Neuromancer
Member
I bet one of them was EA. Had to have been.
If the devs want an actual retail presence with boxed copies they will almost surely have to get a publisher involved at some point. Hopefully it is more along the lines of how EA does Valve games. (Though I don't see much upside for a brick & mortar release for these games, the audience is already fully on board with digital releases especially in the US.)
It also seems likely that one of the major Kickstarter projects will run out of funding before the game is done. Are people going to be upset when the dev gives up some of the profits, rights, or what not to a publisher in return for the funding to finish the game?
It'll still be around for quite some time. Try and kickstart a new AAA franchise and see how that goes. Or a license game like FIFA.
But who the fuck wants AAA shit, anyway? Me, I'm bored to death of it. Aside from big expensive licenses and titles that can only be done with a lot of money and relationships in place, it's just not necessary to sell out to them. The polish and production value is there, but it's no substitute for the kind of games that come from people who want to make interesting high quality game experiences, not just prop up the next two quarters with big shipments and DLC calendars while gearing up for another two games that may as well be planned to suck in advance. So many games come out these days are just boring, soulless shit...and they're all AAA. Publishers don't have to be around to own the whole enchilada or dictate the consensus on quality and what constitutes good and interesting games output. With most of them on the ropes and finding their legs being swept out from underneath them in a change in consumer preferences, I hope most don't come back. I'd like to see something of a return to the more firewalled relationship of the 80s and early 90s, where they take care of logistics and marketing and don't own shit or shape the game itself against the developers' wishes and intentions. They only have as much clout as they do simply down to money, distribution network, and some internal services. You don't need them if you can target DD channels and aren't making the next big thing that also has a $20+ million dollar budget.
It feels like the publisher model is all but burnt down, anyway.
Personally I liked Skyrim. A lot. Maybe you didn't, but in my mind there is definitely a place (a big place) for AAA games. Every game doesn't need a huge budget and 100+ people working on it, of course.But who the fuck wants AAA shit, anyway? Me, I'm bored to death of it. Aside from big expensive licenses and titles that can only be done with a lot of money and relationships in place, it's just not necessary to sell out to them. The polish and production value is there, but it's no substitute for the kind of games that come from people who want to make interesting high quality game experiences, not just prop up the next two quarters with big shipments and DLC calendars while gearing up for another two games that may as well be planned to suck in advance. So many games come out these days are just boring, soulless shit...and they're all AAA. Publishers don't have to be around to own the whole enchilada or dictate the consensus on quality and what constitutes good and interesting games output. With most of them on the ropes and finding their legs being swept out from underneath them in a change in consumer preferences, I hope most don't come back. I'd like to see something of a return to the more firewalled relationship of the 80s and early 90s, where they take care of logistics and marketing and don't own shit or shape the game itself against the developers' wishes and intentions. They only have as much clout as they do simply down to money, distribution network, and some internal services. You don't need them if you can target DD channels and aren't making the next big thing that also has a $20+ million dollar budget.
But who the fuck wants AAA shit, anyway? Me, I'm bored to death of it. Aside from big expensive licenses and titles that can only be done with a lot of money and relationships in place, it's just not necessary to sell out to them. The polish and production value is there, but it's no substitute for the kind of games that come from people who want to make interesting high quality game experiences, not just prop up the next two quarters with big shipments and DLC calendars while gearing up for another two games that may as well be planned to suck in advance. So many games come out these days are just boring, soulless shit...and they're all AAA. Publishers don't have to be around to own the whole enchilada or dictate the consensus on quality and what constitutes good and interesting games output. With most of them on the ropes and finding their legs being swept out from underneath them in a change in consumer preferences, I hope most don't come back. I'd like to see something of a return to the more firewalled relationship of the 80s and early 90s, where they take care of logistics and marketing and don't own shit or shape the game itself against the developers' wishes and intentions. They only have as much clout as they do simply down to money, distribution network, and some internal services. You don't need them if you can target DD channels and aren't making the next big thing that also has a $20+ million dollar budget.
