Paradox has acquired Harebrained Schemes

[IHaveHugeNick]

The 20-man indie studio that makes mobile games in Seattle sells more iPhone games.

I fixed your post.

 

[Jason Liang]

It's a good move. Battletech was too big of an IP for HBS.

 

[Infinitron]

I think HBS are more like 60-80 large now.

 

[almondblight]

Our frequently banned friend above actually has a point that acquiring a dev who have no worthwhile IP of their own (Necropolis lol) is a bit unusual.

They also have Golem Arcana, for whatever that's worth.

Anyway, since MS was willing to license Shadowrun out to HBS (who were mobile app debs at that point) and Cliffhanger Productions in the first place I doubt they had important plans for the IP. I don't think the acquisition by Paradox would necessarily make things more difficult. But the fact that they keep saying they're going to focus on tactical games seems to hint that they're not going to be as focused on RPGs going forward.

 

[Xotiphile]

Pillars IP alone is probably worth about as much as the entire HBS acquisition.

The Pilltards are the dumbest people on this forum. Dumber than Oblivions.

 

[Bohr]

Liked this snippet from the forum Q&A

Is HBS going to shift its focus to developing tons of DLC?
We will be supporting BATTLETECH with updates and additional content and we are starting concept development for a new title.

And really missed a fabulously optimistic rating over there...

HBS working with the VTM universe?

Oh hell yes.

 

[Bohr]

20 years ago... or so... I managed to email Jordan directly on AOL... after reading that FASA had been sold to Microsoft (yeah over dialup at 52K via AOL. Sadly, I do not have that email anymore. My point was... you just sold out and killed BT. His reply was something along the lines of... but now we have the resources of a MS to do stuff and things will be great. Enter the 15 year break in all things FASA as the IP bounced.

Paradox has had its own "issues". However, HBS has delivered. Jordan, I hope you have learned.

 

[Jason Liang]

A Vampire tactical strategy game...

OR they could do another White Wolf property like Exalted.

 

[Azalin]

Inb4 they announce 20 dlcs for Battletech half of them cosmetic,anyway HBS making WOD games wouldn't be out of the question

 

[Bladeract]

This site has become tuned to shilling HBS and Obsidian. What will become of it now that they are both on the fast track to the garbage heap?

 

[Ivan]

I wonder what Feargus thinks right now, especially since Battletech sold at least twice as much as Dumpsterfire and possibly over 4 times more.

source?

 

[Blackstaff]

BattleTech isn't an "HBS IP". Wonder how Microsoft (BattleTech video game license owners) feel about being partnered with a rival publisher now.

Like shit most likely.
Honestly, for the shadowrun and Battletech IPs, this means that either HBS thought that MS was going to take them back after the current lease so what the hell, either they think Paradox has the means and the will to buy them back to MS for good (which seems hard to believe : MS hates selling their IPs). It's also possible that after their license expires, they wants to work on Vampire or some other IPs from Paradox.

On the short term, it's most likely not going to change much for HBS, but I'm still worried for future drm free release, even if Paradox works with GOG sometimes.

 

[Latelistener]

I heard you wanted a sequel to Bloodlines...

 

[Xotiphile]

I wonder how the chinaman feels

Funny, I thought he is a gameplay designer, inc systems. Turns out he is an artist... w t f
http://mikebot.net/photo/about
Also, his name is Mike McCain

 

[FreeKaner]

I heard you wanted a sequel to Bloodlines...

You would expect mentally deranged men to at least write some interesting stories.

 

[Xotiphile]

I wonder why H. Schemes is an LLC where company losses are passed to the personal taxes of Weisman. But the holding company has 3 partners. And the holding corp can "offer" services to the LLC for it to never turn a profit.
And now there is another holding corp probably related to the sale.
Shouldnt the LLC now lose its validity?
calling alcoholic mustawd.

 

[Bladeract]

I heard you wanted a sequel to Bloodlines...

You would expect mentally deranged men to at least write some interesting stories.

Eccentric people are interesting storytellers, genuinely mentally ill people not so much.

 

[Xotiphile]

BT is released on 24. Apr.
Bag of Holding Inc is created on 30. Apr.
Sale was on condition of good perf on first week?

 

[Thane Solus]

Paradox is shit but sometimes can be decent, but HBS... is absolute SJW incompetent garbage, so i consider this incline. Of course if they keept kiva hired, they already shoot themselfs in the foot, but thats Paradox.

 

[Roguey]

I wonder what Feargus thinks right now, especially since Battletech sold at least twice as much as Dumpsterfire and possibly over 4 times more.

He's thinking this is small potatoes. 7.5 million divided among Obsidian's four owners would be chump change.

 

[Infinitron]

This guy on RPS says: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/20...g-harebrained-schemes-studio/#comment-2649467

Honestly, my biggest concern about this affair is that Microsoft might see this as very solid proof of the FASA computer-game licenses that they’ve been generous with are in fact worth a lot more to them as exclusive IPs, i.e. they decide to wrestle back control in order to make their own BattleTech/Shadowrun titles.

I mean, I love HBS, backed several of their Kickstarters, but does anyone think they’d have gotten to this point where they get purchased by Paradox without having been granted usage of the old FASA licenses? Mind you, last I recall the licenses were granted until 2020, but that was a few years ago so I guess it’s very possible a longer period has already been negotiated.

Time will tell I guess, I just hope it doesn’t lead to a repeat of history.

How does he know that.

 

[agris]

How does he know that.

https://duckduckgo.com/?q="Harebrained+Schemes"+"2020"+"Microsoft"&t=h_&ia=web

Spiralface is responsible for two of the four relevant links, no source that I can see in 60 seconds of searching.

 

[Mark Richard]

It's very difficult to hoodwink me with a bad game. On the rare occasion it does happen... well, let's just say giant mechs will be fighting amongst the stars in reality before Harebrained Schemes gets taken off my shitlist.

 

[Bladeract]

I wonder what Feargus thinks right now, especially since Battletech sold at least twice as much as Dumpsterfire .

 

[Infinitron]

How does he know that.

https://duckduckgo.com/?q="Harebrained+Schemes"+"2020"+"Microsoft"&t=h_&ia=web

Spiralface is responsible for two of the four relevant links, no source that I can see in 60 seconds of searching.

If true, I expect we'll see BattleTech expansions until 2020. But it doesn't seem like enough time to create an entirely new game (eg, a new Shadowrun RPG). Unless the agreement been extended.