Which one of the RPG renaissance developers will survive the longest?

[shishi-ABC]

 

[Iznaliu]

Both Obsidian and Larian aren't going anywhere.

I think Larian is being overly ambitious, which may lead to their downfall.

 

[Tigranes]

In terms of risktaking & proven track record of survival, Obsidian (who aren't super great at it themselves).

Larian's always bet the house and always come out, often by skin of their teeth.

 

[SomeDudeandHisHamster]

The only thing that could save Obsidian right now is the realization that they cant make a successor to the infinity engine rpgs, that or a Vampire Bloodlines and Fallout successor.

 

[Prime Junta]

It's between Obsidz and Larian, and Larian has all their eggs in one basket.

Obsidian OTOH is kind of like the Cohen the Barbarian of game studios, lots of experience not dying.

 

[fantadomat]

In terms of risktaking & proven track record of survival, Obsidian (who aren't super great at it themselves).

Larian's always bet the house and always come out, often by skin of their teeth.

Must admit that Larian have some very good financial skills.

 

[Kahr]

 

[Iznaliu]

The only thing that could save Obsidian right now is the realization that they cant make a successor to the infinity engine rpgs, that or a Vampire Bloodlines and Fallout successor.

I think trying to do something more eclectic would be worse for Obsidian.

 

[Fairfax]

All Larian has to do is bet the farm (like they always do) on a Tides of Numenera and it's over.

Safe money's on Feargus.

A Larian game wouldn't have most of the things TTON had going against it. Swen is very ambitious, though. He could bet everything on a "Larian Skyrim/Witcher".

Feargus won't have the chance the run Obsidian into the ground because the company will be sold before that.

 

[Roguey]

All Larian has to do is bet the farm (like they always do) on a Tides of Numenera and it's over.

Safe money's on Feargus.

A Larian game wouldn't have most of the things TTON had going against it. Swen is very ambitious, though. He could bet everything on a "Larian Skyrim/Witcher".

Feargus won't have the chance the run Obsidian into the ground because the company will be sold before that.

When I said "a Tides of Numenera" I meant "a game with a budget greater than its audience is capable of recouping," yes.

 

[Prime Junta]

Feargus won't have the chance the run Obsidian into the ground because the company will be sold before that.

I'm not so sure about that. He wants money, and a 200-head studio chronically teetering on the edge of oblivion isn't a particularly attractive investment prospect. Who'd be crazy enough to pay serious money for it?

 

[Roguey]

I'm not so sure about that. He wants money, and a 200-head studio chronically teetering on the edge of oblivion isn't a particularly attractive investment prospect. Who'd be crazy enough to pay serious money for it?

Once Obsidian's multi-million selling open world RPG takes off, they'll be lining up at the door is probably Fearg's thinking.

 

[IHaveHugeNick]

Feargus won't have the chance the run Obsidian into the ground because the company will be sold before that.

I'm not so sure about that. He wants money, and a 200-head studio chronically teetering on the edge of oblivion isn't a particularly attractive investment prospect. Who'd be crazy enough to pay serious money for it?

More importantly, who's even buying studios anymore? EA has Bioware, Sony has enough of in-house studios as it is, Activision has Blizzard, Zenimax has Bethesda, Paradox are too thin to buy and run 200 people studio in California, and Microsoft under new leadership have slowed down their spendy ways. I'm sure Feargus and rest of owners would sell without blinking an eye, and who could blame them, they'd get to retire before 50 and have a cozy retirement. But I don't see any potential buyers.

As for who will survive the longest, fuck knows. Larian seems solid right now but the way they conduct business seems unstable. Obsidian every year survive by the skin of their teeth, all it takes is that new big project get cancelled and they are fucked. InXile seem in trouble right now but Fargo didn't survive 40 years in this business for nothing, and his interest in VR seems to be paying off for now.

 

[Achilles]

Harebrained and Larian.

 

[Ogg]

I'm afraid coked-up Sven won't last much if he keeps this frightening pace of his. And when Sven goes down, Larian will too.

InXile is pretty much a corpse right now. Just read the recent Fargo interview to see how badly they've been hit by nuTorment's bad reception.

HBS could easily stop existing in this current form and be bought by whoever, I don't see them living much longer in their current form. But that's just a presentiment.

So I voted for Obsidian. After all what they've been through, they can survive anything, even without mca.

 

[fantadomat]

I am not sure if Harebrained is a rpg developer. If they kept developing rpg games,instead going for some popular run of the mill games,maybe. I hope they make some new rpg game ,preferably shadow run.

 

[HeatEXTEND]

:ITS:

 

[HeatEXTEND]

"RPG renaissance developer"

Why isn't the list exhausted by Iron Tower Studio, Stygian Software, Blue Bottle Games, (maybe) Whalenought Studios, Freehold Games and (maybe) Heroic Fantasy Games? I.e. the studios that have delivered amazing games in recent years.

 

[JarlFrank]

Larian and Obsidian have shown the most staying power in their long history.

 

[IHaveHugeNick]

Harebrained

I'm sure they will continue to have great career making mobile games.

 

[Iznaliu]

They've quit developing for mobiles. SR:HK was PC only and so will Battletech be.

Their justification was that mobile development is one of the most effective forms of torture known to humanity.

 

[PulsatingBrain]

It's between Obsidz and Larian, and Larian has all their eggs in one basket.

Obsidian OTOH is kind of like the Cohen the Barbarian of game studios, lots of experience not dying.

Haven't Larian got like 3 projects running? I mean Dragon Commander didn't sink them and it was by no means flying off the shelves. I think Sveb's in the type of position he's always wanted to reach at this point, and i don't think he's dumb enough to let a single failure sink him now. Maybe in the Earler days.

 

[Roguey]

Haven't Larian got like 3 projects running? I mean Dragon Commander didn't sink them and it was by no means flying off the shelves. I think Sveb's in the type of position he's always wanted to reach at this point, and i don't think he's dumb enough to let a single failure sink him now. Maybe in the Earler days.

Both D:OS and its sequel were "if this fails, we close up" projects. We'll find out if he'll stop doing that with the next one.

 

[PulsatingBrain]

Both D:OS and its sequel were "if this fails, we close up" projects.

I wasn't aware they were in such bad shape at that point. I watched that mini documentary about the making of Divinity 2 Dradon Knight Saga and their struggles getting that made, and I thought they'd kind of pulled themselves out of the hole when that released.

 

[Roguey]

I wasn't aware they were in such bad shape at that point. I watched that mini documentary about the making of Divinity 2 Dradon Knight Saga and their struggles getting that made, and I thought they'd kind of pulled themselves out of the hole when that released.

They didn't do it out of necessity (after all, Dragon Commander wasn't a sink or swim project), but because Swen wanted to.