George Ziets opening a new RPG studio - Digimancy Entertainment

[Ryzer]

Daily reminder that the Digimancy games are all vapourwave.

 

[Harthwain]

Daily reminder that the Digimancy games are all vapourwave.

What games?

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

They got huffed up after taken out of the vapourwave. Not many calories in them.

 

[La vie sexuelle]

These guys haven't even made anything yet have they?

Nah, seems to be a support studio on several games, but nothing original of their own.

A lot of indie studio heads I met ended up doing support as their main activity. After the first game tanks, the studio usually fails to secure funding for a second game and ends up moslty doing support, while working on game 2 between contracts.
However, doing 100% support contract work from the beginning is quite unusual.

And that's why they don't want to release the first game. They know it's over. Especially for a "one-hit-wonder" like Zeits, which after failure would not raise enough financing for another studio (or at least it would be difficult).

On a more gossipy note, I noticed that even though Digimancy is a remote company, Disco Olga actually moved to George's city. Did he pull a Mitsoda? If so, I hope that works out a lot better for them.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C2ga-YCrPzk/

Hmmm...

Are they not vegan? What year is it?

 

[Roguey]

And that's why they don't want to release the first game. They know it's over. Especially for a "one-hit-wonder" like Zeits, which after failure would not raise enough financing for another studio (or at least it would be difficult).

Ziets has two hits, Mask of the Betrayer and Wasteland 3.

 

[La vie sexuelle]

And that's why they don't want to release the first game. They know it's over. Especially for a "one-hit-wonder" like Zeits, which after failure would not raise enough financing for another studio (or at least it would be difficult).

Ziets has two hits, Mask of the Betrayer and Wasteland 3.

Oh, I keep forgetting about that second game. Wasteland 3 definitely saved InXile by patching the holes in this sinking tanker.

Do you think this will be enough for Zeits to start something new after the potential flop of its own studio?

 

[Sentinel]

And that's why they don't want to release the first game. They know it's over. Especially for a "one-hit-wonder" like Zeits, which after failure would not raise enough financing for another studio (or at least it would be difficult).

Ziets has two hits, Mask of the Betrayer and Wasteland 3.

I thought Wasteland 3 was shit!?

 

[Roguey]

I thought Wasteland 3 was shit!?

Well-reviewed, won 2020 Codex GOTY. Wasn't a Larian-level mega-seller, but it did pretty well.

 

[Yosharian]

And that's why they don't want to release the first game. They know it's over. Especially for a "one-hit-wonder" like Zeits, which after failure would not raise enough financing for another studio (or at least it would be difficult).

Ziets has two hits, Mask of the Betrayer and Wasteland 3.

I thought Wasteland 3 was shit!?

Well it's better than Deadfire!

 

[La vie sexuelle]

And that's why they don't want to release the first game. They know it's over. Especially for a "one-hit-wonder" like Zeits, which after failure would not raise enough financing for another studio (or at least it would be difficult).

Ziets has two hits, Mask of the Betrayer and Wasteland 3.

I thought Wasteland 3 was shit!?

Well it's better than Deadfire!

Fargo still can't stop winning against Obsidian, huh?

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Fargo still can't stop winning against Obsidian, huh?

Fecking Black Geyser would win against Obsidian if it had marketing. Or the CRUSHMASTER.

 

[just]

slightly higher quality and slightly less woke sweet baby

 

[La vie sexuelle]

Fargo still can't stop winning against Obsidian, huh?

Fecking Black Geyser would win against Obsidian if it had marketing. Or the CRUSHMASTER.

Black Geyser is moral a winner. This is also important and builds capital for the future.

 

[Ryzer]

Year 4 without a single game released.

 

[lvl 2 Blue Slime]

Year 4 without a single game released.

Probably spent that four years just begging investors and banks to give them a loan (to no avail)

 

[Ryzer]

Year 4 without a single game released.

Probably spent that four years just begging investors and banks to give them a loan (to no avail)

Legendary Game Developers (tm) trademark doesn't sell anymore?

 

[Harthwain]

Legendary Game Developers (tm) trademark doesn't sell anymore?

I doubt George Ziets is considered "Legendary Game Developer". He may be well regarded on the Codex, but I never really heard about him otherwise (in the mainstream media).

 

[Roguey]

Probably spent that four years just begging investors and banks to give them a loan (to no avail)

They worked on a game for Paradox that was ultimately cancelled, and have contributed editing to Stasis: Bone Totem and Pentiment (Olga and Marten were listed as being from Digimancy), currently contributing design to Avowed.

One hopes that if/when they release something of their own it'll be more to the tastes of people here than his old coworker's project.

 

[La vie sexuelle]

They probably thought that they would work for a year or two as a supporting studio and use the money they earned to publish their own game (like Archetype). Now they are probably thinking mainly about staying afloat.