Isn't it rather obvious that if a publisher can remove the financial risk of building a game that they will jump on that like a crazy monkey?
It's just a matter of time.
Obsidian said no. The question is wich studio will be first to agree something like this.
My god. That is complete douchebaggary at it's finest.
My bet is either EA or Activision.
Wow.
My god. That is complete douchebaggary at it's finest.
My bet is either EA or Activision.
Wow.
No...?It depends on the game, right? I mean, obviously FU worded it a certain way to sort of incite wrath against people who already have plenty of it against publishers. But what if the publishers were offering up their own IP?
Like say, Interplay or whomever saying "hey we want you guys to do Baldur's Gate 3/Icewind Dale 3/Planescape 2 and we want to do it through Kickstarter"? Hmm it doesn't sound so terrible or exploitative now...
We were actually contacted by some publishers over the last few months that wanted to use us to do a Kickstarter. I said to them "So, you want us to do a Kickstarter for, using our name, we then get the Kickstarter money to make the game, you then publish the game, but we then don't get to keep the brand we make and we only get a portion of the profits" They said, "Yes".
Why hide the name of the publishers if you're going to say this? Might as well make things up then, drop the name of these dumbass publishers so people are aware
Its more than likely a publisher that has already worked with Obsidian. It might not be, but the likelihood is rather high.Obsidian is in no position to burn bridges.
Then they should've not said anything at all? I'm sure if I was that sneaky publisher and I would just read this I'd either pick up the phone to give Obsidian a call, or never work with them againObsidian is in no position to burn bridges.
Then they should've not said anything at all? I'm sure if I was that sneaky publisher and I would just read this I'd either pick up the phone to give Obsidian a call, or never work with them again
I also somehow doubt it's multiple publishers
this doesn't surprise me one bit. what's also not surprising is if some developers actually agree to such a proposition - there's lots of devs in the red who are pretty desperate to get their heads above water, and making "deals with the devil" like that are hardly new in this industry.
Obviously Obsidian knew they didn't need to jump on such a setup, but at the same time I believe they could not have known what to expect when they launched their KS (if they had, it would have happened sooner, and for a lot more than $1m)
As for "the days of publishers are waning" this is absolutely not true. The role of pubs is changing to a degree, but they still pull the strings, and they will for a long time to come (forever?) This new KS period is a strange time, bright even, but it's hardly a herald of a sea change in the way things are done.
It's like watching traditional publishing catching flame and burning in a massive bonfire.
It is beautiful.
Because they're talking about you in the open? They're not name dropping you but I'm sure if you talk with each other it won't be smooth sailing, who knows maybe details are left out and spun upon Obsidian's own favor. I don't know the details, but I wouldn't let it go as if nothing happened if I were the publisherWhy would you do that?
I'm a bit confused. The big publisher publishes the game without investing in it? Why would then Obsidian go to it if the game is being crowd funded? Would an online release take care of international sales. And I don't think english is a huge barrier for most who play games in countries where English isn't the first language.
Because they're talking about you in the open? They're not name dropping you but I'm sure if you talk with each other it won't be smooth sailing, who knows maybe details are left out and spun upon Obsidian's own favor. I don't know the details, but I wouldn't let it go as if nothing happened if I were the publisher
They were after the Golden Goose of project investment: Low risk, high reward.Fuck this shit. Seriously. What are they even thinking?!
Kickstarter is not a charity. While it's nice to see startups do well, I've yet to see a compelling reason why Obsidian or Double Fine shouldn't be allowed in. Also, define "prominent studios." It's a slippery slope.This is another reason I believe kickatarter shouldn't allow prominent studios - they already are in the building that lesser established studios are just trying to get one foot in that damn door.
I suspect the conversation went something like this.I'm a bit confused. The big publisher publishes the game without investing in it? Why would then Obsidian go to it if the game is being crowd funded? Would an online release take care of international sales. And I don't think english is a huge barrier for most who play games in countries where English isn't the first language.