing to wait for CDPR or Hello Games to fully bake their bread.

For games like racers (or shooters, it's the same reason Sony killed Concord), you don't have that luxury. If your first impression bombs, there's a dozen other experiences like it that people will go back to, and people will happily return to old familiar. Even if you improve later on, that doesn't tear people away from their game they are happy with because people stop trusting you, and because you'll never get the amount of marketing/reach you had on launch again.

 

[NLxAROSA]

Those games were unique experiences nobody else offered.

Yup. And both of them banked massively on pre-orders, so they had the funds to fix their game, and then some.

 

[pez2k]

That said, adult gamers really shouldn't be getting stung in 2025. You should know by now not to preorder anything unless it's made by a dev with a bulletproof track record, like Rockstar.

The same Rockstar that infamously released the GTA Definitive Edition trilogy a few years ago?

I think an easier rule is not to preorder anything unless you're happy to write that amount off as a donation to the studio / publisher, if the worst happens with the release (or if it's refundable after launch like on Steam).

 

[MagpieRacer]

The same Rockstar that infamously released the GTA Definitive Edition trilogy a few years ago?

I think an easier rule is not to preorder anything unless you're happy to write that amount off as a donation to the studio / publisher, if the worst happens with the release (or if it's refundable after launch like on Steam).

The GTA definitive edition wasn't developed by Rockstar 😉. Grove Street Games developed it with some consultation from Rockstar North.

 

[Nexus]

I think an easier rule is not to preorder anything unless you're happy to write that amount off as a donation to the studio / publisher, if the worst happens with the release (or if it's refundable after launch like on Steam).

In this era of (mostly) digital games, I don't understand the reasoning behind pre-orders. You might get bonus DLC, but is it really worth gambling away $100? I'd rather wait for launch reviews before spending that much money.

 

[Bonneville120]

The same Rockstar that infamously released the GTA Definitive Edition trilogy a few years ago?

I think an easier rule is not to preorder anything unless you're happy to write that amount off as a donation to the studio / publisher, if the worst happens with the release (or if it's refundable after launch like on Steam).

Rockstar didn't develop it

 

[doblocruiser]

In this era of (mostly) digital games, I don't understand the reasoning behind pre-orders. You might get bonus DLC, but is it really worth gambling away $100? I'd rather wait for launch reviews before spending that much money.

I agree and I am at fault at the same time. For PMR I don't regret my purchase at all since I have very very few issues for what I play. However, I try to be less led by émotion next time even when the desire for something fresh is there and all seems to tick the right boxes.

I used to go in a game store to buy my games after reading PlayStation Magazine. €49 (120 fl) back in the time. My opinion to buy was based on a written piece with a couple a screenshots. I got burned a few times too. Games were really expensive that time but hey it is all part of the hobby and passion we have.

I'll try to be more wise next time...

 

[pez2k]

The GTA definitive edition wasn't developed by Rockstar 😉. Grove Street Games developed it with some consultation from Rockstar North.

That's certainly correct, but whose logo was on the front cover? GSG only warranted a tiny logo on the back under the Rockstar and Rockstar North logos, and weren't mentioned at all in the original announcement of the game. All versions were also published by Rockstar Games, and they're credited as the developer on Steam, with just an 'adapted by' credit for GSG at the end of the description.

I think it's pretty hard to pitch the Definitive Edition as not being a Rockstar product and not leading players to expect something of their normal quality. If they've done that once already I'm not sure they'd be on my trusted list.

 

[MagpieRacer]

That's certainly correct, but whose logo was on the front cover? GSG only warranted a tiny logo on the back under the Rockstar and Rockstar North logos, and weren't mentioned at all in the original announcement of the game. All versions were also published by Rockstar Games, and they're credited as the developer on Steam, with just an 'adapted by' credit for GSG at the end of the description.

I think it's pretty hard to pitch the Definitive Edition as not being a Rockstar product and not leading players to expect something of their normal quality. If they've done that once already I'm not sure they'd be on my trusted list.

We're taking about development though, and it was always well publicised in media and from Rockstar, who was developing the game. Where the logo is and how big it is, is irrelevant to the talk of who developed what.