No more NWN for Interplay/BIS
Miles Lippincott
publish NWN.
Miles
linus nordström
"Miles Lippincott" <Sar...@Qwest.net> wrote in message
news:JVRN7.81$ue2.1...@news.uswest.net...
not quite true.
--
BioWare Terminates Contract with Interplay
Well it just proves that behind most rumors are usually some truth. BioWare
has just sent a press releases stating that they have terminated their
contract with Interplay but this will have no effect on the shipping of NWN.
Here's the full release:
On Thursday, November 29, 2001, Canadian software developer BioWare Corp.
terminated its contract with Interplay Entertainment Corp. to develop its
latest computer game, Neverwinter Nights. BioWare announced that, though it
has ended its association with Interplay on the project, it is looking
forward to releasing Neverwinter Nights on schedule, early in 2002.
Development at BioWare is continuing on both Neverwinter Nights and Star
Wars Knights of the Old Republic as well as on other as yet unannounced
projects.
BioWare had previously filed lawsuits against Interplay, alleging that
Interplay has breached contracts with BioWare by sublicensing distribution
of BioWare games to third parties without the knowledge or consent of
BioWare. BioWare had also joined with Illinois software developer Parallax
in a lawsuit against Interplay alleging that Interplay, British Distributor
Virgin Interactive, and the French company, Titus Interactive, had failed to
pay royalties due BioWare and Parallax games,
BioWare is the developer of a number of highly popular and successful
award-winning computer games, including Shattered Steel, MDK2 (for the PC,
Sega Dreamcast and Sony Playstation 2 platforms), Baldur's Gate, Baldur's
Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast, Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn and the
recently-released Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal. Parallax has developed
a number of highly popular and successful award-winning computer games, such
as Descent, Descent II, Descent II: The Infinite Abyss and Descent
Freespace.
whocares
"linus nordström" <lin...@gmx.net> wrote in message
news:9u8qsh$9c0$1...@hudsucker.umdac.umu.se...
>
> "Miles Lippincott" <Sar...@Qwest.net> wrote in message
> news:JVRN7.81$ue2.1...@news.uswest.net...
> > So says Gamespot. Apparently Bioware has announced that Interplay will
> not
> > publish NWN.
> >
> > Miles
> >
>
> not quite true.
How is that not quite true? Below it says NWN will not be published through
Interplay.
Also I never thought Bioware owned the rights to the D&D license? So how do
they plan on releasing this game through another publisher. The whole thing
seems a bit weird.
Ykalon Dragon
wrote:
>
>Also I never thought Bioware owned the rights to the D&D license? So how do
>they plan on releasing this game through another publisher. The whole thing
>seems a bit weird.
>
>
They probably have an agreement with the current license holder
Infogrames. I believe they will publish NWN.
linus nordström
"whocares" <j...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:cGUN7.9278$FP6.3...@atlpnn01.usenetserver.com...
>
> "linus nordström" <lin...@gmx.net> wrote in message
> news:9u8qsh$9c0$1...@hudsucker.umdac.umu.se...
> >
> > "Miles Lippincott" <Sar...@Qwest.net> wrote in message
> > news:JVRN7.81$ue2.1...@news.uswest.net...
> > > So says Gamespot. Apparently Bioware has announced that Interplay
will
> > not
> > > publish NWN.
> > >
> > > Miles
> > >
> >
> > not quite true.
>
> How is that not quite true? Below it says NWN will not be published
through
> Interplay.
>
my bad.. was tierd and misunderstod the text :)
Hong Ooi
wrote:
>
>They probably have an agreement with the current license holder
>Infogrames. I believe they will publish NWN.
Let's hope so, anyway. A repeat of the Wiz8 fiasco... doesn't bear thinking
about.
--
Hong Ooi | "Still others say the Hong doesn't really
hong...@maths.anu.edu.au | mean anything at all."
http://www.zip.com.au/~hong | -- K37
Canberra, Australia |
Christoph Nahr
That's the end of Interplay then, isn't it? Are there any other games
they might be developing or publishing? Their own Torn project was
scrapped, and unless some previous contract allows them to use the
Infinity engine for another game they won't even be able to do the
planned sequel to Icewind Dale. Do they still have that Star Trek
license, or did that one expire too?
--
http://www.kynosarges.de
Kevin McGuire
: On Fri, 30 Nov 2001 11:24:21 -0800, "Miles Lippincott"
: <Sar...@Qwest.net> wrote:
Yeah, that seems to be it for them, unless their console fortunes turn
around and actually start making money. I've heard that Baldur's Gate:
Dark Alliance is actually pretty good, but that seems like a very slim
thread to hang a company from.
--
Kevin McGuire University of Pennsylvania
Spelling tip: I win, you _lose_. You are the _loser_ of the game.
