Obsidian Entertainment, the studio perhaps best known for Fallout: New Vegas, looks like it will be leaving PlayStation behind, as reports suggest that it’s about to be acquired by Microsoft – although nothing, as yet, has been signed. Ironically, the developer’s been in financial trouble for a fair few years, after Microsoft cancelled a game that it had in production exclusively for the Xbox One.
Most recently, the Californian company has had success with Pillars of Eternity, and its sequel is supposedly planned for the PlayStation 4 at some point; whether that will still release should the buyout go through remains to be seen. The developer’s declined to comment on the speculation, stating instead that Rumours by Fleetwood Mac “still holds up”. Accurate.
[source kotaku.com]
Comments 42
Microsoft needs studios because they need games, and that's great and all, but I do kinda wish they'd not buy any studios I like to prop up their lame duck console business. I've enjoyed not having to buy an Xbox to play games this generation. Admittedly, that's largely because I don't have any USB ports left in my surround sound box to handle another console, but then that's how I roll.
It would be a shame if Obsidian did follow Ninja Theory to Microsoft but it would be amazing work from MS to get them signed up, might even make the neXtBox appealing
I'm not really fussed personally. They don't really make the kind of games I like — although I did enjoy Fallout: New Vegas, but they won't be doing another one of those should this go through.
Feels like Microsoft's buying studios that are on the verge of shutting down, which I suppose is a win for everyone really. I always felt like Ninja Theory were one bad decision away from closing, too.
Such a shame.
Heard rumours that Quantic Dream could be next, if that's true then that's going to be a hugely dick move by MS.
Doesn't bother me really, if MS want to buy up studios and those studios start making great games I'll just get an Xbox to go with my PlayStation and Switch. Innit.
I am a bit worried. I think they have made many rpgs that I like. Pillars included.
This would be tragic.
Micro$oft and EA are the studio killers.
@NintendoFan4Lyf sometimes I walk into town and buy Xbox games just to make a statement. I don't expect you to understand that, but I call it my "Dragon Energy".
Noooooo! Pillars of eternity is awesome. Amazing story telling
Like this article said https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2018/09/god_of_war_creator_reveals_why_sony_is_killing_it_right_now, is not enough to buy studios, MS need to support them creatively.
Obsidian did make South Park: The Stick of Truth- which is one my favourite games of all time, but aside from that I don’t really play their games.
I hope Sony are watching and start locking down some of their more trusted partners.
Could you imagine if MS snap up QD or Insomniac?
I do like that next gen is shaping up as the battle of First Party, but I do prefer Sony’s approach of growing their internal studios more.
@Fight_Teza_Fight That's my fear, it's why I've been saying for a long while that Sony need to sign up the studios they work closely with cos they run the risk of losing them.
@adf86 It’s a valid concern. I think Insomniac aren’t going anywhere, they’ve come out and said their audience is on PS.
Quantic Dream though...they need a big publisher behind them & I don’t know what their working relationship with Sony is like atm after the recent drama. Hope Sony stick by them.
@JoeBlogs Hope you’re right. It would be a bit of a power move by MS though and a blow to PS.
Money talks and it looks like MS aren’t done spending.
It would be interesting to see if Sony respond at all.
Couldn't care less.
@Adam47 Yep. Makes me sad to think that the next Pillars or whatever Obsidian is doing will be a Microsoft exclusive... but whats even more worrying is what happened to Rare, Lionhead and Ensemble.
Quite possible they will get to make one of their projects and then get stuck doing some games as service Fable trash until all the good people left and the studio has to close.
Alpha Protocol. neverwinter. Dungeon Siege III..
Are great games they made.. Hopefully they don't close that great company off. As a rpg gamer. Please don't ruin them. And if good games comes on Xbox. I must buy one then
good thing i own all 3 systems than isn't it
imagine NOT being blind and following just ONE company
EDIT: i made a response to this post that i think people should also read, it's somewhere in the comment section
Not fond of them anyway.
I think it's a good buy if developers is on the verge of shutting down. The reason that developer is on the verge of shutting down is microsoft themselves though
I feel like everything Microsoft does is backwards and always feels so... Corporate.
I dont think MS or Nintendo or Sony buying up existing studios is healthy for the industry. The best thing I have heard out of microsoft in a long time is that they had created a studio. You have the money and the resources... Build the industry...
This really feels like "We have a problem... Throw money at it!!"
If more well rated exclusives begin to appear on Xbox that's great for us gamers methinks, cos the extra competition will inspire both Nintendo and Sony. It might be more difficult to choose a future platform if I had only time and money to choose one platform.... For me it's all down to the exclusives and how good they are.
It doesn't really affect me that much, I can always buy their games on PC. My main concern, however, is that MS would not allow Obsidian games to be sold elsewhere but on the MS store, meaning they won't be sold on Steam/GOG/Humble etc.
Competition is ultimately good. There should either be no platform-exclusive studios whatsoever, or there should be lots of them. I prefer the former.
@bbq_boy inspire Sony? sorry but that comment is crazy Sony has been making great games for years they do it without needing any push.
truth be told I think MS does not have a clue on how to get on par with Sony in the First Party stakes.
it will take them years to get anywhere near it!
chucking money around at studios that are struggling is a patch, not a fix.
