[sangreal]

Starts at 3? Good I'll be home by then. This is going to be a nervous day. Hopefully south park's fate is decided right away so I can get it over with and move on with my day.

first they have to decide if south park can even be included in the sale (SPS says it can't and that they have a right to buy back the property; THQ says otherwise)

South Park Studio's Objection: http://www.thesangreal.net/gafpics/sps_object.pdf
THQ's response: http://www.thesangreal.net/gafpics/thq_sps_response.pdf

[Nirolak]

Split bump.

This means it probably won't be auctioned off today.

[Peter Bazooka]

Poor Obsidian.

[ElectricBlanketFire]

Ah gee whiz fellas...

[duckroll]

So we'll find out the outcome today either way right?

[Derrick01]

So what would be best for the game right now considering it's probably done or very close to done and in the bug cleaning phase? Would it be better for them to get the game back from THQ and release it?

[Nirolak]

So we'll find out the outcome today either way right?

...Maybe.

[RoboPlato]

I was hoping that stuff like this wouldn't happen to any of the games, especially ones coming in the next few months.

[Geoff9920]

Obsidian... these guys just don't have good luck do they? Hopefully everything gets settled quickly.

[Nirolak]

So what would be best for the game right now considering it's probably done or very close to done and in the bug cleaning phase? Would it be better for them to get the game back from THQ and release it?

In my opinion yeah, since THQ isn't developing it, so there's no reason that Viacom can't fund and launch the game.

[Heavy]

What a potential nightmare for one of the best looking games of this year.

[Sendou]

So we'll find out the outcome today either way right?

I guess they could postpone the possible South Park: Stick of Truth sale? I just hope it won't affect the game otherwise.

[Totobeni]

If SPS get the license back this mean the project/Obsidian RPG game is dead right?

[eravulgaris]

This is ridiculous, what a shitty industry.

[Samurai-Don]

So does this mean that the game is cancelled because I only just pre-ordered it yesterday.

[Heavy]

If SPS get the license back this mean the Obsidian game is dead right?

I don't think so.
why would that be?

[Computer]

Just let Patrice Désilets finish 1666 (and Volition finish Saints Row 4) as intended and THQ can die, for all I care.

[Nirolak]

If SPS get the license back this mean the Obsidian game is dead right?

No SPS was funding the game with Obsidian before it went to THQ.

They want this specific game back to publish on their own since THQ is bankrupt and presumably the rights to the game reverted at that point.

[Napalm_Frank]

If SPS get the license back this mean the project/Obsidian RPG game is dead right?

Nintendo to the rescue!

[Simzyy]

Can anyone explain what this means for the game? Delayed launch?
Long as the game isn't cancelled I'm happy

[duckroll]

So what would be best for the game right now considering it's probably done or very close to done and in the bug cleaning phase? Would it be better for them to get the game back from THQ and release it?

Technically, there shouldn't be a difference for us as consumers, and for Obsidian as a developer. What THQ would want here is the right to include the title in the auction to see if they can get an attractive price for the publishing rights of a game which is pretty much complete and part of a popular mass market franchise. What South Park Studios would want is the right to buy the license back at a base price, and look for another publisher themselves.

Either way, I doubt there is any outcome where the game ends up in actual limbo, unless there is NO outcome.

[Shard]

I wonder how the Warhammer 40K license is being handled in all of this?

[Derrick01]

In my opinion yeah, since THQ isn't developing it, so there's no reason that Viacom can't fund and launch the game.

I thought the reason why they went with a real publisher is because they wanted someone with more experience with funding and shipping a game? I wonder if they're confident they can handle the distribution.

[Keysersoze]

So does this mean that the game is cancelled because I only just pre-ordered it yesterday.

I doubt it the game is far enough along and has been marketed a fair amount that cancelling it would be a really dumb move.

[Recall]

C'mon THQ you can go out kicking and screaming but dont ruin the South Park game's chance of coming out in a timely manner :(

[Totobeni]

No SPS was funding the game with Obsidian before it went to THQ. They want this specific game back to publish on their own since THQ is bankrupt and presumably the rights to the game reverted at that point.

oh,thanks for clearing that for me...well that's better.

[SaintZ]

I want to play this game so bad ;____; I hope everything goes smoothly.

[duckroll]

I thought the reason why they went with a real publisher is because they wanted someone with more experience with funding and shipping a game? I wonder if they're confident they can handle the distribution.

