Company News JoWood Focuses on RPGs

[Sol Invictus]

Tags: JoWood Productions

<a href=http://www.pcgames.de/?article_id=343840>PC Games Online Germany</a> and <a href=http://www.rpgdot.com>RPGDot</a> report that the German publisher <a href=http://www.jowood.com/>JoWood Productions</a> has announced the shutdown of two of its development studios. The two affected studios are WINGS Simulations, the developer of the subpar first person shooter SÖLDNER, and Transport Giant developer Studio Ebensee. The silver lining is that it spells good news for RPG and strategy fans everywhere, as RPGDot indicates that this move is the precursor to JoWood's new strategy of focusing on the few core genres that they excel at, namely strategy, simulations and RPGs.

 

[kumquatq3]

Good news (minus the people that prolly got fired)

 

[Ortchel]

That's good news. Though surprising, since they're releasing a SÖLDNER expansion in March.

 

[Sol Invictus]

No they're not. They cancelled that.

 

[Ortchel]

Ah, there you go then. Hope the guys who got the boot are able to find jobs, SÖLDNER isn't exactly resume gold.

 

[Lady Armageddona]

While it is good that at least one publisher has decided to stick to RPGs, which is a really good news, since most major publishers have more or less dropped the genre, exactly which RPGs JoWood thinks it exels at? As far as I know, they have only published RPGs like Gothic 2 & SpellForce.

 

[Ortchel]

Gothic is set to be a pretty big series, I'd say thats significant enough. Though they also published Silent Storm, if you're of the school of thought that considers it an RPG.

 

[Lady Armageddona]

Yeah, but my point is that they may be publishing RPGs, but are devoloping none.
So how fucked up is that for a reason to fire a bunch of people to focus on sth they don't do?
Besides, although good overall news, the fact remains that JoWood is not a major player on the publisher map since they publish titles only in Germany, Austria & Switzerland.

 

[Sheriff05]

the fact remains that JoWood is not a major player on the publisher map since they publish titles only in Germany, Austria & Switzerland.

Where do you get your facts from, Quigs?, they are practically the biggest publisher in Europe with over 60 current PC releases alone (not to mention all console shit)
They release products in France, Spain, Italy, Japan and of course, the UK as well.
They are also one of the only publishers in Europe that has the juice to get games released in the US in a timely manner. If Metalheart, Restricted Area and few other European games people have interest in were being published by JoWood they would have been out long ago. I don't know what RPG's are currently in development, BUT since the US gaming industry has dumbed RPG's down to the level of "Paper fucking Mario" ANYTHING these people do will be a good thing.

 

[Reklar]

Did they actually fire the people in those development houses or did they roll some of them into other studios? (I can't check the articles from work since the sites are blocked.) Even if they haven't, they should be able to find new jobs since development studios seem to be springing up all over the world lately. Publishers seem to be merging together while development studios seem to be multiplying. Hopefully this will turn out to be a positive event eventually.

-Reklar
(a Fallout/RPG fan)

 

[Digit]

The Soldner addon is still being released, they cancelled Soldner 2 though.

Digit

 

[Sarvis]

US gaming industry has dumbed RPG's down to the level of "Paper fucking Mario" ANYTHING these people do will be a good thing.

Err... Mario is from a <i>Japanese</i> company.

 

[Neverwhere]

Well, since this topic has now arisen, here is some of the Austrian press coverage of recent events at Jowood. The articles are all taken from "Die Presse", one of the two Austrian quality newspapers.

17.12.2004
JoWood supervisory board resigns.
http://www.diepresse.at/Artikel.aspx?channel=h&ressort=he&id=456915&archiv=false
(note: Austrian company law follows the German, not the US model - therefore, company management is bifurcated, there being an executive and a supervisory board).
This article mentions a dispute between shareholders and contains the following interesting bit:
"A group of investors is now pushing for cooperation with large distributors, such as German Ubisoft or the US-giant Electronic Arts, which could lead to JoWood being reduced to a pure development house. Long-term shareholders plead for a continuation of the present strategy, in the course of which JoWood could itself be elevated to a large gaming brand." (my translation, please forgive inaccuracies)

15.01.2005
JoWood shocks investors
http://www.diepresse.at/Artikel.aspx?channel=e&ressort=fk&id=460767&archiv=false
This article mentions a decline in JoWood's share price following an announcement that neither their turnover nor their net profit goals would be met. JoWood is said to expect losses of a one-digit million euro amount. Furthermore, the article gives the names of the members of the new supervisory board. Among these is Andreas Rudas, a former social democrat politician who is now working for Magna, a large Canadian car part producers (founded by Austrian emigrant Frank Stronach).

