A Special Announcement From Obsidian

[Flouride]

 

Yes, they do that all the time when it comes to launch titles and money grabbing sequels. Ever heard of KOTOR 2? This is Microsoft we're talking about, it's not like they're an unknown quantity.

Obsidian's cut? Since when?

Developers have been bought and scrapped the projects they were working on before now. Obsidian almost went under a few years ago when Microsoft suddenly changed their mind about a project.

 

It wouldn't be so bad if you weren't aware of these practices that are quite common amongst big publishers, but Microsoft has a history of doing this with Obsidian, so it's not like what I wrote is bizarre or out of the question.

 

 

Good thing The Outer Worlds is neither of those things. Also since Private Division is owned by Take Two, I'm sure that MS doesn't want to piss them off by acting greedy. They would be beyond retarded to piss off one of the major publishers.

 

Oh, you've seen the deal they've made with Private Division? Obsidian's cut of the pie is for example the development costs that are being paid by Private Division. Anything MS gets from the sales is a big bonus for them, royalties or bonuses. They want to be able to promote Obsidian's first fully funded MS game with the text "From the makers of The Outer Worlds" instead of bringing up games from 10 years ago that most 15-20 year olds haven't even heard of.

 

You must have heard about Gamepass. It's stupid think that now that MS is betting heavily on it that they would just kill off every studio that they've bought and immediately run out of games to put on it. Phil Spencer also has way more leverage inside the company and he seems like a guy who gets it.

 

What comes to the scrapped project even Obsidian themselves have said that they were at fault as well. That they should have been more vocal about the issues, instead of just going with what the leadership of MS wanted back then (Don Mattick was it?).

 

Yes MS has scrapped studios in the past. Sometimes for a solid reason, sometimes for a stupid reason. Nevertheless the people at MS have seen what Sony can do with their own studios. Those are some of the best games people can get on their console, that won't be available for the competition. MS didn't have that luxury for the most part of this console gen. When next gen consoles hit the stores they will have multiple studios making exclusives for their console and for GamePass.

That's some huge motivation right there, to keep their studios open and making games.

[Mygaffer]

Congratulations!

I believe in POE-III

Do we really believe Microsoft is going to bankroll a Pillars 3? I highly doubt it.

 

But that's not really such a bad thing. Deadfire is great but Pillars is Pillars and I've played it already. Let's see something new.

 

What I'm hoping is that we don't see the games become MTX laden, online only, subscription/streaming only, Microsoft Store only modern gaming BS. That would make the company dead to me.

[IndiraLightfoot]

 

As a consequence of this merger, can we expect any improvements to inquiries about your website?

 

This sucker's been percolating for more than 4 years, and still not word one you Obsidianites: https://forums.obsidian.net/topic/66742-forum-edit-function-too-sensitive/

 

You could at least pop in and call me out for the loser I obviously am for not giving up on that thread/question. "You're a loser Marceror. Go get a real life." That would at least be something. Do the vast resources of MS maybe, possibly allow for someone to check in on forum questions once or twice a year? Just wondering?

 

There's always also a chance that the forums as we know it get closed down.

 

That's why I'd like to see an official Obsidian reply ASAP on this:

-Can't we just convert these forums into Obsidian Classic and be done with it, just in order to save them?

 

Moreover, I predict that InXile and Obsidian will merge into one bunch somehow, given their obvious social/work interconnectedness.

[Chilloutman]

one of the worst Monday mornings ever. Good luck Obs, I hope I will still be able to enjoy your games. But if you put it on console or god forbit GFWL you are dead to me! Dead you hear me?!

[Chilloutman]

 

As a consequence of this merger, can we expect any improvements to inquiries about your website?

 

This sucker's been percolating for more than 4 years, and still not word one you Obsidianites: https://forums.obsidian.net/topic/66742-forum-edit-function-too-sensitive/

 

You could at least pop in and call me out for the loser I obviously am for not giving up on that thread/question. "You're a loser Marceror. Go get a real life." That would at least be something. Do the vast resources of MS maybe, possibly allow for someone to check in on forum questions once or twice a year? Just wondering?

 

There's always also a chance that the forums as we know it get closed down.

 

 

Look at your signature, now do your job! We might have only few days left man

[Chilloutman]

 

at 4:25

 

our fears gets real

[juanval]

Arghh. Terrible video, with the Xbox simbol and the gamepads in the wall.

[Gorgon]

Lessons in corporate doublespeak start tomorrow. In the mean time I'm tremendoulsy excited to ... *blank*... followed by shouting. 

[JerekKruger]

I'm not particularity surprised by this news (well the Obsidian part of it, InXile is a bit surprising).

 

Whilst it would be nice to think that Obsidian will be left too do their thing with relatively little interference from Microsoft, I am not optimistic. As such I mostly hope that's this gives Obsidian's employees more job security than they had.

 

As for me, so long as they make good games I want I'll buy them. My concern, like many others, is that MS will interfere to make the games have more 'mass appeal' and what I enjoy about Obsidian's games will be lost. Before anyone says 'that's what most people want' or similar, I am well aware of that and don't begrudge and company making such choices, but if it's not what I want I won't be buying it and I'm allowed to be sad that one of the free companies making the streets of games I want may soon not be.

