How's the Mike Z's lawsuit?

[©ThΣKämikαzeMΏήkΞ¥s™]

Any progress?

[Ness_and_Sonic]

Originally posted by Donko:

Originally posted by Ness_and_Sonic:

The game doesn't have to be in his hands for it to be corrected. If they end up losing a lot of money, they could get desperate to try to regain the support they lost if they want to avoid bankruptcy.

Keep in mind that Mike is suing Future Club, not Autumn Games. Autumn Games owns the rights to Skullgirls itself. Even if Future Clu goes bankrupt, rights to Skullgirls will be handed back to Autumn Games.

So... If Future Club gets replace, we could get a developer that would fix it working on the game, which I would consider as an acceptable outcome as long as last year's fumble is undone.

[Donko]

Originally posted by Ness_and_Sonic:

Originally posted by Donko:

Keep in mind that Mike is suing Future Club, not Autumn Games. Autumn Games owns the rights to Skullgirls itself. Even if Future Clu goes bankrupt, rights to Skullgirls will be handed back to Autumn Games.

So... If Future Club gets replace, we could get a developer that would fix it working on the game, which I would consider as an acceptable outcome as long as last year's fumble is undone.

most probably Hidden Variable, which are known for development on Skuillgirls Mobile, or Autumn will have to turn tail and run back to Mike or Alex, which is an exaggerated choice as I don't see them coming back or even if Autumn Games would even think of something like that

[Ness_and_Sonic]

Originally posted by Donko:

Originally posted by Ness_and_Sonic:

So... If Future Club gets replace, we could get a developer that would fix it working on the game, which I would consider as an acceptable outcome as long as last year's fumble is undone.

most probably Hidden Variable, which are known for development on Skuillgirls Mobile, or Autumn will have to turn tail and run back to Mike or Alex, which is an exaggerated choice as I don't see them coming back or even if Autumn Games would even think of something like that

I wouldn't rule out Alex and Mike returning, but it would depend on the deal they make and how desperate they are.

[1.2M | Missingno.]

There is no chance in hell that happens. You're really reaching far too hard to make up unrealistic fantasies.

[Sstavix]

Originally posted by Donko:

Originally posted by Ness_and_Sonic:

So... If Future Club gets replace, we could get a developer that would fix it working on the game, which I would consider as an acceptable outcome as long as last year's fumble is undone.

most probably Hidden Variable, which are known for development on Skuillgirls Mobile, or Autumn will have to turn tail and run back to Mike or Alex, which is an exaggerated choice as I don't see them coming back or even if Autumn Games would even think of something like that

I think a more likely outcome would be for Autumn Games to throw their hands up, say "you guys cause too much drama!" and walk away from both Future Club and Lab Zero. They'd find a developer without a ton of baggage to work on SkullGirls instead.

[Donko]

Originally posted by Sstavix:

Originally posted by Donko:

most probably Hidden Variable, which are known for development on Skuillgirls Mobile, or Autumn will have to turn tail and run back to Mike or Alex, which is an exaggerated choice as I don't see them coming back or even if Autumn Games would even think of something like that

I think a more likely outcome would be for Autumn Games to throw their hands up, say "you guys cause too much drama!" and walk away from both Future Club and Lab Zero. They'd find a developer without a ton of baggage to work on SkullGirls instead.

A much better outcome than what I had in mind.

[468528456]

The most likely outcome is this game is abandoned entirely. To put things in perspective, the mobile game has a yearly roadmap from Hidden Variable.

https://forum.skullgirlsmobile.com/threads/official-2024-preview.21613/

Even in the above post, there is a faint claim of continuing to support the game while admitting its way harder than they realize. Personally think its the Season Pass not doing so well given that was just a way to scam people out of money to supplement the mobile game's development. Looks like that lesson was learned given they are now just doing "guest characters" for the mobile game.

[Ness_and_Sonic]

Originally posted by Missingno.:

There is no chance in hell that happens. You're really reaching far too hard to make up unrealistic fantasies.

It's not unrealistic. People tend to sell out if you provide them with enough cash or a good enough deal.

