News
How Video Games Can Avoid Massive Lay-Offs
Cordova, TN, March 1, in the year of our Lord 2013 -- It is all over
the gaming news lately. THQ, and Atari have filed for
bankruptcy. Large gaming companies are dumping studios. IGN had
massive layoffs. 1UP, and Gamespy were shut down. The horrible
Obama economy has come crashing down on our industry. Could it
have been avoided? What can be done to insure this trend
reverses? What can you do to help? Could we have done something
differently to avoid this? These are the questions in the mind
of so many gamers.
Structurally the gaming media has major flaws. Gamers get the
news they want for free. They are not paying subscription fees
as they do with satellite, cable, and newspapers. So they have
grown accustom to getting all kinds of work for absolutely
nothing. As the economy has hurt these companies they are not
willing to advertise. As advertising revenue declines many
companies are being referred to as freeloaders. They want as
much profit as they can, and they have hurting the gaming media
in the process.
There are too many buy-outs going on out in the business world.
When a bigger company swallows up a smaller company, there are
always layoffs. They trim down jobs so they can have a higher
profit. Many times the CEO lays off all these people and gets a
massive bonus. How many jobs could have been kept if they sent
those millions over to HR instead of keep it? When one company
gets bought out they lose control of their destiny. Here at
Family Friendly Gaming we have had multiple expressions of
interest in buying us out. We either flat out tell them no, or
give such a high number they walk away. We have no interest in
the problems a buy-out creates.
Too many companies get themselves deeply into debt. Debt they
can never pay back. So they become desperate and gamble
everything on an idea like uDraw. Gamers refuse to support it,
and in essence put the company out of business. My fellow gamers
usually whine and complain about some product they do not like –
yet their choice removes other products from the market as well.
Companies need to build on successes that slowly increase
revenue. Invest those profits into future products. Massive debt
hurts wherever it is. Avoid going into debt to bankroll ideas.
Gamers may ask why should they pony up and start to pay their
fair share. Because writers, editors, artists, and more lose
their jobs when you don't. Companies may ask why should they
advertise and pay places that cover their products. When you
don't they go out of business, and that means less people hear
about your product. In the long run you will lose sales, and
that hits the bottom line. CEO's may ask why they should give
back their bonuses. It helps the economy, their company, morale,
and their tarnished image. Some companies may ask why not
gamble. When you lose, you impact a lot of people.
Please bear in mind there are people and companies already
adhering to these five steps.
1. Gamers Need to Financially Contribute
2. Gaming Companies Need to Financially Contribute
3. Buy-Outs Need to Stop
4. CEO's Need to be Selfless Instead of Greedy
5. Don't Over Reach
- Editor in Chief
- Paul Bury