I can't tell if you're serious or not lol.

They can reform the studio if they themselves believe in it.

You. Whether or not I agree with this is irrelevant, but I personally think developing an IP for as long as Maxis did, and then being ripped away from it and thrown to the streets is a little more jarring. However, every dev on the team isn't just going to go be a burger flipper or a cashier now, some will continue to dev games because they're passionate about it. Yes.

If somebody closes down the steel mill, the workers aren't going to go across the street and open up another steel mill.

Someone else replying to you. This metaphor is that it is hard to open up another steel mill. After all, it costs millions to open up a steel mill, and it would thus cost a decent penny to make a new game from scratch.

WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE HERE is that there are two separate Steel Mills in this metaphor. The EA operated one that booted the workers, and a hypothetical new steel mill opened by the workers of EA Mill.

Your "They move up the ranks" is in no way relevant to this metaphor because they are booted from the steel mill. They cannot move up the ranks of something they are not apart of. Thus, opening a new steel mill is implying they put in the millions required to do so. NOT getting a promotion and becoming a manager or CEO of EA Mill as you seem to want to imply.

Actually the workers often do just that.

You. You yourself went along with the metaphor of TEAM A being booted from STEEL MILL A and opening STEEL MILL B. You said workers often do just that, even though they do not. Thus, I responded with my comment that started this whole chain in that you seem to think TEAM A can just start STEEL MILL B after being ejected from STEEL MILL A (which, for consistency, is EA Mill).

Anything else I can clear up for you?