[Lysamus]

Given the June 2023 updates happened under Autumn Games and they haven't budged on reversing them or addressing any complaints from people out of alignment with those changes, I don't imagine the outcome of the lawsuit is going to impact those changes one way or another.

Even if Mike Z were to win and bankrupt Future Club (which I don't see happening personally, but assuming for the sake of the argument), Mariel and other staff might continue working as developers for Skullgirls under Autumn Games/Hidden Variable, or under a new moniker (after all, it's people, not entities, who make games).

If Autumn Games sought to disgorge themselves of Future Club over lawsuit drama, they've had well over a year + to do so prior.

[Ness_and_Sonic]

Originally posted by Lysamus:

Given the June 2023 updates happened under Autumn Games and they haven't budged on reversing them or addressing any complaints from people out of alignment with those changes, I don't imagine the outcome of the lawsuit is going to impact those changes one way or another.

I'm sure they'll budge eventually if nagged enough about it or if they need the money. That's part of the reason why I keep posting here and also why I believe the lawsuit could get them to change their stance.

[1.2M | Missingno.]

I'm sure they won't.

[ForsakenM~]

Originally posted by Sstavix:

Originally posted by Donko:

most probably Hidden Variable, which are known for development on Skullgirls Mobile, or Autumn will have to turn tail and run back to Mike or Alex, which is an exaggerated choice as I don't see them coming back or even if Autumn Games would even think of something like that

I think a more likely outcome would be for Autumn Games to throw their hands up, say "you guys cause too much drama!" and walk away from both Future Club and Lab Zero. They'd find a developer without a ton of baggage to work on SkullGirls instead.

I wouldn't even want this to happen, personally. I'd rather they just pull what Capcom and Nintendo have done for the past 20 years and put Skullgirls in a list of IPs that just sit there and do nothing.

The thing is that the magic has been lost multiple times over, and modern game companies are too focused on the same garbage Future Club is focused on right now and we need about five more years of gamers having them lose money to really start to clean their acts up.

They had a perfect team for a perfect game, but then the team got bigger as the project got bigger and unfortunately there were people who may have done a good job but had sinister motives at heart. There is no way Mike Z or Alex would want to return to Skullgirls, and I don't blame them, and without them I can easily go without Skullgirls.

[1.2M | Missingno.]

Just because you don't like the game anymore doesn't mean they should stop developing it for everyone else who still does. You can just go play something else and move on with your life.

[Tanoomba]

Originally posted by ForsakenM~:

The thing is that the magic has been lost multiple times over

Actually, for the vast majority of the player base no "magic" has been lost at all.

Originally posted by ForsakenM~:

and modern game companies are too focused on the same garbage Future Club is focused on right now and we need about five more years of gamers having them lose money to really start to clean their acts up.

We have no reason to believe the update lost Future Club any money at all. We have even less to believe, as someone is suggesting, that reverting the changes will somehow lead to a boost in income.

Originally posted by ForsakenM~:

They had a perfect team for a perfect game, but then the team got bigger as the project got bigger and unfortunately there were people who may have done a good job but had sinister motives at heart.

Mike Z was the first person to "censor" the game when he had some of the more lewd animations removed from the game before release. He has been vocally against fan service for the sake of fan service, reflecting the same sentiments expressed by the devs explaining the more recent update. This idea that team members compromised the game's "vision" by injecting their politics into the game is a complete and utter fallacy.

[Lysamus]

Originally posted by Tanoomba:

Mike Z was the first person to "censor" the game when he had some of the more lewd animations removed from the game before release. He has been vocally against fan service for the sake of fan service, reflecting the same sentiments expressed by the devs explaining the more recent update. This idea that team members compromised the game's "vision" by injecting their politics into the game is a complete and utter fallacy.

I can't help but appreciate the irony that the "fan service first" identity that some people attribute to Skullgirls likely stems from the same Future Club artists condemned by those same people for "ruining Skullgirls." Mariel was pushing for some pretty saucy stuff back in the day, not all of which made it into the game, courtesy of Mike Z (and to be fair, good sense upon reflection).

We likely would have seen a very different Skullgirls back in 2012 if Mike Z's creative inputs were unchallenged.