This XXL shirt is really _loose_. I can't see how it could
be _looser_.
Werner Purrer
kevi...@mail1.sas.upenn.edu says...
> Yeah, that seems to be it for them, unless their console fortunes turn
> around and actually start making money. I've heard that Baldur's Gate:
> Dark Alliance is actually pretty good, but that seems like a very slim
> thread to hang a company from.
>
bought out by a bigger company. Great company goes down the drain. Whats
amazing is the speed this happened this time.
Clogar
>
[snip]
> bought out by a bigger company. Great company goes down the drain.
> Whats amazing is the speed this happened this time.
Interplay has had problems for a long, long time. Speed? If
you call years of problems and hundreds of really bad titles "speedy,"
I'll agree with you. Otherwise.. well, I'm surprised they've held out
this long.
On a bright note.. the stock is still off its 52 week low of
30 cents! Three times that, in fact. Of course, back in '98 it was
worth of $7.00 a share.. then dropped to about $2.00 a share for most
of '99. Someone lost a ton of money on this company.. I'm just glad
it wasn't me. :)
Grifman
wrote:
Speed? You obviously haven't been following Interplay;s financial
results the last couple of years. What was painfully obvious is that
even in quarters where they had good selling games (BG, BG2, etc.)
they still were posting losses. They either had too much overhead, or
the rest of their games couldn't make any money.
Grifman
Axolotl
>Also I never thought Bioware owned the rights to the D&D license? So how do
>they plan on releasing this game through another publisher. The whole thing
>seems a bit weird.
If that's true, then I suspect that Wizards will scramble to offer
Bioware a D&D license all of their own. Bioware, after all, have been
responsible for the most successful (read profitable) PC RPG D&D
series to date. Wizards would not want to miss out on Neverwinter
royalty profits...
Ax.
Werner Purrer
says...
> >>
> >Mhh usual story, great company has monetary problems. Great company is
> >bought out by a bigger company. Great company goes down the drain. Whats
> >amazing is the speed this happened this time.
> >
>
> Speed? You obviously haven't been following Interplay;s financial
> results the last couple of years. What was painfully obvious is that
> even in quarters where they had good selling games (BG, BG2, etc.)
> they still were posting losses. They either had too much overhead, or
> the rest of their games couldn't make any money.
>
>
company. It took EA almost 4 years to ruin OSI but it took the new
owners of Interplay just 4 months to kill their golden goose (Bioware)
by not fullfilling contracts. That is definitely the final blow to
Interplay.
Hong Ooi
Speed? Bio and Interplay had been in bed for more than three years before
this. BG1 came out in 1998, and Shattered Steel in 1997, IIRC.
Ykalon Dragon
McGuire) wrote:
>Yeah, that seems to be it for them, unless their console fortunes turn
>around and actually start making money. I've heard that Baldur's Gate:
>Dark Alliance is actually pretty good, but that seems like a very slim
>thread to hang a company from.
My bet is that Bioware jumped ship because Interplay did Dark Alliance
Werner Purrer
hong...@maths.anu.edu.au says...
>
> >>
> >Actually I ment the speed this company was ruined by a bigger buy out
> >company. It took EA almost 4 years to ruin OSI but it took the new
> >owners of Interplay just 4 months to kill their golden goose (Bioware)
> >by not fullfilling contracts. That is definitely the final blow to
> >Interplay.
>
> Speed? Bio and Interplay had been in bed for more than three years before
> this. BG1 came out in 1998, and Shattered Steel in 1997, IIRC.
>
through. It is amazing how fast corporate stupitiy killed the fruitful
cooperation of Bioware and Interplay. This definitely is a desaster for
Interplay, they now don´t have a 100% sure big hit and they now stand
there without an engine-I can see the end coming. What it took for OSI
was 4 years and lots of stupid decisions to kill the company. It took
the owners of Interplay only one stupid decision to possibly kill
Interplay and Black Ise.
Whoever is responsible for not paying Bioware at Interplays new owners
should be fired immediately. It might turn out excellent for Bioware
however they have a 100% sure hit in their hands and they have an
excellent RPG engine as well. Guess they can strike a pretty good
publishing deal in the near future.
Clogar
>
[snip]
> My bet is that Bioware jumped ship because Interplay did Dark Alliance
As far as real reasons go, that sounds like the best one so far. ;)
mega
mega
Grifman
wrote:
>In article <3c095578.33895265@news-server>, sgri...@carolina.rr.com
Bioware isn't owned by Interplay, they are an independent developer.
And their association with Interplay goes back further than 4 months -
they been making games for Interplay for several years now.
Grifman
Kevin McGuire
: Bioware isn't owned by Interplay, they are an independent developer.
: And their association with Interplay goes back further than 4 months -
: they been making games for Interplay for several years now.
