A Special Announcement From Obsidian

[LadyCrimson]

When I hear big corp. folk talk about how they're going to change, all I tend to hear is "no new taxes." They're like politicians to me, speaking in ideology to get votes but said ideology rarely gets any long-term or lasting results, for many reasons. That isn't to say it's "lies" or that the good intentions aren't actually there or that nothing ever changes. I just like to wait to see results over propaganda. Too many assumptions in any direction before having more data than mere lip service isn't my style.

 

One can only hope for the best (whatever "best" means to each of us) - and expressing/discussing initial reservations doesn't always mean a complete lack of hope. Nothing wrong with having reservations.

 

In terms of platform concerns - I bought a PS4 then Pro for FFXV and to this day the PS4 is still mostly a paperweight - even moreso after the PC version came out (which if I'd realized would happen in only a year or so I might've waited...). I don't think I'm going to repeat the process with Xbox. So if future Obs games were ever Xbox only, I just won't be playing them until/when they're released on other more open platforms.

 

MIcrosoft Store - haven't used it yet (don't have win10 yet) and likely won't but I won't say "never ever". I haven't used Ubisoft or any other thingie besides Steam, either. I just try to overall avoid any 100+ services train as much as possible because what I already have is too much for my waning faculties (and get off my lawn crankiness) to want to deal with. Maybe I'm only delaying the inevitable. So I have no idea what I'll do if Obs has a great looking game but it's only on Windows Store/Xbox. I'll figure it out when/if it happens. Maybe I can just enjoy it vicariously through YouTube.  Pffft.

 

Hm. I guess I'm just rambling now. *exit stage left*

Edited November 14, 2018 by LadyCrimson

[kanisatha]

That's actually what I do, my wife bought me an Alienware Alpha 3 years ago, it has an hdmi in/out and optical out. Its my secondry pc but It's also my travel box. It has Windows 8.1 which makes it easier and better for gaming than Windows 7 or Windows 10.

Yeah I have the Alienware R2. Not as powerful but still extremely nice. Everything runs beautifully, especially with my 24" 4K display. And Dell's been awesome! Recently my GTX video card started misbehaving, and they sent a tech to my home to replace it on the warranty at no charge to me.

 

It's PC 'til I die for me. I'm over 50 with no kids. Why would I ever buy a console? And people like me will happily pay FULL price for the games we love. It would be stupid of MS to throw customers like me under the bus.

[injurai]

If being dense is now a form of trolling, than sadly trolls have devolved.

[SonicMage117]

The only real density here is a group of forum members who agree that someone is trolling jst because they disagree with a person or can't change the person's mind.

 

It's even more unfortunate when a moderator has to step in and connect the dots for them when they cannot read between the lines for themselves, but it's forum psychology/behavior at it's best work. Who am I to judge?

[InsaneCommander]

Can't help but remember that time SonicMage117 kept posting lots of video game news videos and people complained about spamming. But it turned out that they were the ones going off-topic...

 

The thread is for posting game news, he is posting game news, whether or not he's spamming is a question for the moderators to decide. What I can say is that the 10 or so posts people like yourself have used to criticize him is NOT game news, so now if anyone is looking for game news they need to filter through your snobbery in order to find it.

I don't see how that's much of an improvement to his "spamming".

[Hurlshort]

Going off topic is a natural part of having conversations, in real life or on a forum.

[ShadySands]

So, how's that local sports team?

[InsaneCommander]

I think I haven't actually commented about the acquisition yet.

 

I wish the best for everyone in Obsidian. You guys created some of my favorite crpgs and I'll check what comes next. But I do hope at least PoE3 follows my preferable recipe (like PoE has been so far). I might play different types of rpg, but that would be a matter of how different they are and how much free time I have.

 

 

Going off topic is a natural part of having conversations, in real life or on a forum.

 

It is. It may have sounded like I was criticizing it in my previous post, but that post was off-topic too.

[SonicMage117]

Can't help but remember that time SonicMage117 kept posting lots of video game news videos and people complained about spamming. But it turned out that they were the ones going off-topic...

 

 

The thread is for posting game news, he is posting game news, whether or not he's spamming is a question for the moderators to decide. What I can say is that the 10 or so posts people like yourself have used to criticize him is NOT game news, so now if anyone is looking for game news they need to filter through your snobbery in order to find it.

I don't see how that's much of an improvement to his "spamming".