 

[Bad Sector]

They probably thought that they would work for a year or two as a supporting studio and use the money they earned to publish their own game (like Archetype). Now they are probably thinking mainly about staying afloat.

Yeah, i knew some guy who back in the late 90s left his not-so-large game development company to make his own (full fledged) game dev studio (of like 3-4 people), thinking he'll make games as he wanted, then spent the next 10-12 years trapped in a circle of trying to stay afloat by helping other studios make their games/ports. I think eventually he managed to make a somewhat successful mobile game back when making mobile games on iPhone, etc, was still something that could make you money if you weren't EA/King. I lost contact since then, last time i checked he was trying to recapture the minor mobile success he had. I do not think he ever made a game like he wanted to (based on the short discussions we had he was more of a traditional "hardcore" 90s gamer/developer), but he had children and family to support so i guess he couldn't take many risks.

This is basically the story i am reminded of every time i see someone start their own gamedev studio and start by helping others make their games instead of their own (not just George Ziets, i know another guy i worked with recently making his own gamedev company with 2-3 employees and he's already working with two clients for their games).

 

[La vie sexuelle]

They probably thought that they would work for a year or two as a supporting studio and use the money they earned to publish their own game (like Archetype). Now they are probably thinking mainly about staying afloat.

Yeah, i knew some guy who back in the late 90s left his not-so-large game development company to make his own (full fledged) game dev studio (of like 3-4 people), thinking he'll make games as he wanted, then spent the next 10-12 years trapped in a circle of trying to stay afloat by helping other studios make their games/ports. I think eventually he managed to make a somewhat successful mobile game back when making mobile games on iPhone, etc, was still something that could make you money if you weren't EA/King. I lost contact since then, last time i checked he was trying to recapture the minor mobile success he had. I do not think he ever made a game like he wanted to (based on the short discussions we had he was more of a traditional "hardcore" 90s gamer/developer), but he had children and family to support so i guess he couldn't take many risks.

This is basically the story i am reminded of every time i see someone start their own gamedev studio and start by helping others make their games instead of their own (not just George Ziets, i know another guy i worked with recently making his own gamedev company with 2-3 employees and he's already working with two clients for their games).

Unfortunately, this is an old problem for creative professions. Every apprentice in the school of a Renaissance master dreamed of becoming a master. However, most of them ended up as perpetual laborers.

Is it a matter of talent? Not completely. Fortune and friends? Mainly. Can you protect yourself against this by knowing this? No.

 

[Infinitron]

Unfortunately, this is an old problem for creative professions. Every apprentice in the school of a Renaissance master dreamed of becoming a master. However, most of them ended up as perpetual laborers.

Is it a matter of talent? Not completely. Fortune and friends? Mainly. Can you protect yourself against this by knowing this? No.

The most immediately successful new turn-based RPG studio founded in recent years: Tactical Adventures, creators of Solasta.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathieu-girard-95a27729/

Apparently if you want to be a successful CEO, it helps to be...a former CEO.

 

[Cat Headed Eagle]

Unfortunately, this is an old problem for creative professions. Every apprentice in the school of a Renaissance master dreamed of becoming a master. However, most of them ended up as perpetual laborers.

Is it a matter of talent? Not completely. Fortune and friends? Mainly. Can you protect yourself against this by knowing this? No.

The most immediately successful new turn-based RPG studio founded in recent years: Tactical Adventures, creators of Solasta.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathieu-girard-95a27729/

Apparently if you want to be a successful CEO, it helps to be...a former CEO.

The success of FTL which ignited the indie bubble made people think they were literal nobodies making their dreams come true, but everyone who worked in the game, or at least the dudes in those critical positions, were all former Ubisoft and Activision employees iirc.

 

[La vie sexuelle]

Unfortunately, this is an old problem for creative professions. Every apprentice in the school of a Renaissance master dreamed of becoming a master. However, most of them ended up as perpetual laborers.

Is it a matter of talent? Not completely. Fortune and friends? Mainly. Can you protect yourself against this by knowing this? No.

The most immediately successful new turn-based RPG studio founded in recent years: Tactical Adventures, creators of Solasta.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathieu-girard-95a27729/

Apparently if you want to be a successful CEO, it helps to be...a former CEO.

True. But you know what's more important?

Being French :D

 

[Cat Headed Eagle]

Unfortunately, this is an old problem for creative professions. Every apprentice in the school of a Renaissance master dreamed of becoming a master. However, most of them ended up as perpetual laborers.

Is it a matter of talent? Not completely. Fortune and friends? Mainly. Can you protect yourself against this by knowing this? No.

The most immediately successful new turn-based RPG studio founded in recent years: Tactical Adventures, creators of Solasta.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathieu-girard-95a27729/

Apparently if you want to be a successful CEO, it helps to be...a former CEO.

True. But you know what's more important?

Being French :D

muaaaaah de frenshhh