Rumours about acquisition by Microsoft

[Hassat Hunter]

F for Obsidian?
(I loaded up the forums just after reading about this on Twitter... sad times)

[AwesomeOcelot]

New exclusive games for Xbox.

**** off. It's like 2000 all over again.

[PillarsofPieternity]

So I guess no more POE for playstation users. RIP

[Tigranes]

Heh. Both obs and inxile at the same time? That's quite a day.

 

I'm reserving judgment - Obsidian has always had to fight tooth and nail to stay afloat, and a 100-200 man independent developer making ~AA RPGs has always been a very unlikely proposition in terms of survivability. You have to imagine that this buyout was the best that they were ever going to get, and I wouldn't have liked to see them refuse this then go under a few years later.

 

As for Obsidian's style & creative freedom, well, Obsidian's signature style in RPGmaking already ended after New Vegas. They've already been under something of a flux for several years now. So we will see what the future brings.

[Zoraptor]

 

New exclusive games for Xbox.

**** off. It's like 2000 all over again.

 

 

For MS 'xbox exclusive' just refers to consoles, they've had xbox exclusives on PC before. May mean Windows Store exclusivity or timed exclusivity but I doubt that to be honest. For OEI and InXile there's not much point making either console exclusive just for the sake of it.

 

May well mean no more Obsidian games for me given the attitude MS has to GOG and DRM free in general, but then I wasn't really expecting Outer Worlds at least to be anywhere other than Steam anyway and that's the only 'known' project.

[PillarsofPieternity]

I'm sure Chris Avellone is fuming at this news

[Vyrulisse]

Guess it happened... look forward to consolized games and Windows Store Exclusives. I hope I'm wrong though.

[Elerond]

 

 

New exclusive games for Xbox.

**** off. It's like 2000 all over again.

 

 

For MS 'xbox exclusive' just refers to consoles, they've had xbox exclusives on PC before. May mean Windows Store exclusivity or timed exclusivity but I doubt that to be honest. For OEI and InXile there's not much point making either console exclusive just for the sake of it.

 

May well mean no more Obsidian games for me given the attitude MS has to GOG and DRM free in general, but then I wasn't really expecting Outer Worlds at least to be anywhere other than Steam anyway and that's the only 'known' project.

 

 

MS new strategy on gaming front is to get games on all their platforms not only Xbox. 

 

I am personally interested to see what it means in reality that Obsidian and inXile will keep their independency.

[Zoraptor]

Yeah, I'd expect everything to be on xbox and PC (Windows Store time limited exclusivity, then at least steam) with no massive alterations to the games and style. I'd suspect that MS wants things more in the FONV vein from Obsidian than in the PoE vein, and maybe DivOS type games from InXile, which aren't massive departures.

Edited November 11, 2018 by Zoraptor

[Vyrulisse]

Yeah, I'd expect everything to be on xbox and PC (Windows Store time limited exclusivity, then at least steam) with no massive alterations to the games and style. I'd suspect that MS wants things more in the FONV vein from Obsidian than in the PoE vein, and maybe DivOS type games from InXile, which aren't massive departures.

Honestly I could live with that but I've seen too many developer favorites of mine get picked up and tossed out by big companies once they're used up to not be skeptical. I hope you're right though.

Edited November 11, 2018 by Vyrulisse

[AwesomeOcelot]

 

 

 

New exclusive games for Xbox.

**** off. It's like 2000 all over again.

 

 

For MS 'xbox exclusive' just refers to consoles, they've had xbox exclusives on PC before. May mean Windows Store exclusivity or timed exclusivity but I doubt that to be honest. For OEI and InXile there's not much point making either console exclusive just for the sake of it.

 

May well mean no more Obsidian games for me given the attitude MS has to GOG and DRM free in general, but then I wasn't really expecting Outer Worlds at least to be anywhere other than Steam anyway and that's the only 'known' project.

 

 

MS new strategy on gaming front is to get games on all their platforms not only Xbox. 

 

I am personally interested to see what it means in reality that Obsidian and inXile will keep their independency.

 

A load of PC ports, some of them a while after they're released on Xbox. That's what Microsoft were doing with the original Xbox. Halo eventually came onto PC as a **** PC port, a game originally developed for PC.

[Elerond]

 

 

 

 

New exclusive games for Xbox.

**** off. It's like 2000 all over again.

 

 

For MS 'xbox exclusive' just refers to consoles, they've had xbox exclusives on PC before. May mean Windows Store exclusivity or timed exclusivity but I doubt that to be honest. For OEI and InXile there's not much point making either console exclusive just for the sake of it.

 

May well mean no more Obsidian games for me given the attitude MS has to GOG and DRM free in general, but then I wasn't really expecting Outer Worlds at least to be anywhere other than Steam anyway and that's the only 'known' project.

 

 

MS new strategy on gaming front is to get games on all their platforms not only Xbox. 

 

I am personally interested to see what it means in reality that Obsidian and inXile will keep their independency.

 

A load of PC ports, some of them a while after they're released on Xbox. That's what Microsoft were doing with the original Xbox. Halo eventually came onto PC as a **** PC port, a game originally developed for PC.

