What’s a Game Studio REALLY Like? - Monolith Productions Tour

[nicklmg]

Thanks to Microsoft for sponsoring this video! Learn more about the brand new Xbox One X at https://aka.ms/XboxOneXLTT

 

 

[SupremeChunk]

GREAT video. Really enjoyed it. 

[Nicnac]

nice video

[iPolymer]

I love this, I don't even care that it was sponsored console video.  I hope others take more away from the video than it being sponsored. 

[SupremeChunk]

Was kind of curious how the "Sponsored by" works in this case. Did Microsoft pay for production time or maybe the travel? Do they own part of Monolith Productions thus allowing the tour to happen? Did they just offer up a check to focus the video on Xbox? I know it's not really any of my business, but the details of business workings in the advertising/media industry always intrigue me.

[LinusTech]

17 minutes ago, SupremeChunk said:

Was kind of curious how the "Sponsored by" works in this case. Did Microsoft pay for production time or maybe the travel? Do they own part of Monolith Productions thus allowing the tour to happen? Did they just offer up a check to focus the video on Xbox? I know it's not really any of my business, but the details of business workings in the advertising/media industry always intrigue me.

Since you asked, Microsoft paid for our travel down to the studio, our time filming the video, our time editing the video, the right to suggest some Xbox specific talking points within the video, and a 90 second cut of our footage from the studio tour for their own use.

 

That’s a fairly typical scope of work for a sponsored projects like this, but many of them also include #Ad  social posts on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram etc. 

 

That’s probably more detail than most creators would feel comfortable giving their audience, but I believe in transparency so that when you guys see a post on our Twitter where we say “hey the Xbox One X is a really great gaming experience”, you’ll know that that’s our opinion rather than something that’s been paid for.

 

 

[Streetguru]

Linus where was the hard hitting questions man? Ones they probably can't answer?

Like why is Denuvo still being forced into games when they know it doesn't stop piracy? I assume this is the publisher's doing and not the game devs.

[Egg-Roll]

@Name Taken Maybe they should've visited around Sakura-Con? 

 

@Streetguru You can't ask such questions when the maker is sponsoring the video

 

@SupremeChunk https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monolith_Productions Not owned but look at their current games, Primary clientele are Microsoft product owners. Also i can see a deal with Microsoft on their end, free publicity etc. Also for the Courtesy of MS game play parts, video was likely taken from a X1 demo.

 

btw in the video i loved the "*especially Linus" part @7:25. I would also love to own one of those "decorative swords" too

[Keystone Nyan Cat]

I'm a bit surprised this thread hasn't received more traction; I really loved this video though, moreso as I've been inside Monolith Productions at some capacity, but never seen any of the cool behind the scenes gear. On that note though- my only complaint is that the video is too short; I acknowledge that it needs to be under a certain threshold for the YouTube algorithm or it may have been a stipulation when filming; but nevertheless- great video, I loved it!

[Sfekke]

Monolith has less storage space then LMG  

I laughed so hard, my co-workers looked at me like I was going insane

@LinusTech has really future-proofed himself, which isn't a bad thing

[William Payne]

Why are we discussing sponsorship? Its an awesome video of a game developers studio, the fact that they showed shadows of mordor and an xbox is irrelevant. It could have been any game for any console. Who cares. Its a cool video showing a bit of insight into how they make games. 

[Progressor]

Pretty cool of Microsoft to sponsor a video in a way that it doesn't make it about them. If Linus didn't disclosed it you wouldn't notice it's a sponsored video. Anyway, the studio tour was awesome.

[Hans Power]

A game or a dev which ultilizes shitty business practices like loot boxes shouldn't get promoted even more. If you do something like this again please do your research first and then choose someone who doesn't suck.

[System Error Message]

a game studio can be some guy on a laptop at a coffee shop, to a whole building of workers just like a computer related/software business to high tech stuff.

[System Error Message]

10 minutes ago, VegetableStu said:

you'd think LTT could/should ever get access to those smaller studios/groups? (at this point I'm not sure who should pay who for that access ._.)

 

 

youtube easily pays the time and fuel for the access. Theres no need to pay the company to tour them, just ask "hi, im linus, can me and my team tour your studio?" Then its just a matter of agreeing to a date and time.

[johnjohns111]

Awesome! Probably these guys from "dark rooms" are like vampires, doesn't appreciate the daylight after such work 

[System Error Message]

Just now, VegetableStu said:

... is that true? o_o

yup, consider the per hour pay of the number of employees who go to the tour, + the cost of fuel. I dont think its that much really for a whole days worth of tour and editing

1 minute ago, johnjohns111 said:

Awesome! Probably these guys from "dark rooms" are like vampires, doesn't appreciate the daylight after such work 

Dont forget to bring them a blood treat.

[SupremeChunk]

17 hours ago, LinusTech said:

Since you asked, Microsoft paid for our travel down to the studio, our time filming the video, our time editing the video, the right to suggest some Xbox specific talking points within the video, and a 90 second cut of our footage from the studio tour for their own use.

 

That’s a fairly typical scope of work for a sponsored projects like this, but many of them also include #Ad  social posts on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram etc. 

 

That’s probably more detail than most creators would feel comfortable giving their audience, but I believe in transparency so that when you guys see a post on our Twitter where we say “hey the Xbox One X is a really great gaming experience”, you’ll know that that’s our opinion rather than something that’s been paid for.

 

 

That's awesome, didn't expect an answer, especially so detailed, but here we are, awesome (and very fascinating)!

Thanks!

[SupremeChunk]

@System Error Message @VegetableStu Edit: Disregard below, I thought you guys were throwing shade at LMG for doing a sponsored video when they could have used ad revenue, but it appears you were talking about something else entirely, my bad.

LTT is a business though, and a pretty smart one at that, they aren't going to turn down what's obviously a beneficial deal for both parties. Don't forget, any ad revenue or "YouTube Cash" they DON'T spend on travel, production, etc, can be re-purposed to to other places. Plus, building good-will with tech partners the likes of Microsoft never hurts, as long as you don't compromise your integrity or come off as a shill, which LMG has rarely if ever done IMO.