Rumours about acquisition by Microsoft

[AwesomeOcelot]

Well, I guess this is why PoE is not running under Obsidian, but that other company which name I forgot. So even if MS will buy Obsidian, that doesn't mean they will get Pillars.

Obsidian owns Pillars of Eternity. Pillars of Eternity is running under Obsidian. If MS buys Obsidian they get Pillars of Eternity.

Edited October 12, 2018 by AwesomeOcelot

[injurai]

Well, I guess this is why PoE is not running under Obsidian, but that other company which name I forgot. So even if MS will buy Obsidian, that doesn't mean they will get Pillars.

 

Paradox and Versus Evil are the distributing/quasi-publishing partners. With Paradox the publisher on the console port of the first game. Obsidian outright owns the IP.

[Lexx]

At this point, I'm pretty sure we've already discussed that Pillars is technically not owned by Obsidian, but another company run by the Obsidian founders.

 

/edit: Found it. Dark Rock Industries is the owner.

https://trademarks.justia.com/owners/dark-rock-industries-limited-3316531/

Edited October 12, 2018 by Lexx

[injurai]

You mean the holding shell Dark Rock Industries, LTD.? That doesn't surprise me, fairly common practice.

[peko]

 

It's all about money.

 

Wrong. It's all about the dun dun du du du dum.

 

I don't think it's funny

[Ethics Gradient]

You mean the holding shell Dark Rock Industries, LTD.? That doesn't surprise me, fairly common practice.

 

Dark Rock Industries Ltd. was formed well over a decade after Obsidian was incorporated and its existence coincides with the development of the first Pillars of Eternity.  It appears to be less of a shell or holding company for Obsidian, but a shelter for the Pillars IP and any other originals they may develop in-house.

 

I'm not sure how many other developers go through an extra step to essentially license IP back to itself, but for a studio that had a history of going paycheck-to-paycheck, it seems like a fairly shrewd business decision.  If Obsidian were to go under, the Pillars IP wouldn't automatically be up for auction like the office furniture.

 

It feels like a lesson learned from the original Fallout.  After Interplay went bankrupt, the rights bounced around between creditors until Bethesda ultimately secured the franchise.  This way, some of the original Pillars stakeholders could still have a say in where further development ends up.

[Infinitron]

https://twitter.com/klobrille/status/1050655990385790976

[InsaneCommander]

https://twitter.com/klobrille/status/1050655990385790976

 

I feel like an alien reading the replies.

[Ethics Gradient]

https://twitter.com/klobrille/status/1050655990385790976

 

 

Growing the studio to over 200 employees? Such power will be unstoppable.

 

[AwesomeOcelot]

 

https://twitter.com/klobrille/status/1050655990385790976

 

I feel like an alien reading the replies.

 

As someone who's owned Sega, Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft consoles over the years I don't understand the fanboys. Them talking about "Team Xbox" makes me sad, I hope they're wrong.

[uuuhhii]

 

 

https://twitter.com/klobrille/status/1050655990385790976

 

I feel like an alien reading the replies.

 

As someone who's owned Sega, Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft consoles over the years I don't understand the fanboys. Them talking about "Team Xbox" makes me sad, I hope they're wrong.

 

cringe when look at it

sad when think about it

[Infinitron]

tfw when you realize that its "social justice" obsession is actually only the second weirdest thing about the NeoGAF/ResetEra subculture

Edited October 14, 2018 by Infinitron

[Skazz]

Why does it have to be a subculture?
 
Why can't we all just play video games and get along.
 

 

 

 

It's all about money.

Wrong. It's all about the dun dun du du du dum.

 

I don't think it's funny

 

 

Well, I think we got it all wrong anyway.

Edited October 13, 2018 by Skazz

[Lexx]

Folks like to have someone or something to hate, might as well be the console you don't own for whatever reason.

