Obsidian General Discussion Thread

[S.torch]

acquisition trap?

Trap? Videogame companies (and many others) are often purchased by million of dollars. People who sold these companies are not ignorant of the many drawbacks of selling yourself to a megacorporation (like less artistic freedom or being forced to do this or that in the game). That's being naive. They just don't care at all about making good games (or books, or music). They only care about money and that's already solved.

 

[Oberon]

So why isn't anyone excited for Arcanum sequel now that Activision's part of MS?

 

[Kleptocratic debt serf]

So why isn't anyone excited for Arcanum sequel now that Activision's part of MS?

Some guy, mostly likely an imposter named Tim Cain, responded to a Reddit post with the following ->

"level 2
TimCain

·11 days ago

I’ll discreetly ask around. No promises.

dusts off his Arcanum sequel design doc"

 

[Roguey]

Yep, that's Tim, he posted in an Obsidian AMA. From five years ago: https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comme...ertainment_creators_of_aaa/d9tono2/?context=3

The amount of money to acquire the rights makes doing a sequel nonviable.

Activision giving Obsidian a massive figure when they asked if they could license it.

 

[Nano]

Going through his comment history. There's a lot of cringe. https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/rplyag/comment/hq5whg9/

 

[Fargus]

So why isn't anyone excited for Arcanum sequel now that Activision's part of MS?

I'm super excited, man. My excitement goes through the roof just thinking about one of my favorite rpgs getting a current year sequel from nu-Obsidian with unhinged faggot like Tim Cain and has-been Boyarsky as leads, and published by BLMLGBTsoft. Bloodlines 2 got nothing on that shit.

Spoiler

 

[Alienman]

Oh boy. Here comes Arcanum geometric shapes edition.

 

[Infinitron]

As far as I know, none of the studios and publishers acquired by Microsoft over the past few years have shared IP with one another yet. Each one seems to be continuing to operate as an independent unit producing its own stuff. This may be an intentional policy on Microsoft's part, and in that case you shouldn't expect to see an Arcanum 2 from Obsidian anytime soon.

 

[Duraframe300]

As far as I know, none of the studios and publishers acquired by Microsoft over the past few years have shared IP with one another yet. Each one seems to be continuing to operate as an independent unit producing its own stuff. This may be an intentional policy on Microsoft's part, and in that case you shouldn't expect to see an Arcanum 2 from Obsidian anytime soon.

I mean a bit early to make speculations on that front. Most of these studios haven't even finished their first project with Microsoft, nor was there any urgent reason to share IP's.

I will say, don't expect anything to happen until after the merger is finalized in 2023.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

idk if you guys played outerworlds, but you don't want an arcanum 2, trust me

 

[Roguey]

As far as I know, none of the studios and publishers acquired by Microsoft over the past few years have shared IP with one another yet. Each one seems to be continuing to operate as an independent unit producing its own stuff. This may be an intentional policy on Microsoft's part, and in that case you shouldn't expect to see an Arcanum 2 from Obsidian anytime soon.

I was looking at trademarks the other week and noticed that Pillars of Eternity, Wasteland, Torment, and Van Buren (lol) were transferred over to Microsoft some time ago. However, Zenimax still owns The Elder Scrolls and Fallout. It might depend on the terms of the deal; if Arcanum gets transferred to Microsoft, then Activision's thoughts on the matter become irrelevant.

Additionally I'd like to point out that Microsoft gave Fable to the Forza people of all studios.

 

[Infinitron]

Well, they had no choice with Fable because the original developer is gone.

 

[vortex]

They could give Arcanum to Forza people or The Initiative after they make Perfect Dark.

 

[FreeKaner]

It's clear they'll shuffle around IPs in future, Bethesda and Obsidian need to release the games they are already producing.

 

[Quillon]

As far as I know, none of the studios and publishers acquired by Microsoft over the past few years have shared IP with one another yet. Each one seems to be continuing to operate as an independent unit producing its own stuff. This may be an intentional policy on Microsoft's part, and in that case you shouldn't expect to see an Arcanum 2 from Obsidian anytime soon.

I was looking at trademarks the other week and noticed that Pillars of Eternity, Wasteland, Torment, and Van Buren (lol) were transferred over to Microsoft some time ago. However, Zenimax still owns The Elder Scrolls and Fallout. It might depend on the terms of the deal; if Arcanum gets transferred to Microsoft, then Activision's thoughts on the matter become irrelevant.

Additionally I'd like to point out that Microsoft gave Fable to the Forza people of all studios.

As if anyone at Acti-Blizz would block Arcanum of all IPs if there was a real intent to develop a sequel from another MS-owned studio.

"level 2
TimCain

PretendThisIsAName


·1 mo. ago



The Outer Worlds. It's like Fallout New Vegas but with better graphics, design, character models, voice acting, quests, and gameplay.

I love both games but the Obsidian devs were given more freedom when making The Outer Worlds and it shows.




level 2

TimCain


·1 mo. ago



Mission accomplished!

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/...umed_your_entire_life_upon/hpt7189/?context=3

Hope he doesn't really believe this :D

 

[RepHope]

Weren’t people speculating that Cain had retired? So he is still involved at Obsidian? Guess he’s working on TOW2.

 

[Roguey]

Weren’t people speculating that Cain had retired? So he is still involved at Obsidian? Guess he’s working on TOW2.

Apparently so but not necessarily. As far as we know, Adler is the sole director of TOW 2 so it'd be peculiar if Cain and Boyarsky were still on it but demoted.

 

[Tihskael]

Cain and Boyarsky should do Fallout 76 2 so that the Todd can put all his creative energy in the masterpiece that is going to be

Spoiler

Redguard 25 year Anniversary Edition

 

[RepHope]

Weren’t people speculating that Cain had retired? So he is still involved at Obsidian? Guess he’s working on TOW2.

Apparently so but not necessarily. As far as we know, Adler is the sole director of TOW 2 so it'd be peculiar if Cain and Boyarsky were still on it but demoted.

They may have wanted to step back and not be so involved in the day to day, or I guess they could be doing something else. Maybe an entirely new project we don’t know about?

 

[agris]

Weren’t people speculating that Cain had retired? So he is still involved at Obsidian? Guess he’s working on TOW2.

Apparently so but not necessarily. As far as we know, Adler is the sole director of TOW 2 so it'd be peculiar if Cain and Boyarsky were still on it but demoted.

They may have wanted to step back and not be so involved in the day to day, or I guess they could be doing something else. Maybe an entirely new project we don’t know about?

100%, I'm sure they'll nail the old BIS magic this time.

 

[LudensCogitet]

So why isn't anyone excited for Arcanum sequel now that Activision's part of MS?

I for one can't wait to trek across multiple continents looking for the perfect bustle and corset so my asexual lesbian socially awkward genius machinist woman of color can look good on her night at the opera with her crush.

 

[Quillon]

Arcanum +

 

[rusty_shackleford]

I don't really understand the value of something like the Darklands IP.
I'm not saying it's a bad game, I'm just saying you could make the same exact game 1:1, slap a new title on it, and face zero consequences.

 

[Quillon]

I don't really understand the value of something like the Darklands IP.
I'm not saying it's a bad game, I'm just saying you could make the same exact game 1:1, slap a new title on it, and face zero consequences.

Same goes for AP.

 

[Roguey]

What is Senile Sawyer on about? Ziggurat Interactive owns Darklands (listed as publisher on GOG and they own the trademark).