Amazon purchases Double Helix Games

[Qtis]

The maker of Xbox One's Killer Instinct has been purchased by online retailer Amazon. All 75 employees will transfer to Amazon and continue to work from Orange County, California.

Source

 

[XiTaU]

lol i thought they were a Microsoft in house studio these days seeing as they made a launch title with a Microsoft IP

 

[Hop2089]

Very interesting and surprisingly smooth acquisition by Amazon. You don't hear about transitions this smooth very often as you always hear of layoffs when a large company buys out another company.

 

[FireGrey]

Wait so Microsoft own Rareware but they decide not to let them make the new Killer Instincts but rather a 3rd party?
What a waste of what could be Nintendo gold.

 

[the_randomizer]

Wait so Microsoft own Rareware but they decide not to let them make the new Killer Instincts but rather a 3rd party?
What a waste of what could be Nintendo gold.

Rare exists in name only, the Rare we knew and loved isn't the same Rare we have now.

 

[XiTaU]

It doesn't really matter if it is rare or not they own the IP's and could still be pumping out semi decent 3rd party releases like they did with KI.

 

[FireGrey]

Rare exists in name only, the Rare we knew and loved isn't the same Rare we have now.

Yeah I know, I'm mostly talking about the fact that it was such a waste buying it off of Nintendo, when all they did with it is completely destroy it and barely touch the IPs.

 

[the_randomizer]

Yeah I know, I'm mostly talking about the fact that it was such a waste buying it off of Nintendo, when all they did with it is completely destroy it and barely touch the IPs.

It's a shame really

 

[hellfire789]

Looks like they were serious when they said they were going to compete directly with Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo. It'll be interesting to see how things unfold, although I get the feeling that it'll have the same fate as the Ouya.

 

[Qtis]

Looks like they were serious when they said they were going to compete directly with Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo. It'll be interesting to see how things unfold, although I get the feeling that it'll have the same fate as the Ouya.

While I share your doubts, Amazon has succeeded well in hardware business. The Kindle is quite popular and brings people over to Amazon services. This could share their success, not to mention the "I already have a kindle, why not a console too?"

 

[Taleweaver]

Yeah I know, I'm mostly talking about the fact that it was such a waste buying it off of Nintendo, when all they did with it is completely destroy it and barely touch the IPs.

It could very well be that nintendo understood that the team had no more inspiration, or that the good members of the team had left, and that that was the reason they sold the studio in the first place. I've read (from a not-official source) that microsoft accidentally thought they had bought the rights for the IP's that Rare made as well (donkey kong country).

Also...Banjo-Kazooie Nuts & bolts wasn't exactly a worthy successor on the xbox, which could explain why MS wasn't exactly happy making more of those.

In any case...it wouldn't surprise me in the least that everyone from rare's team who worked on the original killer instinct game got transferred to double helix for the xbox one one.

 

[Vengenceonu]

The makers of Killer Instinct and the upcoming game Strider bring you "Killer Instinct: Prime Edition". Click [here] to reserve your copy that will be delivered to you via drone sometime in 2016 (Amazon is not responsible for any lost merchandise due to destruction of drone). Available

 

[hellfire789]

While I share your doubts, Amazon has succeeded well in hardware business. The Kindle is quite popular and brings people over to Amazon services. This could share their success, not to mention the "I already have a kindle, why not a console too?"

I think their success relies mainly on whether or not some reputable game companies are willing to develop games for their console. They're a little late to join the console wars, especially with the release of the PS4 and XB1 a little under 3 months ago. Again, I think it'll be interesting to see how they intend to compete with the big three.

 

[Reploid]

Who cares?

 

[Taleweaver]

While I share your doubts, Amazon has succeeded well in hardware business. The Kindle is quite popular and brings people over to Amazon services. This could share their success, not to mention the "I already have a kindle, why not a console too?"

Is it? I'm not too familiar with amazon (though I am reading a biography on Jeff Bezos right now), but I would think it is exactly the other way around. People buy books on amazon, see how ebooks are cheaper and are thinking they should get one. Then the kindle (which is most likely suggested on every ebook you look at on that site) is the logical next step.

I must admit I fail to see how buying a game studio is in any way related to their business plan. Most games they've made are tie-ins to movies, and were of mediocre/bad quality (example). It kind of makes sense if they're really planning to make their own console, but I doubt those guys can make great exclusives for the thing.

 

[FAST6191]

Who cares?

Big company that recently got into hardware, hardware that runs software which has changed the gaming landscape, and is one of the leading retailers of games buys game company working on modern games platform with IP entrusted to them by one of the actual console makers. How is that not news?

Wonder if this move will see Amazon turn a profit for the first time ever.

 

[Gahars]

I've heard of selling someone down the river, but this is just ridiculous.