Funny how Obsidian complained about consoles many times, praising PC and all, now they could be acquired by MS and be stuck with one console and a store on PC that many don’t like.
Anyway, competition is good and all, it’s their choice, just don’t complain after if something like Rare and Lionhead happen again.
Sad news and strange timing for me personally, as I'm currently enjoying Obsidian-created worlds, playing Tyranny on PC after finishing Pillars of Eternity on my PS4.
Obsidian is such a great studio and one of my favorite developers overall, so if they were to be acquired by Microsoft I at least hope it would help them get them the funding they deserve, though I'm afraid they could end up Biowared of just thrown to the wayside like other studios in recent years.
Also wonder what it means for Pillars of Eternity 2, since I was really looking forward to playing it on PS4, hopefully it still gets released.
@FullbringIchigo Maybe i just like the other company way better and im not going to buy one console for 3 games. 🤨
Obsidian doesn't really make the kind of games I like but I know this would be disappointing for many PlayStation gamers. However, if the studio was in financial trouble then it's a good thing MS jumped in. I'd rather Obsidian stick around than not exist at all.
With all that said, I agree with @adf86 that this, along with the other recent purchases MS has made, should be warning flag to Sony. I know they're expanding some of the teams they already have, which is great, but just like they did with Sucker Punch back in 2011, it wouldn't hurt to cement some other close developer relationships. Insomniac hopefully got the hint from the low Sunset Overdrive sales compared to the great Ratchet & Clank PS4 and Spider-Man sales that its audience is on the PS brand. Sony, for its part, should also realize going as far back as Spyro how integral Insomniac has been to its console business. Ted Price has said several times that Insomniac loves its independence but it's obvious where things have worked best, Sony needs to make an offer to him that is too good to turn down. The other studio that needs to be locked up immediately is Quantic Dream. I haven't loved all their games but most of them have sold pretty well and Detroit: Become Human was a big hit with gamers getting a lot of praise and commercial success. Kaz Hirai put Sony back in a spot where it can make some acquisitions, don't mess around and let Insomniac and QD get snagged by MS. Just one of them going would be a big blow.
@bbq_boy
'if I had only time and money to choose one platform'
Exactly. A lot of people go 'don't be blind, buy every platform or your a fanboy' BS. It doesn't make sense for most people to have every platform. Simple as that. I go with PlayStation only (plus the random Nintendo games for my kid) because for me it would be a waste of money to buy a console with hardly a couple of exclusives I'd be interested in with already no time or money to buy and play all the games already available on my PlayStation ecosystem.
@Flaming_Kaiser by the way i DO understand that for some there are money constraints and they can't afford all the systems or perhaps they feel they wont play enough games on one system to warrant buying them and these are all valid concerns that even i share, i got a XB1 and i barley play games on it because i get what i want from the PS4, what i meant by blind is that some people will just buy a certain system regards of how good it is or what games it has just because it's Sony or Microsoft that made it and THAT is dumb so sorry for the confusion my post may have caused
@PS_Nation Funny thing is, and you can look it up MS did nothing to Rare, Their choices were their own, and anyway Sea of Thieves is pure quality.
Guess I am just spoilt being an adult and being able to game on more than one device.
@RustyBullet “Sea of Thieves pure quality” hahaha. It’s not my problem if Xbone is garbage. Nobody is playing No Mans Sea anymore. If you can’t deal with facts, that’s your problem.
@PS_Nation Funny thing is that its not actualy a Fact. The point I was making is that you somehow think MS are destroyimg Rare, far from it and its well documented.
Yes I prefer X Box but I also have PS4, Switch and a capable PC so its win win all round for me.
@RustyBullet And here you are in a PS site. Cool story bro.
Fair enough.
@PS_Nation Why would I not be on a PS web site, this is my preferd web site for PS related news.
@David187 to be fair, this year's Forza imo looks more entertaining than GT sport. If I had to part cash I'd choose Forza altho I don't own an Xbox. And it's this kind of exclusivity (!) competition which inspires teams to do better. Sony has got the best exclusives imo for me at the moment.. But if Microsoft bring out a dozen genuinely brand new blockbusters in a couple of years time... Who will inspire who?
@Fight_Teza_Fight thing is, some of Sony's biggest studios ( naughty dog and sucker punch) were bought like ninja theory and playground games were. Ms has to have some sort of top notch studios to start out to continue to grow to even think of branching off to make new studios( like the initiative)
@HefHughner I hate when people try to bring up rare when rare was on the downfall before Microsoft bought them, alot of their games before being bought, started to go down in sales and ratings, alot of the talent from their acclaimed games already left, and Nintendo saw this coming that's why they didn't buy them. Also, it's all but been confirmed ( by name at least) that playground games is working on a single player open world fable game
@Gamer83 I think in the near future, Ms will let insomniac make SO sequel because of what one of the execs said ( going to support all new exclusive IPS this generation) and how much demand there is for another game... SO is coming close to having cult status
They are doing it right this time due to the fact that they need to know more about it on custom essay service uk. If they can do that, it will bring us some good news as well for sure.
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