They won't distribute it themselves. What they probably want to avoid here is being locked in a deal with a publisher not of their own choosing. For example, if Warner buys THQ wholesale, and if South Park is part of it, there could be a conflict of interest since Warner and Viacom are competitors.

[Shard]

They won't distribute it themselves. What they probably want to avoid here is being locked in a deal with a publisher not of their own choosing. For example, if Warner buys THQ wholesale, and if South Park is part of it, there could be a conflict of interest since Warner and Viacom are competitors.

Wouldn't be the first time the two have clashed over South Park.

[SuperSonic1305]

Step 1: Collect underpants
Step 2: ?
Step 3: Profit

[GK86]

Ohh man, I hope the legal battle is settled quickly. The game looks great.

[sangreal]

They won't distribute it themselves. What they probably want to avoid here is being locked in a deal with a publisher not of their own choosing. For example, if Warner buys THQ wholesale, and if South Park is part of it, there could be a conflict of interest since Warner and Viacom are competitors.

Yeah, this is basically my reading of it. Their position is that they have to consent to any buyer and that if they don't consent they think the buyback clause should kick in.

Well that, and they want the $2.3M THQ owes them

[Shalashaska161]

I hope the game doesn't get end up getting delayed. It looks really awesome. Poor Obsidian getting stuck in this mess.

[Derrick01]

They won't distribute it themselves. What they probably want to avoid here is being locked in a deal with a publisher not of their own choosing. For example, if Warner buys THQ wholesale, and if South Park is part of it, there could be a conflict of interest since Warner and Viacom are competitors.

Makes sense in that case. No one wants to lose control over their IP in any way.

I want to play this game so bad ;____; I hope everything goes smoothly.

Same. It's probably my most wanted game this year.

[Mr.Monitor]

I thought the reason why they went with a real publisher is because they wanted someone with more experience with funding and shipping a game? I wonder if they're confident they can handle the distribution.

How badly would it hurt them to go digital only? I feel like that would solve most of the distribution issues.

[Shard]

I hope the game doesn't get end up getting delayed. It looks really awesome. Poor Obsidian getting stuck in this mess.

Sometimes it can take years for a game to emerge from the ashes of a publisher. I recal a game call The Red Star as a prime example.

[toastyToast]

Just when it looked like Obsidian had a success on their hands

Hopefully this lands ok

[Nirolak]

I thought the reason why they went with a real publisher is because they wanted someone with more experience with funding and shipping a game? I wonder if they're confident they can handle the distribution.

Well, when they did Rock Band, they just used EA to distribute the games they funded.

You lose a relatively low amount of margin doing something like that and avoid the costs of setting up a distribution arm for one game.

[Interfectum]

Same. It's probably my most wanted game this year.

Same here. Hopefully Viacom can just get it back and figure out how to release it.

[Omikaru]

I hope this doesn't drag on for too long. The game looks great, and Obsidian deserve better.

[Diddy Kong]

Go SPS!

[carfo]

I was really looking forward to playing this game, probably won't happen any time soon now

[maabus1999]

After reading through the two documents briefly, I would say SPS has the advantage here, especially with the right to buyout clause. In short, SPS pays whatever THQ put into the game and gets to go find another publisher.

[dionysus]

Somehow, Obsidian will end up screwed. It always happens. Even when they ship a great game like New Vegas (didn't get the metacritic bonus.)

[TheOddOne]

Damn, the curse over Obsidian rears its ugly head once again.

[Nirolak]

Quentyn noted in the other thread that this auction is being held at THQ's offices instead of a court, so we might not hear anything until 3 PM PST tomorrow at the court hearing.

[bequietdrive]

Ah gee whiz fellas...

Ha, 8/10. I really hope this doesn't delay the game by too much, genuinely really looking forward to it.

[Valnen]

Horrible news, I hope Saints Row 4 doesn't suffer similar delays, or worse, it ceases to exist.

[Shard]

Horrible news, I hope Saints Row 4 doesn't suffer similar delays, or worse, it ceases to exist.

If anything has a future it is that title since that series has sold millions of copies and was profitable for THQ.

[Nirolak]

Horrible news, I hope Saints Row 4 doesn't suffer similar delays, or worse, it ceases to exist.

Saints Row is a fully owned THQ IP, so there's no one who can object to that.