SOE hires IGE

Timi

Timi

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Sony Online Entertainment, (SOE) a global leader in the online gaming industry, today announced the appointment of David D Christensen to Vice President of Business Development & International Operations. In this newly created role, Christensen will be responsible for generating strategic global growth opportunities and securing key business alliances for SOE, with an emphasis on the European and Asian markets. In addition to his business development responsibilities, Christensen is tasked with managing SOE's international operations group. Christensen will be based in SOE?s new Los Angeles studio and will report to John Needham, Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President for Sony Online Entertainment.
Christensen is a veteran of the video games industry with a broad range of business experience, including development partnerships, acquisitions, licensing and business affairs. Prior to joining SOE, Christensen served as Vice President of Business Development for IGE where he drove the company's relationships with the massively multiplayer publishing community. Prior to that, Christensen served as the Director of Business Development for Vivendi Games. He was instrumental in leading negotiations on licensing and development deals for several critically acclaimed and commercially acclaimed successful franchises including Crash Bandicoot, The Incredible Hulk, Lord of the Rings, Riddick and Spyro.
"David brings a wealth of experience to his new role within SOE," said John Needham, Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President, Sony Online Entertainment. "His exceptional knowledge and insight into the global online gaming market will be an integral part of our expansion strategy moving forward both domestically and in key international markets."
Christensen studied taxation at the Georgetown University Law Center and received his Juris Doctor from The John Marshall Law School. He earned his Bachelor's degree at the University of Illinois.
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Gomi said:
Isn't IGE the goldfarming place?
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The very same. Here's a little bit better explanation...

Thursday, April 12, 2007

SOE hires IGE

Labels: Gaming News, Gaming Opinion
David Christianson, former Vice President of Business Development for IGE, will now be the Vice President of Business Development & International Operations for Sony Online Entertainment. SOE's official press release states that "prior to joining SOE, Christensen served as Vice President of Business Development for IGE where he drove the company’s relationships with the massively multi-player publishing community."

This news is beyond interesting. SOE already runs Station Exchange servers, which basically legitimizes the practice of Gold Farming, Power Leveling, and Real Money Trade(RMT). The ramifications of such are heavily debated, but I have yet to find a non-SOE voice that actually believes services such as Station Exchange are good for a game and it's community.

This may seem like just a RMT issue to most people, but a little research into IGE will show a slew of unethical, and questionable business practices. It would not be surprising to wake up tomorrow, and see IGE being investigated on money laundering charges. Why would SOE even think about hiring a former IGE employee; let alone an employee so entrenched within the company? This hiring speaks volumes about the business politics of SOE and their money first mentality.

This strongly supports my opinion that SOE just wants your money. Everything they can charge you for; they will. They don't give a damn about you as a player, and I doubt they ever will. Sorry Grimwell, I had to say it.

Posted by Heartless_ at 8:22 AM
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This makes sense, actually. Smart move by SOE. And it fits their pattern. Whenever someone becomes a threat to their software, they hire them. If you can't beat them, make them join you. Kudos SOE.
 
I'm not sure "kudos" are in order. I'd wait and see where SOE goes with this. They haven't done anything correctly and keep screwing their customer base and if speculation is right, in the near future, customers will be bending over again.

The problem with SOE is that they are victims of their own vision. They try to revolutionize and end up getting beat every time and instead of seeing something through, they jump on the next crazy idea and end up getting beat, screwing their customers, and screwing themselves in the process.
 
Timi said:
I'm not sure "kudos" are in order. I'd wait and see where SOE goes with this. They haven't done anything correctly and keep screwing their customer base and if speculation is right, in the near future, customers will be bending over again.

The problem with SOE is that they are victims of their own vision. They try to revolutionize and end up getting beat every time and instead of seeing something through, they jump on the next crazy idea and end up getting beat, screwing their customers, and screwing themselves in the process.
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How that sayink goes? "Old dogs can't learn new tricks"? *giggle*
 
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