Right, but I think the point the original poster was making is that the
Bioware/Interplay association is a real plus for Interplay (particularly
with NWN in the pipeline). His point was that it took only 4 months for
the new owners to ruin that positive relationship - which without
question hurts Interplay.
Clogar
>
[snip]
> The only problem with that assumption is that Dark Alliance is
> actually suprising good.
Doesn't matter. The point is, Bioware MADE BG, BGII, and all of
the expansions. Bioware has NOTHING to do with Dark Alliance, but the
game is sold under the BG name. ;) Wouldn't that tick you off if
you were Bioware?
Ykalon Dragon
wrote:
>Actually I ment the speed this company was ruined by a bigger buy out
>company. It took EA almost 4 years to ruin OSI but it took the new
>owners of Interplay just 4 months to kill their golden goose (Bioware)
>by not fullfilling contracts. That is definitely the final blow to
>Interplay.
Bioware is a 100% independent company, they are in no way owned by
Interplay.
Grifman
No, since Interplay probably owns the name for Baldur's Gate. Bioware
just developed it for them. Interplay can do what they want with the
name.
Grifman
Fate of Nations
"Ykalon Dragon" <yka...@softhome.net> wrote in message
news:c55m0uooe9vpci0nr...@4ax.com...
I think what he is saying is it only took four months for the relationship
(publisher/independent developer) to deteriorate starting when Titus came
about. It seemed to be a good relationship between Interplay and Bioware
until Titus stepped in and all hell broke loose. Maybe Interplay was
screwing Bioware all along, but it seems too coincidental that the suit was
filed 4 months after Titus stepped in.
--
Fate
"Better be careful, you're sliding towards fanboyism...." - Ben Sisson
Clogar
>
[snip]
> >the expansions. Bioware has NOTHING to do with Dark Alliance, but the
> >game is sold under the BG name. ;) Wouldn't that tick you off if
> >you were Bioware?
>
> No, since Interplay probably owns the name for Baldur's Gate. Bioware
> just developed it for them. Interplay can do what they want with the
> name.
And they have. And now Interplay won't be releasing Bioware's next
game. See the connection? Way to go, Interplay! ];P
Knight37
> I think what he is saying is it only took four months for the
> relationship (publisher/independent developer) to deteriorate starting
> when Titus came about. It seemed to be a good relationship between
> Interplay and Bioware until Titus stepped in and all hell broke loose.
> Maybe Interplay was screwing Bioware all along, but it seems too
> coincidental that the suit was filed 4 months after Titus stepped in.
I think a lot of people are trying to tie together a theory based on a very
limited knowledge of what really happened here. Until more news comes out
about the lawsuit (which will probably get settled out of court and never
become public knowledge), it's kind of pointless to try and come up with why
this happened. But, for the amusement of the group, here's my pet theory as
to what happened:
Bioware signs on with Interplay, because while they have a kick ass new
Infinity Engine and a good RPG idea (Baldur's Gate) to go with it, they need
the clout of a big publisher to fund the development and aquire the license
to be able to put D&D on the box.
Interplay and Bioware make a ton of cash on BG1, BG2 starts in earnest.
Interplay uses the Infinity Engine in house (BIS) to make the best story-
oriented RPG ever made, Planescape Torment.
Bioware learns from BIS's experience and adds a lot of good stuff to BG2 to
make it one of the best RPG's ever.
Bioware starts on NWN, by this time they have a great reputation.
Bioware signs a deal with Lucas Arts based on their reputation from BG
series.
Interplay gets in financial trouble and can't give Bioware everything they
need for NWN development, Bioware probably ends up using it's own funds,
possibly having to take on debt to fund it.
Bioware realizes they really don't need Interplay anymore, now that other
companies have aquired licenses for D&D products.
Interplay's financial woes are like a lead foot to their flagship product
line, which unfortunately, they don't fully own.
Bioware realizes that they can make more money not pulling Interplay along
for the ride.
Bioware sues Interplay.
Bioware uses the lawsuit as an excuse to cancel NWN with Interplay to find a
better publishing deal for one of the most anticipated RPG titles ever.
Who can really blame them? Interplay made a lot of bad decisions that put
them in the situation they are in, and Bioware kind of pulled them along
with the BG series for a while, but got tired of doing that. Even using
Bioware's engine to make their own, Interplay could not make as much money
for whatever reasons (not that I think PST or IWD are bad games, far from
it).
Of course, who knows if this is what really happened, but it's my working
theory so far. ;)
--
Knight37
"Dear Mother! Dear Father!
Time has frozen still what's left to be!
Hear nothing! Say nothing!
Cannot face the fact I think for me!
No guarantee, it's life 'as is',
But damn you for not giving me my chance!"
-- Metallica "Dyers Eve"