Team Meat bashes MS, Zen Studios hits Meat, both have lunch date in Bay Area
The right to a personal opinion is the crux of humanity, freedom and guns, and Team Meat and Zen Studios are exercising their liberties to the fullest. Super Meat Boy's Team Meat has been vocal about its displeasure with developing for Microsoft's Game Feast promotion in 2010, and raised the issue again on the IndieGames Podcast this month.
Team Meat say Super Meat Boy didn't receive the promotion it was verbally promised, which was supposed to include a review from Major Nelson and an exclusive launch week. Neither happened, and McMillen promises that Indie Game: The Movie captures much of Team Meat's Microsoft frustration, including what felt like being tortured in a concentration camp (IndieGames Podcast 27:35).
Zen Studios, who released Pinball FX2 in the same Game Feast promotion, had a much more amiable experience with Microsoft. In a public email, Zen argues that Super Meat Boy received "the MOST promo out of thd [sic] deal as they were the poster child for the whole campaign," and cites the Microsoft brain trust as the reason for Pinball FX2's continued success. And then it goes there:
"So why all the backlash? What are they not telling you? Is this a desperate attempt at marketing, PR...SALES? How come no one has mentioned that these guys have made millions -- is it to protect their 'we are indie and poor' image?" Zen's email concludes.
Team Meat took Twitter offense to that last bit, tweeting a profane message to Zen, which we will paraphrase as follows: "Excuse me, Zen, but could you please explain the motive behind such a bold attack of our intellectual freedom? Thank you and may you stay in good health." Zen responded, Team Meat volleyed, but in the end, we may get a Super Meat Boy skin for Pinball FX2, and both developers have some new friends.
And they lived happily ever after.
