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Microsoft destroyed FASA
Former company's CEO Jordan Weisman speaks out against Microsoft's aggressive acquisition strategy
Written by Andy Griffiths, 27 August 2009
In an interview with Gamesindustry.biz, FASA Interactive founder Jordan Weisman has spoken out about his company's acquisition by Microsoft. FASA was purchased in 1999, the developer was known for their successful MechWarrior franchise and proud RPG lineage.
"When Microsoft bought FASA Interactive and incorporated it into Microsoft ... the two reasons they bought us was, one, they wanted the catalogue of intellectual properties and, two, they felt that we had developed a really good development culture," According to Weisman "And the reality is that, pretty much from the day we moved to Redmond, that development culture was destroyed."
Interestingly around the time that FASA was closing in 2001, Microsoft had their eye on another studio: "When we were acquiring Bungie, they wanted me to sit down with the owners of Bungie and tell them how well the transition went. And it was like 'what planet are you guys on?' This transition did not go well. And actually I became the lead vocal pain in the ass to get things done very different for Bungie."
"I tried to convince them to leave Bungie in Chicago, but not winning that I did succeed in getting them to put them in a walled off room, which didn't follow any of the other Microsoft stuff. We were much better able to defend Bungie's culture than we were FASA's culture."
It's not surprising to hear such stories about high profile acquisitions which went sour, it was a product of late nineties business culture. It seems as though the situation has markedly improved within Microsoft, as seen with their relationship with Bungie which seems much more collaborative.
Mr Weisman recently founded Smith & Tinker and his company is currently working on resurrecting FASA's classic franchises such as MechWarrior and Crimson Skies.
