Sony Boss Blames Gov Chafee for 38 Studios Failure
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) president John Smedley blames Governor Lincoln Chafee for Curt Schilling's failed 38 Studios video game company.
Smedley said Schilling approached him numerous times regarding "Kingdoms of Amalur: Project Copernicus," which was to be the first game produced by 38 Studios in Rhode Island. (Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning," was created prior to the move to Rhode Island. Praised by the gaming press, it received a Metacritic.com score of 81 out of 100). Smedley unleashed on Chafee and defended Schilling via a series of Tweets on Monday.
Smedley said Schilling approached SOE for funding prior to the now infamous Rhode Island loan. He liked Schilling's idea, as evidenced by a recent series of tweets, but the money was a problem for SOE.
"The quality was undeniable. It was gorgeous. It had smart people working on it. It was just too expensive is all," Smedley said. "The economics were too tough to make work for us. This is a business where risks are large. We had enough balls in the air. More risk was too much for us."
However, he believes the game - and the studio - could have succeeded if not for improper state funding.
"Dear people of Rhode Island. Look to your elected government for failing to protect you. That 38 studios deal just never should have been. Public funds shouldn't be backing risky things like online games."
He respects Schilling for investing his now money in the company, but said "If that idiot Governor Chafee hadn't trash talked right at the time Curt was trying to get funding you would be playing the game now."
"The idea of suing someone when Chaffe's (sic) own comments were what poisoned the well at the end is beyond the pale. All he had to do was give Curt another week and we wouldn't be here today."
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