It's been worse. Google bought all those robotics companies a few years ago. Some, such as Bot and Dolly, had real customers, and the customers were cut off. All the companies they bought were silenced - no papers, no demos, nothing. People in robotics outside Google land thought Google must be doing something spectacular. No. Just a total botch with no plan. Google ended up dumping all those companies. Some just folded. Google basically trashed the advanced robotics industry.
At least Google isn't buying game companies and trashing them.
Though I think the game industry is kind of used to that by now. Big giants like EA, Activision, Microsoft, etc keep buying smaller studios and shutting them down after a few years and a few projects.
I kind of hope that isn't the case with the studios that Microsoft has purchased recently.
Although one suspects talent will start to flee very shortly.
Oh how the mighty have fallen. Google which was an industry gold standard for innovation and job satisfaction has become anything but.
What I found most interesting is how Microsoft and Google have seemingly changed roles.
Microsoft was the old boring behemoth while Google was riding the front wave.
I guess complacency really is a silent killer.
I would really love to hear Brin's or Page's thoughts regarding the current Google