-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Paradox Interactive to distribute Obsidian's Pillars of Eternity
- Thread starter LuuKyK
- Start date
Triggerhappytel
Member
Hmm. I kind of assumed what with the crowd funding and digital release (presumably?) that Obsidian would handle the distribution themselves.
Lactose_Intolerant
Member
paradox always with the good games
Best publisher today
Best publisher today
anexanhume
Member
Paradox announces agreement to profit madly over one of the most anticipated CRPGs in recent memory.
EvilKatarn
Member
I don't think there's much to worry about with Paradox at all.
CountAntonius
Member
Was surprised to see them lose Mount & Blade.
Chairman Yang
if he talks about books, you better damn well listen
I might be slightly concerned if it was any publisher other than Paradox.
Coffee Dog
Banned
Makes sense. Paradox are pretty alright.
Fragamemnon
Member
Yep-distribute and marketing, not publishing. Paradox agrees to do this work for Obsidian (because they don't want to), and in return Paradox gets paid for their effort. Obsidian still owns the IP and controls all of the development funding and decisions. Obsidian is basically contracting out the services of PI for this, instead of the usual (and corrosive) arrangement the other way around.
It's very unlikely anyone else in the mid-range PC space would be as flexible as Paradox to agree and accept this arrangement.
Yes, they should have been able to predict the future.
Elaugaufein
Member
Yup. Probably the biggest screw up I remember they were involved with was Sword of the Stars II. And that was essentially from the opposite of trying to keep too tight a chain on the developer.
Lasthope106
Member
Very nice choice. Paradox is one of the best pc publishers. The right fit for Obsidian.
Coffee Dog
Banned
You chose "publish" because it will generate a 20 page thread when people that don't know how to read like this poster:
freak out at Obsidian thinking that they went behind their backer's backs and got a publisher.
Are you kidding me? Why would I even do this? How would that even benefit me? I don't even plan on buying the fucking game. Honestly, some people are just unbelievable...
D
Deleted member 17706
Unconfirmed Member
Seems a good fit for a more hardcore CRPG like this. Especially for Europe.
Predict the future? I doubt the fact they don't like handling customer service and distribution came up just now. What's next? "Songs of Eternity $3 DLC"?
Coffee Dog
Banned
The same thing happened with Broken Age, with the thread title stating that they asked for more money when that never happened. Just trying to make sure things are accurate.
What are you basing this off of? Do you even know anything about Paradox?
Paradox isn't publishing anything.
Read the article, rather than the title. They're providing support, that's about it.
D
Deleted member 17706
Unconfirmed Member
Honestly, why?
The Kickstarter was to fund the development of the game. This publishing/distribution agreement changes nothing in that regard.
There is a lot of work involved with putting a game up for sale and supporting it, especially if you want to have a physical product, too. I don't see why there would be an issue here.
Sickboy007
Member
Great news all around!
I believe it's going to be always online DRM.
ThoseDeafMutes
Member
This reminds me, I need to build a shrine to Paradox Interactive.
Dat Nordic publisher master race.
Dat Nordic publisher master race.
Dude, I don't even know what Broken Age is, much less what thread about it you are talking about, I am just reporting what was posted on twitter. If the title is inaccurate you can send a PM to a mod for him/her to change it instead of supposing other people's intentions to create a thread.
Edit: Well, and thats exactly what happened.
It makes sense to outsource that stuff to someone who has the setup for it instead of wasting a ton of time and resources on doing it yourself, a lot of kickstarters do this.
D
Deleted member 17706
Unconfirmed Member
Ouch, man... right back at you.
Check the Steam pages for Europa Universalis III, IV, Crusader Kings, Victoria II, etc.
I still like Paradox, though.
The Technomancer
card-carrying scientician
Are you really tangibly upset that they're asking another company to handle phone support and physical disc distribution?
Jon of the Wired
Member
As long as the terms are reasonable, Obsidian still owns the IP, and has full control of the content (all of which appear to be true, going by the FAQ) then this seems like the right move. While gamers love to hate publishers, they do provide developers with a number of services that have to be performed by someone, and most devs don't want to be in the business of packing boxes.
If publisher are willing to provide those services on a for-hire basis, that's fantastic for devs that have their own funding, but don't want to spend time on things that aren't directly related to making a game.
If publisher are willing to provide those services on a for-hire basis, that's fantastic for devs that have their own funding, but don't want to spend time on things that aren't directly related to making a game.
Fragamemnon
Member
let's be real about this for a second-Obsidian did not want to have to take people off of the team to manage things like press betas, events/shows scheduling, press releases, pre-release marketing, and such. Yuck. I can see why they contracted distribution and marketing out to Paradox.
That is the arrangement here.
edit: These DLC cheap shots are hilarious. Paradox can't add them into the game without Obsidian providing them. Obsidian is in complete control of the property.
That is the arrangement here.
edit: These DLC cheap shots are hilarious. Paradox can't add them into the game without Obsidian providing them. Obsidian is in complete control of the property.
Coffee Dog
Banned
The whole point is that paradox isn't EA partners
just because a game has a publisher doesn't mean the game is going to drown in DLC, especially considering paradox has nothing to do with the games development outside of distribution.
D
Deleted member 17706
Unconfirmed Member
Those are for Paradox developed games. The stuff they merely publish are typically not as crazy with the DLC.
Some people might, but they'd be equally as ridiculous. If anything, this decision is letting Obsidian focus even more of their resources on the development by choosing to share revenue with a partner to handle the distribution, customer service, and other not-so-fun stuff.
The Technomancer
card-carrying scientician
No, its not irrelevant. People's reactions would be entirely different if they announced they were partnering with Valve or Activision.
If they could only have a good localization team. Their Spanish release of EUIV is a joke. Other than that, one of the most solid PC powerhouses,
Right!
That said, Paradox's approach to DLC is pretty awful. They're one of my favorite publishers in spite of that but yeesh.
Fantastapotamus
Wrong about commas, wrong about everything
The more they can focus on the game the better for me as a backer. I have no problems with that. Paradox is not necessarily known for caring about "mass appeal" as far as I know.
Fragamemnon
Member
I kind of disgree here. they are very upfront about what is cosmetic DLC. The "big" DLC expansions have content well worth the price, and include features to the base product as well. It's more or less the Firaxis expansion model with faster turnround times.
The Technomancer
card-carrying scientician
Paradox is known for their strategy games about European history with interfaces that are slightly less complicated then a space shuttle. I wouldn't say mass appeal is something they're too concerned with.
Seems like good news to me. Obsidian is still in control of the project and they don't have to spend time and money on things they would rather not. I don't see why some are upset as I always figured that Obsidian would find a distributor for at least the physical copies of this game and you can do much worse then Paradox.
As for the CK2 DLC well I guess I am part of the problem as I buy all that stuff up. I am so weak when it comes to CK2, but then again since they keep releasing fun expansions for it I regret nothing.
As for the CK2 DLC well I guess I am part of the problem as I buy all that stuff up. I am so weak when it comes to CK2, but then again since they keep releasing fun expansions for it I regret nothing.