Net Ten: Ten Biggest Gaming Breakups (page 1) Subscribe to this RSS feed

Yeah, love is dandy and all, but it often ends in heartbreak. Whether it be a firing, company split, or a gaming couple calling it quits, these ten breakups affected more than just the unlucky couple--they changed the gaming industry. As Seinfeld has proven, there's no mutual breakups, so we've listed the dumper before the dumpee for each entry.

#10 Joystiq and Robert Summa

Sometimes, all it takes to derail a relationship is a slight miscommunication. Robert Summa was fast becoming one of Joystiq's most popular bloggers when he decided to report that Nintendo had big news coming at midnight on the evening of September 7th 2006. The news--hyped by Nintendo and carried on many other major sites--ended up being that the production of the Wii's graphic chip had been going smoothly. This midnight madness didn't sit well with the readers of Joystiq, which caused blog and blogger to split. Thankfully, Summa found a spot at Destructoid, a blog that has seen its readership grow exponentially since his arrival.

#10 Joystiq and Robert Summa

#9 Sony and Official PlayStation Magazine

Sony's made some pretty boneheaded decisions as of late, and while dumping OPM may not have been the most noticeable, it has the potential for some pretty damning after-effects. OPM had a banner year in 2006, asserting its independence and becoming a trustworthy source for all things Sony. Unfortunately, Sony switched gears and has decided to focus more on online demo distribution and gaming coverage--where they've been eating it since the PS3 launched. Meanwhile, Nintendo and Microsoft's magazines continue to flourish. It's always maddening to see other couples getting along, isn't it, Sony?

#9 Sony and Official PlayStation Magazine

#8 Rare and Nintendo

Conker's Bad Fur Day. Banjo-Kazooie. Killer Instinct. All classic titles for Nintendo platforms, developed by the company's reliable second-party developer, Rare. Developing classic Nintendo-published titles for four console generations, Rare had been settled into a comfortable relationship until the company's wandering eye caught the big new console developer, Microsoft. Intrigued by the Xbox's power and Bill Gates' piles of cash, Rare jumped ship to become one of Microsoft's key developers. As is the norm for recently-ended long-term relationships, neither company has benefitted from the split, as Nintendo still hasn't found a suitable second-party replacement, and Rare has yet to replicate its success on Microsoft's platforms.

#8 Rare and Nintendo

#7 Richard Garriot and Electronic Arts

Richard Garriot, the former head of Origin Studios, and Electronic Arts had spent many wonderful years together, putting Garriot's Ultima series on the map. It all went bad around the turn of the millennium, when EA unceremoniously canned a handful of Origin's upcoming MMORPGs. Garriot, in turn joined NCSoft, helming some of the biggest MMOs of the last few years, including Lineage II and the City of Heroes/Villians series, while EA has languished in producing new Ultima projects since his departure.

#7 Richard Garriot and Electronic Arts

#6 Solid Snake and Meryl Silverburgh

"I'm through with tomboys" With only four words, the hearts of millions of Metal Gear fanboys sank. After watching the two bond during an intense espionage mission in Metal Gear Solid, gamers had high hopes for Meryl Silverburgh; the spunky ying to Snake's stoic yang. Her absence in Sons of Liberty was a bit of a disappointment, which, when coupled with the addition of Raiden, made the sequel unbearable to some. Meryl seems to have a prominent role in Metal Gear Solid 4, but the prospect of a May-December romance with the rapidly aging Snake isn't quite as alluring as it once was back in the days of the PS1.

#6 Solid Snake and Meryl Silverburgh