[Bos_hybrid]

So now rather than Obsidian may be gutted/no more because of one under performing game, or subject to some of the more ruthless publishers out there. There is a chance that M$(semi-ruthless) might end them after 2-3 games..

 

Of all the big publishers, Microsoft is actually one of the better ones. In fact if Obsidian had to be bought by one, I would of thought M$ was one of the better matches.

 

I mean come on, they both like to release buggy products.

[Flouride]

So now rather than Obsidian may be gutted/no more because of one under performing game, or subject to some of the more ruthless publishers out there. There is a chance that M$(semi-ruthless) might end them after 2-3 games..

 

Of all the big publishers, Microsoft is actually one of the better ones. In fact if Obsidian had to be bought by one, I would of thought M$ was one of the better matches.

 

I mean come on, they both like to release buggy products.

 

Microsoft would probably have one of the biggest reasons to keep them alive with Xbox and Windows Store. Surely people at MS have looked at Sony's quite succesful model of handling studios that they own.

 

Someone like EA would buy them to get rid of competition, gain the IPs and then slowly/quite fast turn them into a BioWare2 that doesn't really make crpgs anymore, until the eventual closing of the studio.

Private Division / Take Two might be a good owner as well. Look how Firaxis is still making the same games they used to before being bought. Sure, their business model has been tweaked to supply DLC's but that's the cost of doing business these days.

[uuuhhii]

So now rather than Obsidian may be gutted/no more because of one under performing game, or subject to some of the more ruthless publishers out there. There is a chance that M$(semi-ruthless) might end them after 2-3 games..

 

Of all the big publishers, Microsoft is actually one of the better ones. In fact if Obsidian had to be bought by one, I would of thought M$ was one of the better matches.

 

I mean come on, they both like to release buggy products.

microsoft still are one of the big publisher

and active competitor of console war

nothing can stop them do something stupid

[InsaneCommander]

The website was down for maintenance. I was afraid it would come back as a MS address.

[injurai]

I think we were all thinking that, Shady posted the same thing in another thread as well.

[LadyCrimson]

Hmm...pretty soon every game and entertainment co. etc. will be "Taco Bell." If I'm lucky, I'll die before it truly happens.

 

...well, whatever. Even if it doesn't happen this time, it may next time. Such is life, as they say. I'll hope for (what I think of as) the best, but prepare mentally for the worst.

[Tagaziel]

Folks like to have someone or something to hate, might as well be the console you don't own for whatever reason.

Speaking as a former NMA admin, that is true. Hate is a strong mortar and it's held a part of the community over at NMA and the Codex together for the past years (though it consistently fails to attract new people and pretty much everyone I talk to since leaving considers NMA a friggin' joke).

 

That list of MS-acquired studios gives me hope, especially the studios that returned to an independent status. To be honest, the more I think of it, the less concerned I am. I don't believe that there will be homogenization - why acquire a studio, only to destroy what made it unique? - and this will give Obsidian unprecedented financial stability.

 

Of course, at this point in my life, I'm not solely focused on my enjoyment, but the Obsidian workers as well. If this gives them peace of mind, cash, and stability, go for it.

[Skazz]

Hmm...pretty soon every game and entertainment co. etc. will be "Taco Bell."

 

If Demolition Man has taught me anything, it's that the future inevitably belongs to Taco Bell.

Edited October 17, 2018 by Skazz

[the_dog_days]

 

Hmm...pretty soon every game and entertainment co. etc. will be "Taco Bell."

 

If Demolition Man has taught me anything, it's that the future inevitably belongs to Taco Bell.

 

 

Tisk tisk. The future belongs to product placement.

[Marceror]

Taco Bell has some good items on their menu, so that's not all bad. But I don't touch the trying-too-hard-to-different Doritos Locos or Insane-Gordita-Crunch type items. Their bean burrito has a wonderful simplicity and purity to it. Their chicken quesadillas are also quite fine.

 

What are we talking about again?

[InsaneCommander]

What are we talking about again?

 

MS rumor. And salt prohibition.