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'This is the bit where the comet hits the earth and the dinosaurs die:' Tim Sweeney revisits scathing 26-year-old eulogy for beloved studio Looking Glass

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'This is the bit where the comet hits the earth and the dinosaurs die:' Tim Sweeney revisits scathing 26-year-old eulogy for beloved studio Looking Glass

On May 24, 2000, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney shared a public statement (the specific platform or venue eludes me) on the closure of Looking Glass Studios, a canonical PC gaming institution and originator of the immersive sim genre (maybe don't call it that, though). The statement was resurfaced by immsim enthusiast account Sinnoware on Twitter, and Sweeney has since responded.

Responding to the post's resurfacing, Sweeney stands by his assessment of this prior moment of studio closures and industry uncertainty: "Sometimes the creative magic that makes a game loved by some isn't accompanied by the economics of a viable business," he wrote. "Game businesses are businesses, and though one can invest in anticipation of future profit or growth, ultimately a company must earn enough to pay the bills.

"This is a challenge all game makers face, and it's magnified during downturns. The solution? Make a great game, make it efficiently, and set the budget based on the size of the audience that will pay for it. Technology that helps achieve that is, in my opinion, good."

A number of prominent industry figures took issue with Sweeney's take. Danny O'Dwyer of Noclip and Arkane co-founder Raphael Colantonio both emphasized the lingering artistic impact of Looking Glass. Gloomwood developer Dillon Rogers wrote Sweeney's statement off as "the mindset of an asshole CEO."

I'm not particularly fond of Epic's games or Sweeney's ' metaverse ' vision for the future of the industry. I am a huge fan of Looking Glass.



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