Evening. How's Obsidian doing?

[Mr. Teatime]

Hi all.

 

Been like two years since I showed my face around here, having migrated from the old BIS boards before that studio closed and having been pretty involved in FO fandom over the decades. Some of you may recognise me. Probably not, though, hah.

 

Was pondering a question I read on RPG Codex recently. Given that FO:NV sold really well, and given that Obsidian now have their own engine as well, how has that affected the developer's leverage with publishers? Any chance of an original IP?

 

Maybe I've missed some news/rumours. But would appreciate a catch-up. Even though I've found 50% of Obsidian's games disappointing (to be honest, I only really like and applaud FO: NV) I have faith in the talent at the studio, especially if they are given some freedom to be creative.

 

Also, after experiencing initial ambivalence, I'm excited about the South Park RPG. Done right, it could be something really awesome in the Paper Mario vein of games, lampooning the genre and all that's messed up within it while having it's own classy RPG gameplay.

 

EDIT: And look at that, my join date of 7 February 2004. I think I was one of the first ten people to register here, haha.

Edited December 5, 2011 by Mr. Teatime

[C2B]

Was pondering a question I read on RPG Codex recently. Given that FO:NV sold really well, and given that Obsidian now have their own engine as well, how has that affected the developer's leverage with publishers? Any chance of an original IP?

 

Josh Sawyer is Project Director on one. We know nothing about it and probably not for a while as it "just (few months ago)" started.

[Mr. Teatime]

Was pondering a question I read on RPG Codex recently. Given that FO:NV sold really well, and given that Obsidian now have their own engine as well, how has that affected the developer's leverage with publishers? Any chance of an original IP?

 

Josh Sawyer is Project Director on one. We know nothing about it and probably not for a while as it "just (few months ago)" started.

 

Cool. Yeah, that's what I've read elsewhere. Incidentally, I'm still surprised at the irony of a true Fallout game (IMO) being the thing that brings Obsidian huge commercial success. Given how IPLY treated the licence when BIS still existed.

[Tigranes]

I remember you.

 

Obsid seems to be in no particular financial / reputational crisis of any sort, though beyond that, given its nature as a middle-sized independent studio, I doubt you could really make any claim to guaranteed stability. I suspect Aliens / Alpha Protocol's inability to please its publisher and do a slam dunk has delayed Feargie's intended company cycle, and so they are taking it a bit slower with DS3 and now South Park RPG to push their engine. One would expect that before the engine's lifetime is over they would want 1 or 2 original IP projects, and at least one seems to be either in development or being pitched around.

[Volourn]

"given its nature as a middle-sized independent studio,"

 

Actually, as to independent studios, they are likely one of the largest. They have 100+ employees and are able to handle 2-3 projects at once.

 

I also agree the whining about the SP RPG is silly. It can't be any worse than SOZ, DS3, or AP.

 

And, FO:LV is, by far, their best game. Good stuff.