While the developer and Darksiders titles were quality, I can understand the lack of commercial drive to pick up the studio. I had a couple of conversations with THQ execs a few years back and the budgets for those games were way, way too high for what they should have invested in the first place on such a genre given the sales they should have expected even in an optimistic scenario.
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RIP Vigil Games (2005-2013)
- Thread starter Nirolak
- Start date
ezekielpacman
Member
To be fair, Strife and Famine weren't exactly riveting prospects for sequels, so maybe buyers figured the load had been blown.
Some really nice ideas, but both games ended up irritating me the more I played. Still always sad to hear this about a studio.
Have to say the whole story of DS2 felt like a cop out. I didn't want to witness/play some lame ass quasi-concurrent events, I wanted to know what the hell happened next.
Some really nice ideas, but both games ended up irritating me the more I played. Still always sad to hear this about a studio.
Cerebral Assassin
Member
What would be the point? Now developers can get the staff they want without having to pay for them.
I already said this in the THQ thread but this is quite sad really.
The first Darksiders was a really fun, underrated game that blended concepts/aspects from several other games and made it work with the combat/gameplay from God of War and Devil May Cry to similar dungeon design to that of The Legend of Zelda.
The first Darksiders was a really fun, underrated game that blended concepts/aspects from several other games and made it work with the combat/gameplay from God of War and Devil May Cry to similar dungeon design to that of The Legend of Zelda.
Dynamite Ringo Matsuri
Member
Sigh. I was really hoping Nintendo would buy them, take them under their wing and coach them into being the next Retro 
Fuck businessmen. God damn this makes no sense. Darksiders is a solid IP, as long as you don't bank on it selling fucking CoD numbers and spend that much on marketing there is no reason you can't turn a profit on a game that ships 1.5 million units. The first game wasn't as marketed and it still managed to sell 1 million copies. As a new IP!
With proper management there is no reason Vigil can't be profitable. Fuck you upper management and your non-scaling assholes. Go big or go home? Go fuck yourselves.
With proper management there is no reason Vigil can't be profitable. Fuck you upper management and your non-scaling assholes. Go big or go home? Go fuck yourselves.
I'm mad.
SlasherJPC
Banned
Bought both of Vigils games. I'll miss you guys!
Oh man, I hope that you will have better luck soon.
They needed to sell multiple times that to break even on the dev cost alone.
And I'm willing to bet this was caused by THQ wanting to turn Darksiders into a franchise they could bank their entire company on, so they scaled it up. Go back to the scope of the first game and the problem is solved. Having to ship multiple millions of units to cover development costs is the result of businesses having a "race to the top", which ends up doing nothing but killing off a majority of their development studios because the industry simply can't support that many AAA titles.
Its stupid business driven by greed to maximize profits based on bullshit graphs pulled from usage and growth data. Instead of growing bit by bit and establishing a solid franchise, development pipeline and fan base they risk everything by scaling up far too fast.
Almost the coolest boss fight I've ever experienced. Just wish he had stayed off his throne for the whole thing. The teleport attacks were so intense while I was playing it.
Spoilers for DS II.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hezCh7D56GU
Spoilers for DS II.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hezCh7D56GU
ShockingAlberto
Member
Sigh. I was really hoping Nintendo would buy them, take them under their wing and coach them into being the next Retro
Honestly I think Nintendo might have bid for them if they were anywhere else but Texas.
You don't need two separate Texas studios.
Gamer @ Heart
Member
So does buying the studio only get you the building and name?
Because i can see why no one would want Vigil if several of the top people have already left to start their own companies or projects, leaving the studio with a potentially enormous talent drain as all the talent leave right after the keys get handed over.
I would want clauses and contracts in place first.
I imagine Relic and Volition are pretty tight groups that had little risk of that.
Because i can see why no one would want Vigil if several of the top people have already left to start their own companies or projects, leaving the studio with a potentially enormous talent drain as all the talent leave right after the keys get handed over.
I would want clauses and contracts in place first.
I imagine Relic and Volition are pretty tight groups that had little risk of that.
Combichristoffersen
Combovers don't work when there is no hair
Too bad, DS1 was great. DS2 was just disappointing, sadly :/
To be completely honest, since Retro is continuing to staff up, the destruction of Vigil is good for Nintendo. Now they have a big pool of newly unemployed talent in the area to pick from without having to poney up a dime. Why would they have bought Vigil when they can get the staff for free?
Delusibeta
Banned
I'll assume we have another Kingdoms of Amalur situation, whereby it'll still be available for purchuse, but there will be strictly no discounts on them. Unless, of course, someone buys back-catalogue rights (c'mon, CD Projekt!)
dark_prinny
Banned
Sad.
I really liked DS1.
DS2 was another story...
I really liked DS1.
DS2 was another story...
Dynamite Ringo Matsuri
Member
Very interesting point. And I believe Retro did poach one of the art directors from the DS team no? Hope some more of their guys wind up in good places
Askherserenity
Member
Blah, pretty shitty news. Best of luck to those guys. I also think Nintendo should have bid for them. Not sure why but it seems like the perfect fit...
Really? so ex-Vigil devs are willing to work for free now? I have some art they can make me, for free, if it's the case.
I do agree that it would be great to see some at Retro. Vigil had an incredible art team.
Glass Rebel
Member
It wasn't profitable, sadly. Badly managed series and it looks like nobody saw any potential in the company.
Secretarial Dog
Member
RIP
You and I must share the same brain as I was thinking CDPR and darksiders would make a great match.
razgriz417
Member
Loved the gameplay in DS2, RIP Vigil
Dr_Boris_Goltz
Banned
I'm playing through Darksiders 2 and you can really feel the love they put into it.
Cameron122
Member
Really hurts to see Texan developers down like this :/ loved Darksiders. I wasn't a fan of DS2's concurrent story, but I adored everything else about it!!!
Hope everyone lands on their feet soon.
Hope everyone lands on their feet soon.
Gamer @ Heart
Member
Nintendo has a very unique internal development structure. It is why they so rarely acquire studios particularly western ones where it is common to have leads and top people constantly moving around and leaving.
I played the hell out of it, so I can appreciate ur comments here bro. DS deserves so much more. Ot was rammed with so much content.
Metroid In A Glass Tube
Banned
I strangely never got around to playing Darksiders and probably never will. Still sucks however, they seemed like AAA games.
Ganondorfo
Junior Member
This is all your fault GAF, the second darksiders game wasnt even in the top 30 of goty 2012 from the official neogaf goty list...
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