 

 

Currently MS proclaims different ideology than they had when they released original Xbox, when their vision was eventually move everything gaming related to Xbox, their current direction seems to be one where they focus more on making software platforms, like their upcoming gaming streaming service. 

 

Also these days porting isn't what it was in 2000, as games are mainly made using multiplatform engines and number of compromised that had to do in game design because of hardware limitations has decreased significantly because of  massive increase in performance in all platforms. 

[AwesomeOcelot]

Also these days porting isn't what it was in 2000, as games are mainly made using multiplatform engines and number of compromised that had to do in game design because of hardware limitations has decreased significantly because of massive increase in performance in all platforms.

PC games are designed differently because monitors, mice, and keyboards are different to TVs and gamepads. Gaming PCs almost always have a far better CPU.

Actually the difference between high end PC and console hardware has increased quite a bit since the original Xbox. Consoles now being low watt PCs with mid range GPU and low end CPU, custom OS, might make things easier. Multi-platform engines might make ports easier, but it doesn't make them better.

Edited November 11, 2018 by AwesomeOcelot

[SonicMage117]

Congrats Obsidian, you definitely made the right choice. Ignore the snide comments, celebrate the victory and the paycheck, I'll continue to suport you guys and buy your games.

 

Talent is not limited by the parent/owner company, it's quite baffling that some members here would say "Goodbye quality games" due to Mucrosoft buying them out, if anything quality will only go up as they are now free to fund.

 

Again, I'll say it again,

 

CONGRATULATIONS OBSIDIAN! May you prosper and continue to give us great games, better games regardless of if only console or not (could care less as I play on both pc and console).

[Prince of Lies]

Yeah- Congratulations Obsidian!

 

It will definitely be interesting to see what happens. Microsoft loading your pockets and possibly dealing with marketing collateral will hopefuly allow you to make the games you want to make! 

[Selky]

I'm happy, but my condolences to all the isometric CRPG fans. There's no way they'll continue making those games now that they're focused on making Xbox titles.

[Vyrulisse]

Congrats Obsidian, you definitely made the right choice. Ignore the snide comments, celebrate the victory and the paycheck, I'll continue to suport you guys and buy your games.

 

Talent is not limited by the parent/owner company, it's quite baffling that some members here would say "Goodbye quality games" due to Mucrosoft buying them out, if anything quality will only go up as they are now free to fund.

 

Again, I'll say it again,

 

CONGRATULATIONS OBSIDIAN! May you prosper and continue to give us great games, better games regardless of if only console or not (could care less as I play on both pc and console).

In an ideal world yes but these things never work out that way. Obsidian made their bones so to speak making PC style games. Microsoft is focused on a console market, it's not hard to see what the future will hold.

[SonicMage117]

Fair point but...

I will speak for everyone here saying that they have our blessing to make games which suit them and us - the players well, or better yet - try out new things. VR, racing, action oriented games, fighters. Games that put them out of their comfort zone. Now they can be free to do things they REALLY wanted but never could before due to risk of closing doors and displeasing the needy fanbase. They may as well live to the fullest instead of being remembered as purely a Crpg developer - nothing wrong with that if you choose to live in that bubble but I mean, I'm confident enough in Obsidian's talent to trust they can bring something nice to other types of games so I'm looking forward to whatever Microsoft does with them.

 

Long live Microbsidian!!!

Edited November 11, 2018 by SonicMage117

[Guest]

I'm happy, but my condolences to all the isometric CRPG fans. There's no way they'll continue making those games now that they're focused on making Xbox titles.

Possibly true. The fact that they acquired both Obsidian and inXile means that it might not be. Small investment, quick turn around, dedicated market. 

Edited November 11, 2018 by Achilles

[Grimo88]

Just finish the trilogy and then they can do what they want. Pleeeeeeeaaaaase.

[Malcador]

Wonder if it'll go like Bungie.

[injurai]

Wonder if it'll go like Bungie.

 

?

[SonicMage117]

I'd hope so, though it's far too early to tell.

 

Bungie is pretty legendary in both console and pc spaces but I doubt Obsidian will become THAT big lol Halo is one of few franchises in which we've seen comics, movies, cartoons and more of, all of them being successful.

 

As far as Destiny, well I've never cared about Destiny but even with the sequels ultra low sales, Bungie is still in a better spot than ever. I respect them for giving the game out for free recently, which is a smart move on their part. Players being disappointed with Forsaken? Meh, what's new with any fanbase? Teehee

 

Still everything Bungie puts out has been quality, especially with storytelling and first person shooter gameplay (probably why there have been so many rip-offs).

[Zoraptor]

 

Wonder if it'll go like Bungie.

 

?

 

 

Bungie was bought by MS as a fairly minor entity, but bought themselves out (ie went independent again) later after the success of the Halos.

[Michael_Galt]

Red panty night for Obsidian??

 

https://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-acquires-fallout-new-vegas-star-wars-knights-/1100-6463175/

 

I hope that this is good news for Obsidian AND inXile.  I expect that WL3 will be published according to plan.  Hope this means that both will have the potential to launch more ambitious projects which require larger teams with greater financial backing, and not needing to launch Kickstarters and Fig campaigns.  I just hope it doesn't mean that they are going to be forced to pursue projects that they don't want to do...

 

 

 

 

Edited November 11, 2018 by Michael_Galt