I remember that day, for awhile it was like 10 vs 1 and then the trolling/criticizing comments stopped when other members came in and started telling the critical members that my posts were actually informative and relevant. The time of my spree was the same day that a convention was being held so tons of video game news, trailers, and other information were surfacing. Barely anyone posted anything so I did. Even when the criticizing posts stopped, I still continued for there was much work to be done still. I don't think I have to mention that guests found the critical/snide comments far more annoying than the videos I posted, still beyond me how they'd expect anyone to believe that my posts wasn't game news or relevant Seeing how more people found my posts helpful than not, it was all worth it! I regret nothing!! Edited November 15, 2018 by SonicMage117

[injurai]

Anyways...

 

I took a look back an Minecraft recently and it's impressive the amount of support this game receives through MS. Granted that game is a behemoth and pulls a lot of it's own weight, but I think it's a sign of what could come. Likewise the support of Forza has really brought it above Gran Turismo which was the king of console racing games for over a decade. Microsoft. Unfortunately Scalebound and Stormlands got cancelled, but those were also out of house partnerships, so it will be interesting to see how much better treated the studios will be when profits don't have to be fought over. Microsoft can just write off the initial loss of the acquisitions and focus on raw returns going forward.

[Flouride]

So, how's that local sports team?

 

They need to fire the head coach. From winning the damn Champions Hockey League to being 2nd worst team in the domestic league. Damn trainee even got a 3 year contract. Don't know what sorta pictures he has on the owners.

[Malcador]

Nobody is whiny and pathetic in the Blizzard community bar Blizzard. Luring PC-fans in with $100 tickets for news about their newest game for it to be a mobile port literally is the scam of the century. Not only did they **** over their fans TREMENDOUSLY... THEY ASKED MONEY FOR IT.

Scumminess to the next level.

Lured in ? Come on, two weeks in advance everyone knew D4 was not coming and they could hope only for remasters - and that's not really worth $100 - and the VTs could be refunded. Actual tickets to attend were sold months in advance before any Diablo hype was self generated by the community. And that community IS pathetic, peddling moronic conspiracy theories or acting highly emotional over just not getting what they want - demanding apologies, or wanting D:I to be cancelled..for some reason. I'm enjoying seeing them gnash their teeth over it so much.

[Guest]

Anyways...

 

I took a look back an Minecraft recently and it's impressive the amount of support this game receives through MS. Granted that game is a behemoth and pulls a lot of it's own weight, but I think it's a sign of what could come. Likewise the support of Forza has really brought it above Gran Turismo which was the king of console racing games for over a decade. Microsoft. Unfortunately Scalebound and Stormlands got cancelled, but those were also out of house partnerships, so it will be interesting to see how much better treated the studios will be when profits don't have to be fought over. Microsoft can just write off the initial loss of the acquisitions and focus on raw returns going forward.

I keep reminding myself that two of my favorite games in the last 5 years came from studios that were owned by a platform manufacturer. If the idea is that Microsoft is acquiring studios because it wants to compete against these titles, then this can't be anything other than a good thing (assuming competence on the part of Microsoft)

[LittleArmadillo0]

I haven't commented on this topic yet because it is hard to put this all my thoughts into words. Obsidian, and all the people working there, I wish for the best of everything for you guys.I wasn't the one to make the call, none of us were.

 

All that I have is hope for you.

I hope that everything goes smoothly and you are able to create stellar rpgs with more funding and financial security.

I hope that Microsoft doesn't inhibit or interfere with what makes you special.

I hope that you guys also keep the forums running. I like coming to these forum and many people do too. It would be a shame to shut it down.

I hope that your games are still sold on places like GOG and Steam and not exclusively on the Microsoft Store.

 

All that I have is hope for you, because I can't see the future.

I don't know if Microsoft will hinder or strengthen you.

All that I can do is hope that this is all the right choice.

[SonicMage117]

The best Microsoft exclusive just got released on Steam a couple days ago. Sunset Overdrive, it's the only Xbox exclusive that I actually care about right now lol

 

Edit:

Microsoft releasing Sunset OD on Steam tells me that they may not be focusing on sellimg games through Windows Store anymore. This is a very smart decision, kinda like CDPR releasing Witcher ThroneBreaker on Steam instead of GoG. Can't knock these companies for being intelligent.

Edited November 16, 2018 by SonicMage117

[Chilloutman]

considering GoG is owned by CDPR i would not be worried that it will not end there

[Hassat Hunter]

Crpg's like Pillar and Divinity: Original Sin are on consoles too. There is and should be no worry or fear for Obsidian's Crpg's as we know them.

A year later and heavily modified. It's like saying "All is fine for PC with Rockstar. You get GTA V a year later and RDR not at all, but hey... nothing changed much, right... Riiiiiiight?

All will work out well because Obsidian is strong and Microsoft will do well with them.