 

Also if Live (it whatever it's called these days) is required then I'm out. I already skipped ME3 for that reason.

[Skazz]

Lessons in corporate doublespeak start tomorrow. In the mean time I'm tremendoulsy excited to ... *blank*... followed by shouting. 

 

https://youtu.be/BAeTf8px0mE

[IndiraLightfoot]

I don't even own an X-Box, so in the reasonably near future, I most likely will need one if I want to play games from my favourite devs. Somehow, this feels like extortion, as it is a machine I don't want and that I don't have any space for, regardless of how slim and streamlined.

 

And I have said it before and I'll say it again: I hate exclusives!

Edited November 12, 2018 by IndiraLightfoot

[JerekKruger]

I don't even own an X-Box, so in the reasonably near future, I most likely will need one if I want to play games from my favourite devs. Somehow, this feels like extortion, as it is a machine I don't want and that I don't have any space for, regardless of how slim and streamlined.

I'd be surprised if many games that are "xbox exclusive" aren't eventually ported to the PC. By and large the two markets aren't competing in the same way that xbox and playstation are, so not porting to PC hurts overall profits. Of course you'll likely have to wait before it happens, and more bothersome for me is the tendency for UIs not to be properly adapted when ported from consoles to PCs.

[Tale]

I'm not worried that Obsidian will become console exclusive. Microsoft has had some surprising PC support of late. Of course, it's awkwardly cyclical if we go back a few years, where they support PC then don't. Hope they stick to it this time around.

 

It being Microsoft Store exclusive is more likely, but still they are doing Steam releases. I was beyond thrilled when Halo Wars showed up on Steam.

[SonicMage117]

 

I don't even own an X-Box, so in the reasonably near future, I most likely will need one if I want to play games from my favourite devs. Somehow, this feels like extortion, as it is a machine I don't want and that I don't have any space for, regardless of how slim and streamlined.

I'd be surprised if many games that are "xbox exclusive" aren't eventually ported to the PC. By and large the two markets aren't competing in the same way that xbox and playstation are, so not porting to PC hurts overall profits. Of course you'll likely have to wait before it happens, and more bothersome for me is the tendency for UIs not to be properly adapted when ported from consoles to PCs.

True but not sure if that will be exactly true for the future.

 

I mean, Sony doesn't port their games to pc and they're making for more with 1 game on PS4 alone than Microsoft does with 3 Xbox exclusives which are also available on pc. Xbox titles don't particularly sell well on Windows Store as many have demonstrated here in the comments with "We don't want console ports" or "Casualized games, no thanks" and "I wouldn't touch Windows Store with a ten foot pole". So it's more of a waste in the end really.

 

My hope is that Microsoft is doing is preparing to take the Xbox exclusive road by getting actual console exclusives again (non-pc) and get Xbox players to put their consoles first again for games rather than just owning a an Xbox One and treating it as a secondary pc. I think they're starting to give up on hoping to beat Sony and Nintendo their "Crossbuy" way and doing things how they used to last gen - which was working far better for them.

 

Besides that Xbox loyalists hate when Xbox "exclusives" get ported to pc/Windows 10 so perhaps Spencer is pulling that plug and Microsoft will start to acknowledge that.

Edited November 12, 2018 by SonicMage117

[knownastherat]

What to say? wow 

[Flouride]

one of the worst Monday mornings ever. Good luck Obs, I hope I will still be able to enjoy your games. But if you put it on console or god forbit GFWL you are dead to me! Dead you hear me?!

 

Well your life must be a great success and a joyful ride if a sale of company makes in on the "worst mondays ever" list. Can we switch, my monday so far has sucked in every aspect.

[Chilloutman]

it was big overstatement ofc

[Malcador]

Maybe they'll get told to make an open world TPP RPG

[IndiraLightfoot]

An Arcanum MMO FTW!

[Remoth]

Well, congratulations, and goodbye, if your games will be windows store / console exclusives, and/or console ports. So yeah, probably goodbye, and thanks for all the great games.

[Hassat Hunter]

Huh, well thats quite a change. So the rumors are true. While the fear is big that the games Obsidian and inXile will produce now will be console ports and/or more casual games then hardcore RPG niche games, there is at least this quote from Microsoft:

 

It was important for us to find studio partners who have strong creative visions, a mastery of their medium and are expert world-builders. Obsidian and inXile embody all of these qualities while also bringing expertise on the PC platform and a unique RPG focus to the table.

 

So at least this sounds to me that they still want these companies to produce their games mainly on PC and creating RPGs. But it would be good to know if Obsidian will now produce more casual games for the mass market (that would really be a bummer...) or if they will still produce similiar games like today.

 

 

I'm pretty sure EA also said that aquiring BioWare and look at them now, making Destiny 3: Even worse than Destiny 2 edition.

Also IGN with Humble Bundle and they're not exactly gotten better on it (more desperate though, definitely).

I don't trust these "we wont change them." for a second.

 

After all, We don't want to look pathetic and whiney like the Blizzard community.