20.01.2005
Gambling with JoWood shares
http://www.diepresse.at/Artikel.aspx?channel=e&ressort=fn&id=461449&archiv=false
This article reports a strong fluctuation in JoWood's share price, with a downward tendency.

22.01.2005
Game over for JoWood founder Tobler.
http://www.diepresse.at/Artikel.aspx?channel=e&ressort=eo&id=461878&archiv=false
This article mentions that Mr. Tobler had been blamed by major shareholders for errors in JoWood's international strategy at an extraordinary shareholders' meeting on 14. January). It concludes that Mr. Tobler had lost the internal battle against a Mr. Pistauer, who had joined JoWood in 2003 to save it from bancruptcy. Mr. Tobler is replaced by a Mr. Albert Seidl, an investment banker.

26.01.2005
JoWood: Two sites awaiting closure.
http://www.diepresse.at/Artikel.aspx?channel=h&ressort=he&id=462467&archiv=false
According to this article, JoWood will close down two sites: one at Ebensee in Austria, and its German subsidiary Wings Simulations in Hattingen. It further mentions that JoWood would in the future focus on strategy games, simulations and RPGs.


From what I gather, there is no reason for joy - JoWood is in a crisis, and it is now run by some bankers and an incapable ex-politician. Not the stuff good RPGs usually are made of, but I wouldn't mind if they surprised me.[/b][/url]

 

[Sheriff05]

US gaming industry has dumbed RPG's down to the level of "Paper fucking Mario" ANYTHING these people do will be a good thing.

Err... Mario is from a <i>Japanese</i> company.

Regardless, that wasn't my point. it was just the stupidest thing that came to mind.
More interesting is this other post that seems to show that JoWood is shitting the bed just like everyother non-megacorporate publisher. Paper Mario here we come!

 

[Sarvis]

US gaming industry has dumbed RPG's down to the level of "Paper fucking Mario" ANYTHING these people do will be a good thing.

Err... Mario is from a <i>Japanese</i> company.

Regardless, that wasn't my point. it was just the stupidest thing that came to mind.
More interesting is this other post that seems to show that JoWood is shitting the bed just like everyother non-megacorporate publisher. Paper Mario here we come!

I just hope you've actually <i>played</i> Paper Mario.

Almost picked it up today actually, but wasn't in the mood for an RPG. Think I'm gonna go grab Katamari Damacy tomorrow...

 

[Ortchel]

Get out.

 

[Sarvis]

Oh no LOOK! Someone with a different opinion! Help! Get him outta here!

 

[Ortchel]

I was just kidding with you, Sarvis. Reactions like that are what got you your tag, not your opinions.

Anyway, in Paper Mario do they have all the original Mario enemies? I'd love to fight the Bloopers (aka squids) in a TB system. They were always my favorite.

 

[Sheriff05]

I just hope you've actually <i>played</i> Paper Mario.

Sarvis, are you fucking kidding me? I don't care if it's the greatest game EVAR!!
to me it's just the poster child for stupid licenses gone amok in a world where any game with characters with stats is labeled an RPG. You couldn't pay me to play it it's just a convienent scapegoat for my obviously missed point. Which is that US games developed under the thumb of mega corporate publishers are only going to further continue to SUCK. JoWood focusing on Strategy games and RPGS is a good thing because they "seem" the type of company that caters to all those indie euro developers, who are the ONLY people doing anything remotely interesting . make sense?

 

[Volourn]

"Regardless, that wasn't my point. it was just the stupidest thing that came to mind"

Just admit your fuck up. You bashed NA companies for 'dumbing down' CRPGs yet your one and only example is from a non NA company. What a retard. Games may be getting dumbed down; but they''ll never be as dumb as you.