If they are strong, why did they need to sell out? Whoopsie.

Well I wasn't referring to after the announcement, I was referring to the event specifically in which the live Q&A was held and the same joke was told just because a fan hated what they were hearing

And once again I ask... if you payed like $200 to hear the BIG DIABLO NEWS and then get this **** shoved in your face... *are you not allowed to be dissapointed*? To me it's YOU people who act entitled. And I HATE Blizzard and all their games.

If members here whining out of selfish pity and snide remarks because Obsidian did something better for them as a company isn't in poor taste

"EA added pay-to-win lootboxes to Battlefront II because it was better for them as a company. How DARE you whine about that, that's just poor taste. Don't you know that a companies interest should be your #1 concern as fan, not... you know... their games?" Yeah. Still not buying it.

They will get new fans though, that's the whole point.

Yeah, once again, heard this sham again too with Star Wars. I sure hope for LucasFilm their "new fans" was worth ****ting all over us that shelled out 2 billion just for the name. And now they're gone. Whoops. Also how's that BioWare crowd nowadays? Gotta love the universal knowledge BioWare will be executed after Anthem yet somehow BW itself is not seeing it... or is in heavy denial. Probably the latter.

I mention this because it's hard for such a deal to make sense but luckily, Obsidian is experienced and smarter than the fans who possess this way if thinking.

Once again, you're stating this about the company THAT IS SELLING OUT. It's somewhat hard to take "they are so good at business!1!11one!" as argument about the company that is selling itself to prevent going down under. Heck, you even stated numerous time it was this or bust. How can you make this argument AND the other one? I gave the tank-game as example because people really don't care for non-RPG's from Obsidian.

But if I understand correctly, are you saying that Obsidian has more loyal fans? When a good number of them have demonstrated how angry they are by them taking this deal that they're no longer a Obsidian fan and will no longer buy their games?

You DID realise we kickstarted 4 million not once, but twice to prevent exactly something like this from happening right? Or did that just get overlooked in painting us off as the enemy?

[Hassat Hunter]

Sorry about previous post, didn't read all the comments of previous page yet

And that community IS pathetic, peddling moronic conspiracy theories or acting highly emotional over just not getting what they want - demanding apologies, or wanting D:I to be cancelled..for some reason.

You ARE aware people are thinking the *exact* same thing over us and this deal right? Are we pathetic now to your eyes?

[Triple - A Foxy Lad]

selling out by itself means fk all tbh. it just means the owners had an exit strategy and theyve executed it. these things get drawn up way in advance, and any investors coming on board will want to know what it is.

 

this is prob just mission accomplished as far as urquhart etc are concerned, provided their terms were beneficial enough. like no one wants to be running to stand still for over 20 years when u can take the money and have an easier life.

 

also, maybe i have emotional problems but i laughed for a whole day at the diablo mobile phone thing. u turn ur company into a weird cult of folk who willingly pay that much money for news of their pinata simulator. sow wind, reap whirlwind etc. a pox on all their houses.

[Guest]

Principles are great and all, but principles don't fund payroll or cover the employer-provided portion of dem health care benefits. If we *really* want to paint Obsidian with that "sell-out" brush, that should have happened back when Armored Warfare was announced.

[Hassat Hunter]

I just meant selling out as "selling their company". I know the other meaning, I probably should have phrased it better.

 Was just pointing out Sonic's "great" argument that Obsidian is a great financial genius... yet somehow in financial need for a savior. *Something* doesn't quite add up there...

also, maybe i have emotional problems but i laughed for a whole day at the diablo mobile phone thing. u turn ur company into a weird cult of folk who willingly pay that much money for news of their pinata simulator. sow wind, reap whirlwind etc. a pox on all their houses.

Yet somehow they and the "industry" are surprised people aren't happy about it... *sigh* Edited November 17, 2018 by Hassat Hunter

[Guest]

Ah. That's fair. I'm denied the pleasure of Sonic's post so I only had part of the context.

 

"Selling out" is typically used in a very specific way, but I can see your argument now.

[Triple - A Foxy Lad]

Yet somehow they and the "industry" are surprised people aren't happy about it... *sigh*

Lol. Blizzard hardsell the fk out of every ip as if it were a religion. They go out of their way to encourage the emotional dependence of folk who were likely a bit cracked in the first place.

 

I feel that playing any blizzard game now is profoundly exhausting for an outsider. they assume the average player is as enamoured with each ip as the blizzcult and blizzard themselves.

 

Theres one hell of a case study to be conducted here. Junkies turning on the dealer. Congregation burning the preacher.

