Sony Boss Blames Gov Chafee for 38 Studios Failure
Victor Paul Alvarez, GoLocalProv Contributor
Sony Boss Blames Gov Chafee for 38 Studios Failure
Smedley said Schilling approached him numerous times regarding "Kingdoms of Amalur: Project Copernicus," which was to be the first game produced by 38 Studios in Rhode Island. (Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning," was created prior to the move to Rhode Island. Praised by the gaming press, it received a Metacritic.com score of 81 out of 100). Smedley unleashed on Chafee and defended Schilling via a series of Tweets on Monday.
Smedley said Schilling approached SOE for funding prior to the now infamous Rhode Island loan. He liked Schilling's idea, as evidenced by a recent series of tweets, but the money was a problem for SOE.
"The quality was undeniable. It was gorgeous. It had smart people working on it. It was just too expensive is all," Smedley said. "The economics were too tough to make work for us. This is a business where risks are large. We had enough balls in the air. More risk was too much for us."
"Dear people of Rhode Island. Look to your elected government for failing to protect you. That 38 studios deal just never should have been. Public funds shouldn't be backing risky things like online games."
He respects Schilling for investing his now money in the company, but said "If that idiot Governor Chafee hadn't trash talked right at the time Curt was trying to get funding you would be playing the game now."
"The idea of suing someone when Chaffe's (sic) own comments were what poisoned the well at the end is beyond the pale. All he had to do was give Curt another week and we wouldn't be here today."
Is Clay Pell the Next Lincoln Chafee?
Family Legacy - Chafee
Lincoln Chafee is the son of John Chafee, the former Governor of Rhode Island, U.S. Senator, and Secretary of the Navy, who was a decorated WWII and Korean War Veteran, and posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Named in his honor include the USS Chafee (DDG-90), the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor and the John H. Chafee National Wildlife Refuge.
Family Legacy - Pell
Grandfather Claiborne Pell was Rhode Island's longest serving Senator, having served six terms from 1961 to 1997, whose legacy includes the Pell Grant, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
A decorated coast guard lieutenant in WWII and foreign service officer, Pell's Rhode Island legacy includes the Newport Bridge being renamed the Claiborne Pell Bridge, as well as the Pell Center of International Relations and Public Policy established at Salve Regina University.
Money - Chafee
Both Chafees and Senator Pell had to disclose as members of the U.S. Senate personal financial information -- and both a considerable net worth.
The U.S. Senate is known as the U.S. Millionaires Club -- in 2005, while Chafee was still in the Senate, Open Secrets pegged Chafee's wealth at between $40 and $63 million dollars.
Money - Pell
In a Time piece entitled "The New Limousine Liberals", the magazine pegged grandfather Pell's net worth at $12.7 million -- in 1992.
The website Celebrity Net Worth puts wife Michelle Kwan's personal wealth at $8 million.
While Pell's first campaign finance report has yet to be made public, records show Pell gave Democratic challenger Gina Raimondo $250 during her bid for General Treasurer in 2010.
Education - Chafee
Chafee was educated public schools in Warwick, and attended private schools Providence Country Day, and Phillips Academy before graduating from Brown University.
Chafee then attended the Montana State University in the horseshoeing school.
Education - Pell
Early Career -- Chafee
Chafee served as a delegate to the Rhode Island Constitutional Convention in 1985, and was elected to the Warwick City Council the following year.
He was Warwick's mayor in 1992 until 1999, when he was appointed to the U.S. Senate in 1999 when his father passed away while in office.
Early Career -- Pell
Named to the 2011-2012 class of White House Fellows, Pell served as Director for Strategic Planning on the National Security Staff prior to his appointment by President Obama as Deputy Assistant Secretary for International and Foreign Language Education last April.
Wife - Chafee
Wife - Pell
A decorated Olympic figure skater and world champion, Michelle Kwan went on to pursue a career in public service, serving as an American Public Diplomacy Envoy as well as on the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports -- and was recently inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame.
