Obsidian hit with massive layoffs, and cancels "next gen" project

Hopefully, if worst comes to worst, Bethesda buys them and makes them another division in Zenimax. Yes, I know a lot of you hate Bethesda, but better that then going out of business.

Home of CBR Rumbles-in-Exile: rumbles.fr.yuku.com

... No, I'd say going out of business would be better.

"It's so hard to be humble, knowing how great I am."

So all the people of losing their jobs at Obsidian is better than Obsidian becoming a division of Zeni Max, Mukora?

One thing's for sure, the fate of being part of Zenimax would be better than being absorbed by, God forbid, EA or Activision.

I now go by Graf von Tirol.

Oh most definitely.

If Bethesda buys them maybe they could keep making Fallout games like New Vegas and the like. Bethesda doesn't seem as bad as EA or Activision at all.

Instead, I have learned a horrible truth of existence...some stories have no meaning.

For them, no.

But for their games? Hell yes. Bethesda would never use the people at Obsidian to their full potential.

"It's so hard to be humble, knowing how great I am."

Well, Bethesda seemed to give Obsidian kind of free reign for New Vegas, and it turned out pretty well.

Mukora, I do get where you're coming from, but Obsidian being a division of Zeni Max isn't the worst thing that could happen. Imagine if Activision owned them.

edited 16th Mar '12 2:17:37 PM by MarkVonLewis

They were given free reign on New Vegas because Bethesda didn't own them.

But yeah, I suppose there are worse things.

"It's so hard to be humble, knowing how great I am."

If Obsidian were to die, the people there would most likely end up being split apart, either forming a new, weaker studio and/or key members ending up at another company and having their potential wasted, so being a cog in the odd machine of Zenimax probably isn't so bad. I mean, hell, they do own Id Software now.

edited 16th Mar '12 2:23:52 PM by RocketDude

"Hipsters: the most dangerous gang in the US." - Pacific Mackerel

So pretty much exactly what happened to those team members already when Interplay went down.

"It's so hard to be humble, knowing how great I am."

I rather another company who isn Beth,Ea,Acti or Ubi

http://steamcommunity.com/id/Xan-Xan/

... What does that leave? Valve?

"It's so hard to be humble, knowing how great I am."

YES

http://steamcommunity.com/id/Xan-Xan/

... Valve don't make RP Gs, though.

"It's so hard to be humble, knowing how great I am."

But its credit to team, sorry, didnt resit

http://steamcommunity.com/id/Xan-Xan/

I really don't know if Valve could really have a subsidiary like Obsidian (although Turtle Rock was another matter at the time of Left 4 Dead*

). As good as it is, it can only really publish its own games and the retail releases of their games would have to have a major publisher handle distribution (particularly EA from the Orange Box onwards).

Well... there's still the possibility of Obsidian employees, upon the company going bust, being picked up by Valve, but that's a different matter...

edited 16th Mar '12 2:52:42 PM by EarlOfSandvich

I now go by Graf von Tirol.

They seem to have a new project in development now with Rich Taylor (DS 3 director) in charge. Dungeon Siege 4? It didn't cost much to make and Square Enix seems to have good relations with Obsidian. Not the best way to come back but at least they're still in business.

Obsidian has bounced back from worse, they had to lay off a lot more people when Aliens RPG was cancelled. I think they'll be fine, I just hope Chris Avellone's tweet doesn't sour Obsidian's relations with publishers.

So either they lose their independence and get gobbled up by a bigger company, or they die out and spread their employees all over the work environment. This sucks. If they have to be absorbed, I think Zenimax would be ok, as they don't seem malicious as much as they are just really stupid.

And @ Earl of Sandvich, I do think "Wot I Think"'s are a pretty decent way to review games. Ironically, New Vegas did get a really scathing Wot I Think on Rock Paper Shotgun from this one guy who actually liked the writing and subway tunnels and theme park-esque feel of Fallout 3. Still better than the modern day "This game made me want to kill myself it was so bad, but I can't betray my corporate overlords by rating it low so 8/10" type of review though.

EIGHT GLORIOUS SIDES

Why not Square Enix, they do make RPG..... (fire shield on)

http://steamcommunity.com/id/Xan-Xan/

Eidos perhaps?

edited 16th Mar '12 3:22:27 PM by EarlOfSandvich

I now go by Graf von Tirol.

For those wondering why Obsidian agreed to the metacritic deal. Ex-OEI developer Anthony Davis said this on a different RPG forum:

mysteries....

Eidos was bought by Square Enix

http://steamcommunity.com/id/Xan-Xan/

Atlus seems like the least of all possible evils as far as "publishers to get gobbled up by" go, but then, I've been a Horrible Judge of Character before.

Atlus, mmmmmmm yeah, that could work

http://steamcommunity.com/id/Xan-Xan/