(re: How or what do you feel about Sierra’s shut down?)
The first game that was ever bought for me was from Sierra too…Space Quest. Before that I actually played Mystery House at my grandfather’s house but totally got hooked when my dad brought home Leisure Suit Larry from a guy at his work. I would wait every night for pops to go to bed so I could pop that sucker into the smokin’ DOS 1.2 IBM PCjr 😛 and get my illicit thrills. Once I learned about the rest of the games I begged my parents for a copy of PQ or SQ. SQ I got, and the rest is history.
I too am saddened by the latest turn of events but not too much. I kind of turned away from the brand when K & R left the company anyways. This latest bit of news didn’t really affect me except to remind me of the hours and hours I spent as a kid in front of that damn IBM PCjr. You know, today’s game market is mostly about profitability and licensing…I guess VU cut out all those people so that the remaining ones can enjoy the fruits of World of Warcraft.
As far as salvaging the game quality, I think it’s just like this year’s Lakers. You can have a team full of Hall-Of-Famers and superstars, but if they don’t work well together, you’re not going to get a ring. I see the 80’s Sierra as kind of like this year’s Pistons. They had a team of good people, led by an awesome motivator who knew the game, who were willing to put out 100% every night. The players stuck to the coaches’ plan and kept the end result in sight. When pieces of the puzzle start to drift, the whole team suffers…especially when the owner starts yelling about ticket sales instead of championships.
VU is more concerned about sales than innovative and fun games. I think the only reason they haven’t touched Blizzard is because BE consistently sells games. I wait for the day that VU starts hardball rushing Blizzard release dates. When that happens, watch Blizzard go down the same toilet that our beloved Sierra went.