No, just you. This is in poor taste, try to show them a bit of respect. After all, We don't want to look pathetic and whiney like the Blizzard community.

 

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.

Besides, this is the best thing that could have happened for Obsidian

While that's probably true, what's best for Obsidian doesn't automatically mean the best for it's fans. Or we'd all be cheering on lootboxes since they make companies so much money over our backs.

And yeah, I'd happily take an arcadey casual 4 character party couch-multiplayer action rpg in the Pillars world for an exclusive Xbox title.

Somewhat doubt many would, and it does sound like a pretty risky proposition on paper. As publisher I would shoot that idea right down. The lack of likes on your post doesn't help selling it eitehr.

Not every game from Obsidian has to be or should be a single player Crpg.

Cause we're all cheering about the tank game. What do you mean, literally nobody of this fanbase remembered till I just pointed it out? It was suuuuuuch a fan-favorite (not).

Now just hoping the members here start to bite their tongue a bit and just think of what this partnership could really mean.

We ARE. What do you think leads to this "doomthinking". When indie's is all that's good in gaming nowadays, and all AAA goes down the ****ter, why should we not be concerned for an indie being swalled by one?

So... conclusion in my humble opinion: The chances for a new KOTOR and Fallout: New Vegas are better than ever - if not very good all around.

Bethesda went out and said specifically they never EVER want another company working on Fallout and banked hard on that, and Star Wars is still in deadhold by Eletronic Arts. Not to mention Disney and Lucasfilm doing their utmost best to **** all over it that even if KOTOR3 saw the light it'll probably be a terrible terrible thing.

So no, further than ever.

Edited November 13, 2018 by Hassat Hunter

[kanisatha]

 

I'm willing to wait and see, but "Microsoft exclusive" is what bothers me. I will never ever buy a console, and I will also not buy my games from the Windows Store. So will I still be able to play future Obsidian games? I hope someone from Obsidian will answer this question very soon.

 

For what it's worth, inXile's been actively responding on Twitter at many of the questions asked to them about their own acquisition by Microsoft. On the question of online stores and GoG, their response is: "We're keeping our backer commitments for BT4 and WL3. Beyond that, it's hard to say. It's still very early in this new relationship." This would suggest other platforms are not out of the question, at least for the community-backed stuff currently in the works. On the other hand this suggests Win/Xbox exclusivity may be a part of the deal for future non-backer games for them. So, assuming the deal with Obsidian was similar, sad times.

Yeah this exact line is also what someone from inXile posted on their forums which I also browse. But it doesn't really tell me anything about what happens to new games in the future, which is what I am concerned about.

[Azdeus]

What to say? wow 

 

I've been mostly sticking to Kurwa today.

[kanisatha]

 

 

I don't even own an X-Box, so in the reasonably near future, I most likely will need one if I want to play games from my favourite devs. Somehow, this feels like extortion, as it is a machine I don't want and that I don't have any space for, regardless of how slim and streamlined.

I'd be surprised if many games that are "xbox exclusive" aren't eventually ported to the PC. By and large the two markets aren't competing in the same way that xbox and playstation are, so not porting to PC hurts overall profits. Of course you'll likely have to wait before it happens, and more bothersome for me is the tendency for UIs not to be properly adapted when ported from consoles to PCs.

True but not sure if that will be exactly true for the future.

 

I mean, Sony doesn't port their games to pc and they're making for more with 1 game on PS4 alone than Microsoft does with 3 Xbox exclusives which are also available on pc. Xbox titles don't particularly sell well on Windows Store as many have demonstrated here in the comments with "We don't want console ports" or "Casualized games, no thanks" and "I wouldn't touch Windows Store with a ten foot pole". So it's more of a waste in the end really.

 

My hope is that Microsoft is doing is preparing to take the Xbox exclusive road by getting actual console exclusives again (non-pc) and get Xbox players to put their consoles first again for games rather than just owning a an Xbox One and treating it as a secondary pc. I think they're starting to give up on hoping to beat Sony and Nintendo their "Crossbuy" way and doing things how they used to last gen - which was working far better for them.

 

Besides that Xbox loyalists hate when Xbox "exclusives" get ported to pc/Windows 10 so perhaps Spencer is pulling that plug and Microsoft will start to acknowledge that.

Actually, a MS executive, maybe actually this Spencer chap, has a YT interview where he says exactly the opposite. He says he is personally taking charge of strengthening the porting of games to PC and also strengthening the MS Store because the company acknowledges those are areas of weakness for them right now.

[kanisatha]

The issue of what happens to these forums is also of great concern to me, and again something I hope we hear officially from OE about very soon. I have no interest in browsing the MS forums. The smallness and the community nature of these forums is precisely why I care to spend my time here.

 

Relatedly, I imagine now we will never have anyone of significance from OE interacting with us core fans ever again in these forums. Some low-level person will be assigned the job of occasionally posting here and that will be it for us. After all, to the extent that any high-up person ever posted here, it has been almost exclusively related to one or another of OE's crowdfunded games. So, no more crowdfunded OE games must surely mean no more developer interactions with us.