Company News RPGPOCALYPSE: Obsidian and inXile have been acquired by Microsoft

[undecaf]

The Leviathan has been fed. Cue in digestion and eventual excretion.

 

[Alpan]

It's interesting how inXile also managed to get sold, given that in all their years in existence they haven't produced a single notable game, maybe except WL2.

This leads to my hunch that both companies were firmly in the distressed/debt-ridden company territory and Microsoft picked them up for cheap.

 

[FeelTheRads]

Considering that inXile must have been close to bankruptcy by now with the TTON and BT4 duds, this was a good move by Fargo. And he wanted to retire anyway.

Who knows, maybe with a new boss and Microsoft money, inXile may actually deliver something more worthwhile.

 

[Got bored and left]

So Boyarsky escaped the creative hell that was Blizzard only to be thrust into an even deeper hole.

gg well played

 

[soulburner]

So... no more Steam and no more native Linux builds I guess?

 

[FeelTheRads]

So... no more Steam and no more native Linux builds I guess?

Good question, though I'm guessing what's more likely is: no more GOG.

Not that I actually intended to buy anything from these two companies anymore.

 

[Morkar Left]

Well, if it's Win10 exclusive or only sold with MS copy protection I'm not interested. For better games? Well, time will tell.

Fargo selling InXile after two tanked games is a smart move. At least W3 will be funded then. I just wonder if Krome can somehow profit from this. Classic W1 from Krome still a thing then?

Regarding rpgs we really has a lot of incline in the last years even with some big hits. I have more games than I can play. It's just that not every rpg came from the developers we thought it would come from or the game weren't exactly what we expected.

But even those were overall of good or acceptable quality (Even RoA HD 1+2 are of value even if crudely made). Especially when you compare it to the years before where we had literally NOTHING new.

There are lots of indies who delivered some good and unique work (Vigilante, Hero-U, Bard's Tale Remastered, Dead State, Elex, Lurking 2, Star Traders, Underrail, Grimoire (?), Age of Decadence and a lot more I guess I missed ...). And some rpgs are still in development (Stellar Tactics, Pathfinder Kingmaker) or get expanded (Star Trader).

What we can learn from it is that Kickstarter-like funding isn't the savior but just another way to get funds into the pockets of developers to allow them to (hopefully) make a good game we like and/or get us some physical goodies. There are no guarantees.

 

[cvv]

I'm a fan of inXile and if the alternative meant bankruptcy I take Microsoft. They'll probably get demoted to shovelling first console and then mobile shit eventually but hopefully they'll be allowed to make some more RPGs before then, at least one or two. Still worth it.

Don't care about Obsidian, never have.

 

[PrettyDeadman]

Exclusives for Windows Phone OS incoming.

 

[commie]

Hmm...I still wanted POE2 and BT4 and eventually WL3 on Steam or GoG thanks to Humble Bundle bargain bin sale.... If they are with M$ now, then won't their stuff get pulled from other distribution platforms or not come out on them and I'll have to rely on the Windows store shit?



Guess I'll have to dust off my piracy skills again and...

 

[soulburner]

Oh yeah, no Steam sales, no GOG sales, no bundles, no Linux, only Windows Store exclusive, encrypted and unmoddable UWP applications.

Question: how many cases of Microsoft shutting down a recently acquired studio were there in the past? How quick was MS to kill a recent acquisition?

 

[acer palmatum]

Well, they have to make VERY good games that I even consider using that damn Windows Store. Not sure if more money helps making better RPG-games, history says clearly "nope". I hope for the best, but am prepared for the worst.

 

[Grauken]

just pirate it

 

[wtrboy]

Maybe with the Microsoft money inXile can fix BT4 now...well, probably not.

 

[soulburner]

just pirate it

Aren't many Store applications impossible to crack due to strong encryption and/or multiple simultaneous DRMs?

 

[Grauken]

If there's enough interest, everything gets cracked

 

[hexer]

in b4 xbox exclusives

 

[acer palmatum]

just pirate it

I have a simply philosophy: Either a game is good enough that I buy it, or I am not interested to play it at all.
Guess I am to much of a honest german here.

 

[Grauken]

In general I would agree with you, but I rather not infect my system with Microsoft store cooties

 

[Farewell into the night]

I hope that Microsoft will buy Bethesda someday too.

 

[mondblut]

It's pretty ironic that supposed RPG devs are being wrecked by choices and consequences.

They rolled a shit build.

 

[iZerw]

BIT EVIL PUBLISHERS LOLLO LOLO LOL!!!
BUT MY NON-TRADING STOCK COMPANY OLOLO LOL!!!
Bunch of liars.

 

[wtrboy]

So...no more overpromised, underdelivered KS or FIG projects from them? Gonna miss that I think.

 

[J_C]

Does Microsoft have to disclose how much it paid for the two companies?

Bought out their debts, probably.

There goes your "renaissance", ever pathetic, ever fools.

I was getting fed up with these oldschool RPGs anyway, I'm longing for some good old mainstream action RPG games again.

On a more serious note.
I have a confession to make. Although I seriously want to sound upset and play the usual Codexian persona regarding this news, if I look deep into my heart, I feel kinda releived. Although I liked InXiles and Obsidian's new games, I always felt that they are on a bad path regarding their design. They are not like Iron Tower Studios, or Styg, who are commited to make these really old school RPGs. They want to make "kinda-oldschool" RPGs, but with as many modern touch as possible, because they wanted a huge success, wanted to broaden the audiance. And it felt bad. I liked their games, but they left some sour taste in my mouth. But despite this, I felt obliged to support them, because they were an indie developer, who made alright/good games.

But now, I feel that I don't have to do that anymore. I will look forward to their games, but it is Microsoft's job to look after them, not mine.

So thank you InXile and Obsidian, thanks for all the fish, I hope this will turn out good for you.

 

[Feyd Rautha]

Whoa! All this happened while I slept?!

Anyway, what will happen to the Pillars IP and Dark Rock Industries?