[SonicMage117]

A year later and heavily modified. It's like saying "All is fine for PC with Rockstar. You get GTA V a year later and RDR not at all, but hey... nothing changed much, right... Riiiiiiight?

Well, Rockstar is a totally different company and one thing I've learned in the gaming industry is "Never Say Never". After all, we just got Voodoo Vince abd Bayonetta on Steam/PC so anything can happen. We could still get RDR1 and it may be when Rockstar releases RDR2 if they do. Microsoft just brought the only non-PC Xbox exclusive to Steam a few days ago. Obsidian games should be no different?

If they are strong, why did they need to sell out? Whoopsie.

Because "strong" doesn't mean "rich", being independently strong, talented and releasing good games doesn't mean that they automatically make good returns. We see bad games make billions and good games fail on the charts all the time.

 

Obsidian needs Microsoft because they don't know quite how to market, never did.

And once again I ask... if you payed like $200 to hear the BIG DIABLO NEWS and then get this **** shoved in your face... *are you not allowed to be dissapointed*? To me it's YOU people who act entitled. And I HATE Blizzard and all their games.

Lol Right, because I'm the one demanding that Obsidian still make Crpg's and release on GOG, or I'll stop supporting them... Makes sense

"EA added pay-to-win lootboxes to Battlefront II because it was better for them as a company. How DARE you whine about that, that's just poor taste. Don't you know that a companies interest should be your #1 concern as fan, not... you know... their games?" Yeah. Still not buying it.

Obsidian taking a buyout from Microsoft isn't anything like EA putting lootboxes into their games so I'm not sure why you're trying to make them appear as the same thing. Obsidian's doors would be closing of not for Microsoft, EA wasn't in any danger. Survival, my friend... Survival.

Yeah, once again, heard this sham again too with Star Wars. I sure hope for LucasFilm their "new fans" was worth ****ting all over us that shelled out 2 billion just for the name. And now they're gone. Whoops. Also how's that BioWare crowd nowadays? Gotta love the universal knowledge BioWare will be executed after Anthem yet somehow BW itself is not seeing it... or is in heavy denial. Probably the latter.

There's only one big difference. We are assuming we know that Microsoft will somehow interfere with Obsidian's games, we know about Star Wars movies and Bioware games, we don't know anything about Obsidian's future games so there is a lot of speculation on the forum as per usual and as expected.

Once again, you're stating this about the company THAT IS SELLING OUT. It's somewhat hard to take "they are so good at business!1!11one!" as argument about the company that is selling itself to prevent going down under. Heck, you even stated numerous time it was this or bust. How can you make this argument AND the other one? I gave the tank-game as example because people really don't care for non-RPG's from Obsidian.

I'm not sure why you would say "They HAD to sell out, therefore they AREN'T good at business". That's nonsense, this is like you're "Obsidian isn't strong because they had to sell out comment. How the games sell is far different from how the company is run lol The way the company is ran doesn't have anything to do with selling out? First time I hear if this though.

You DID realise we kickstarted 4 million not once, but twice to prevent exactly something like this from happening right? Or did that just get overlooked in painting us off as the enemy?

But I was talking specifically about the close fan-base here. The members you see commenting on the forums, the regulars, these are probably the most passionate fans of the community and yes, members here are the enemies. What else would they be? Who writes snide comments about the deal without reason, just because of their fear? They should be like "Wow, hope you still make good games on pc. Good luck and bravo, you can breathe a bit now" or something rather than "Dissapointing. You no longer have my respect or support." but it is 2018, and the entitlement is high, so is reverse logic on the net, nothing new here.

 

I just meant selling out as "selling their company". I know the other meaning, I probably should have phrased it better.

 Was just pointing out Sonic's "great" argument that Obsidian is a great financial genius... yet somehow in financial need for a savior. *Something* doesn't quite add up there...

 

Where did I claim that Obsidian was a "Financial genius" exactly? You are putting words in my mouth, my friend but I can't bother with the fact that you're someone who thinks a great company can't have any problems, go bankrupt, be bought out or have issues. History has only proven the opposite and I thought you'd know better than this.

[Chairchucker]

You DID realise we kickstarted 4 million not once, but twice to prevent exactly something like this from happening right? Or did that just get overlooked in painting us off as the enemy?

I think it was more to prevent going bankrupt and no longer having a company, than to prevent being purchased and still having a company.

 

Also, first Pillars Kickstarter had 73,986 backers, Pillars 2 Fig campaign had 33,614 backers. Approximately $2.25M of the funds raised for Pillars 2 was in 'Fig funds', which I think is money from people who invested in the game, but I'm not 100% sure.