its simple corpo slimedroid behavior - execs negotiate buyback from activision - start a bunch of new projects as anl newly indie studio, signals vitality to the megacorps - execs start to shop themselves around to a buyer - "we have a premiere live service title and look how many projects we have on the works guys, we're gonna be worth so much in x years when they release you should buy us now for (value projected based on future revenue) and reap the reward!" - megacorp takes the bait, in this case sony - old execs get massive payout in aqcuisition, to be paid out after a set time - turns out the projects were either vaporware or way out beyond the scope of what they could actually achieve - old execs stay on, viciously cutting costs and firing people to keep the revenue stream sasifsctory to guarantee that payout - payout hits, old execs dip and swap in new leadership to be left holding the bag - new team manages to spit one of the projects out out, likely out of contratcual obligation - its actually half decent, but doesnt recoup losses or hit mass appeal, leaving the conglomerate and new leaderhsip is left holding the bag while whats left of the company will be restructured to recoup as much as possible for sony