R00fles!

 

[Ortchel]

Says the pot to the kettle.

 

[Lady Armageddona]

the fact remains that JoWood is not a major player on the publisher map since they publish titles only in Germany, Austria & Switzerland.

Where do you get your facts from, Quigs?, they are practically the biggest publisher in Europe with over 60 current PC releases alone (not to mention all console shit)
They release products in France, Spain, Italy, Japan and of course, the UK as well.
They are also one of the only publishers in Europe that has the juice to get games released in the US in a timely manner. If Metalheart, Restricted Area and few other European games people have interest in were being published by JoWood they would have been out long ago. I don't know what RPG's are currently in development, BUT since the US gaming industry has dumbed RPG's down to the level of "Paper fucking Mario" ANYTHING these people do will be a good thing.

Man did you read what you wrote?

While it may be true that JoWood is publishing titles in France , Spain & Japan, maybe even the UK, I seriously doubt that they are publishing titles in Japan, since as far as I am aware of the PC market there is pretty small, and they are definately not publishing in the US, otherwise they would have shipped Gothic 2 & the add-on there themselves, since it is one of its major titles, and however small publisher they are, would have done a much better job than what I hear Atari has done so far with it. (And now, Come to think of it, I begin to very very seriosly doubt the fact that Jo Wood is publishing in the UK, either, since they are publshing SpellForce in Germany but not in the UK)

As for Paper Mario - I have not played the game myself, but since I hear from a number of reliable sources that it is a far better RPG thatn some of the so called RPGs you're mentiniong (like Restricted Area which to me feels much more like Moorhuhn with zombies, if you're aware of what Moorhuhn is). Btw, RA specifically is not published in Germany by JoWood, but rather Deep Silver I think.

Face it. While it sounds good to my ears that someone is still consideiring publishing RPGs, I'd prefer that to be EA, however bad they have proven themselves to be, rather than a 3rd grade publisher even by Euro standards.

 

[Sheriff05]

Man did you read what you wrote?

of course

While it may be true that JoWood is publishing titles in France , Spain & Japan, maybe even the UK, I seriously doubt that they are publishing titles in Japan

Yeah Ok, like that sentence makes sense.

Seriously what the hell is wrong with some of you people.How bout doing a two second background check before posting this garbage. A quick trip to JoWood's website would clear a few things up right away.

Yes, they publish games in Japan

Yes, Spellforce is published in the UK the 3rd expansion hits the shelves in couple of weeks. (all have been published in the UK. To be clear maybe the physical product is manufactured in Germany, but there are English versions of the game showing up in UK shops.)

They don't publish directly in the US, BUT they have good success with attracting US publishers to many of their games, unlike alot of European publishers.

As for Paper Mario - I have not played the game myself, but since I hear from a number of reliable sources that it is a far better RPG thatn some of the so called RPGs you're mentiniong (like Restricted Area which to me feels much more like Moorhuhn with zombies, if you're aware of what Moorhuhn is). Btw, RA specifically is not published in Germany by JoWood, but rather Deep Silver I think.

Again read my post above (to Sarvis) pertaining to the stupidity of Paper Mario.
Reliable sources?? ROFL!! I'm sure you and your fellow Gamespot readers will have a great time playing it.

The day that fucking Paper Mario shows up on the RPG Codex games database will be the day Saint moves to Berkeley and gets a sex change operation.

I never said RA was being published by JoWood, I said "IF" it was, it would be out already.

Face it. While it sounds good to my ears that someone is still consideiring publishing RPGs, I'd prefer that to be EA, however bad they have proven themselves to be, rather than a 3rd grade publisher even by Euro standards

EA??? are you fucking kidding me? yeah they are best. count on them raising the intellectual bar of gaming with their upcoming SUPAR BEST GAMZ EVAR!!! coming to a Wal Mart near you. I wish we had ONE, "3rd Rate" publisher like JoWood here in the US.


What the fuck has happened to the gene pool around here lately?

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

What the fuck has happened to the gene pool around here lately?

You really want an answer to that?

 

[Ortchel]

What's so third rate about JoWood? They've produced some of the best games ever made.