RIP Tyranny? Obsidian bought out

[Serious Series PLUS ULTRA]

So, is this the end? Or does this mean that Tyranny 2 will just be under Microsoft's banner?

[Phade]

if theres a sequel it will be. see a studio being bought out doesnt really mean the end. it just means that microsoft will have a bigger say in future game developments, and they can assist with funding.

[TheGreenman]

Think of it this way. How popular are CRPGs on console?

[DogdaySunrise]

Darkest timeline:
- Make games exclusive to the Windows Store and Xbox
- Make up for resulting poor sales with micro transactions
- Turn Rare it into a ♥♥♥♥♥♥ shovel ware games studio

Oh, did I say 'Rare'? I meant 'Obsidian'. My bad.

[JohannZA]

Obsidian rose from the ashes of Black Isle. A new company will be born from the ashes of Obsidian. No doubt.

Inxile selling out is a much sadder affair, in my opinion. But yes, Bard's Tale 4 has been in development for ages. Likely they were having money issues by this point. Though I imagine Brian Fargo will set up shop somewhere else once it's done.

In short, neither of these two studios are unmissable. Life will go on.

[jutschi78]

Hmm... lay the rights for Tyranny not by Paradox?

Either way, i hope there will be a sequel.

I think Tyranny is one of the most underrated RPG´s - it´s like a bit Planscape Torment - a very good game, but it was not a big seller...

So maybe someday there will be a kickstarter project for a sort of sequel?

[Anonymous Helper]

RIP Obsidian Entertainment, you'll be missed.

[Serious Series PLUS ULTRA]

Originally posted by jutschi78:

Hmm... lay the rights for Tyranny not by Paradox?

Either way, i hope there will be a sequel.

I think Tyranny is one of the most underrated RPG´s - it´s like a bit Planscape Torment - a very good game, but it was not a big seller...

So maybe someday there will be a kickstarter project for a sort of sequel?

AFAIK Paradox helped publish the game but the rights still belong to the studio. That's how Paradox is working with "indies" from an article I read before.

[dazraell]

Paradox owns Tyranny IP, so they can do whatever they want without Obsidian's involvement. Obsidian has rights for Pillars of Eternity, though.

[Deatheagle]

Well, what Paradox really "own" is just the name they registered with the USPTO. The lore of the game and its mechanics will still lie with the development studio. So technically, there can be a Tyranny 2 without Paradox involvement as long as they do not name it Tyranny 2, if you catch my drift...

[Serious Series PLUS ULTRA]

Originally posted by dazraell:

Paradox owns Tyranny IP, so they can do whatever they want without Obsidian's involvement. Obsidian has rights for Pillars of Eternity, though.

Pillars is also Paradox published though. Yes, I know it was funded via kickstarter, but then Tyranny was also almost complete when they entered into the publishing deal.

[dazraell]

Originally posted by Serious Series PLUS ULTRA:

Originally posted by dazraell:

Paradox owns Tyranny IP, so they can do whatever they want without Obsidian's involvement. Obsidian has rights for Pillars of Eternity, though.

Pillars is also Paradox published though. Yes, I know it was funded via kickstarter, but then Tyranny was also almost complete when they entered into the publishing deal.

You're wrong. Pillars and Tyranny shares the same tech and publisher, but rights for the IP are a different thing.

Pillars of Eternity IP is owned by Obsidian (or more exactly by Dark Rock Industries Limited, a shell company founded by Feargus Urquhart), Paradox was only a publisher of first game and the Complete Edition on consoles. Pillars 2 was published by Versus Evil, a completely different company.

Tyranny was originally a side-project of Obsidian, which was bought by Paradox when they were negotiating a contract for being a publisher of Pillars 1.

https://www.paradoxinteractive.com/en/section/our-products/ - it clearly shows that Tyranny is considered as a Paradox IP, while Pillars of Eternity isn't even listed here.

[LHGreen]

That might explain why Obsidian won't bother fixing it, and why they seem to have deliberately done some insanely stupid things when making it.

[Coffee Break Hero]

I know I'm late to the party but I really want tyranny 2!
too many futuristic dystopias and generic DnD worlds with a twist
tyranny's setting is unique and so interesting and filled with philosophy, ethics and metaphors.
need more.
I hate paradox so my hope is microsoft buying the IP and letting obsidian do it

[jayel83]

So how did that happen? How did the ip of a game totally belonging to obsidian ended up as paradox ip? It seems to be a deal breaker if you want to make your own game/game franchise.

If paradox owns it then i suppose theres no hope.

Maybe if obsidian reimagined the universe as something similar but not really the same which couldnt be considered a "tyranny franchise game"

[Diomedes]

Originally posted by DogdaySunrise:

Darkest timeline:
- Make games exclusive to the Windows Store and Xbox
- Make up for resulting poor sales with micro transactions
- Turn Rare it into a ♥♥♥♥♥♥ shovel ware games studio

Oh, did I say 'Rare'? I meant 'Obsidian'. My bad.

LOL Paradox is the king of mico transactions, who in the heck are you trying to fool? What? 99% of their games are on Steam as well..