It's Official: Aliens from Dell
In yet another example of a good thing gone bad, Alienware, makers of some of the most kick-ass gaming machines on the planet, have sold out to Dell.
"Dell is buying Alienware, the Miami-Dade company that makes powerful PCs for video gamers, for an undisclosed sum. The companies say no jobs will be lost." [ Miami Herald ]
Is it me, or does anyone else see the end result already? If you ask me it will play out something like this...Dell agrees to buy Alienware, and makes all the promises in the world that it will allow Alienware to remain it's own entity and not mess with it's current setup. This sounds all peachy until 6 months to a year later, some bean-counter in Austin starts "thinking" how they could make more money by streamlining this or that at Alienware. It won't be long before decisions are being made in Austin, and not in Miami. The current Alienware management will cave in (because they have no choice in the matter) and ultimately Dell will do what it wants and dictate how it will be done. Next, quality of the components and support will go to the dump and you'll be having Aliens from India answering your support calls. The people who made Alienware what it is today will eventually get fed up and one by one, leave the company for something that they hope will be better. It won't be long before the Alienware executives "retire" and also leave the company. Ultimately Alienware will get rebranded "Alienware by Dell" and that will be the end of the gaming machines we know today.
We have all seen this happen far too many times to actually believe that this scenario will turn out anything but a disaster. I am happy for the guys at Alienware that busted their asses all these years, it's time for them to get the big payoff, but it will come at a price. That price is seeing their dreams and the company they poured their blood, sweat and tears into, demolished by corporate goons that have no clue what the gaming community wants in a high-end PC. Good luck Nelson and Alex, enjoy your money and go start up a new venture. My advice, create a new company that focuses on gaming, but supports the Macintosh community. Maybe, just maybe, we could someday see a Mac clone focused on gaming. Wouldn't that be something to bring to the table for Steve Jobs? You have a whole clan of Mac gamers just waiting for someone to do something cool with Macs and gaming. Give me a call if you need a Mac guru right here in Miami to help you launch your next venture. ;-)
