By Daniel Quick
August 15, 1998

note: This is The Column, a part of Apolyton where Markos and Dan write whatever we want . Well, not just Dan and me. The Column is open to everyone. If you feel like writing submit your article to us.

Have you been following the headlines in the gaming news industry recently? If so, maybe you have paid particular attention to all the wheeling and dealing going on. This company buys that company, that company buys that company. Don't tell me the Micro$oft Envelopment Virus (MEV) is contagious!?

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Ok, ok, maybe I am blowing this all out of proportion. Maybe all these mergers are done to benefit the gaming community as a whole... or maybe it's just a matter of dough; cash; bucks; whatever you call those slips of paper (and those heavier circular things) that enables you to get materialistic possessions without having the cops chasing after you. Now another issue. My question is (I'm certain you've thought of this too, if not take a minute and ponder) are these takeovers friendly or hostile? Again, I reiterate, good for the gaming community or bad? I guess only time will tell.

As you can probably guess, I'm going to focus in on the recent "Civilization" transactions; that is, companies involved in some way with the development of the "Civilization" gaming series, board and computer games. Just in the past week recently, interesting developments have arisen.As far as I'm concerned, this is a ploy to distract everyone's attention off of Activision's Civilization: Call To Power. Why would Hasbro/MicroProse (especially the latter) want to do this? I mean, why couldn't this wait until C:CTP was released and (hopefully sometime before heck frezzes over) Civilization II: Multiplayer Gold Edition.

For those who were already born when CivII came out, we've grown old and tired of waiting for a sequel. We didn't want one right away of course --- you have to give the gaming community a chance to absorb your work, suggest improvements and, obviously, give yourself the time to do it and do it RIGHT. Sometimes, this means waiting another year or so for new gaming engines to emerge. I can understand that, support the idea infact. But the question remains, why take SO long? Add-ons can only appease the masses for so long and promises only benefit those who listen. I mean, seriously folks, all these add-ons have in fact AGED CivII. So much in fact that it's hard to even recognize it anymore. Don't even get me started on Test of Time, yet-another-delay-tactic-add-on for CivII. When this is released, it will hammer the last nail into the coffin. Good grief, why waste all this time and energy on a product that was just fine the way it was after the first couple of add-ons? Sure, (almost) all of us like a little makeup, but there's a fine line between beautiful and bogus...

Anyway, back to the envelopments. This whole thing with Hasbro is, in the short term, disturbing. I mean, take into consideration what you already know as fact: they buy Avalon Hill and give all AH employees their walking papers at the same time. Nice first impression don't you think? A warm welcome into the family if I ever saw one... if you were a MicroProse employee at the time of its buyout from Hasbro, wouldn't you be scrambling to update and print out several dozen fresh copies of your resume?

But don't get me wrong, I am encouraged by the purchase of AH. It is very likely that Hasbro had a good reason to do what they did. But why such drastic action? If you slice the skin from an apple (if you do), you go nice and slow. You're not looking to slice and dice.

From what I've seen, it's apparent that Hasbro is more comfortable working with their own people; people they know and have grown to admire, lean and depend on. Isn't that just like home sweet home? I mean, wouldn't you rather an employer come to YOUR home to listen to YOUR application for a job at THEIR company? Home base has its advantages. You know every crook and cranny of the place. Fits like old leather. But sooner or later you must realize that hey, this leather didn't always fit or feel this good, not always so comfortable. It's kind of like buying a NEW home. At first, you want to make it "just like" your previous place of residence, it's what you like (or *cough* at least what you're used to). But heads up man, you must've bought this place for a reason right? I mean, even if you HAD to move you obviously bought this house over other viable choices because of SOME determinig factor or another? In short, if Hasbro wants to take full advantage of its ownership of Avalon Hill (and MicroProse), they just can't lay everyone off. That's not the way to run a business. After all, happy workers are productive and loyal workers.

So, even after all this discussion I don't know about hostile, but Hasbro has sure been aggressive with its aquisitions recently. Avalon one day, MicroProse another. These purchases are clearly (at least in part) Civilization related; so close together and as Activision works steadily away at its own Civilization product... heh, these have to more than just coincidental events.

In closing, let's try to put everything into perspective (we can't stay in this haze of confusion much longer, we won't hear the call for dinner). Activision holds a liscensing right from MicroProse... er, beg your pardon, I guess that's Hasbro now... to produce Call To Power, with "Civilization" in the front of its name, and an additional right to make at least one add-on sometime down the road. How will this arrangement be affected after the dust settles, if at all? How will Activision work with Hasbro? I am going to take the high road and look on the brighter side of this mess and am certain that both companies, well established in the gaming community, can make things work for the best, themselves and the gaming community as a whole.

Enough talk; action is what we want! And Activision is giving it to us and they didn't even have to. You've got to admire them, CivII is a tough act to follow but I'm most certain they can pull it off! From what I've seen already, they're already fitting the bill quite nicely. If they couldn't "match" CivII, why would MicroProse have given them a liscense? Plagued by financial (and legal) problems recently, there was no room for them to make a slip up. More importantly, Activision wouldn't be as renowed as they are now (or still be in business) if they consistently goofed up.

Let's face it, gamers are not always a patient and understanding lot. I've said my piece. Wanna make war over it? Talk nicely and I'll listen.

The opinions expressed on this page doesnt necessarily express Apolyton CS or GameStats.
It is just the personal opinions of the writer.