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Deals with Gold: Outlast, Rayman Legends, Dragon Age
This week's Deals with Gold on Xbox Live discounts three games and one add-on for Xbox One users. Players can download Rayman Legends at 40 percent off, Outlast for 25 percent off and Worms Battlegrounds at 40 percent off. Additionally, the Battlefield 4 Support Shortcut Kit is also 33 percent off this week for both Xbox One and Xbox 360 versions of the game. Xbox 360 players can save money on RPGs this week as well, with Dragon Age: Origins and Dragon Age 2 both 75 percent off. The sequel's Mark of the Assassin and The Exiled Prince DLC packs are both half-off, just in time for Dragon Age: Inquisition's launch on November 18. Lastly, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is 67 percent off and its Teeth of Naros and The Legend of Dead Kel add-ons are also half-off. This week's deals are good through Monday, October 20 for Xbox Live Gold subscribers. [Image: Ubisoft]
Rhode Island House to vote on out-of-court settlements for 38 Studios fiasco
After a successful vote yesterday from the Rhode Island House Judiciary Committee, the full state House of Representatives is set to consider legislation next week that encourages out-of-court settlements in Rhode Island Commerce Corp.'s lawsuit against 38 Studios and its founder, Curt Schilling. The bill, which won unanimous support in the House Judiciary Committee and has already been passed by the Senate, is designed to protect defendants who settle in this case from lawsuits levied by co-defendants found liable for damages. Fallout from the collapse of the Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning studio has left Rhode Island stiffed on a bill that totals out to roughly $90 million; The attorney for the RICC believes this bill will provide for an increase in potentially recovered funds. In related but sad news, Schilling has revealed to ESPN that he was recently diagnosed with cancer. His statement expressed hope, with Schilling saying, "My father left me with a saying that I've carried my entire life and tried to pass on to our kids: 'Tough times don't last. Tough people do."
38 Studios founder Curt Schilling diagnosed with cancer
Curt Schilling, noted pitcher, baseball analyst and video game aficionado, has been diagnosed with cancer. Schilling, 47, revealed the news to ESPN in a statement. Schilling is most notable in the video game industry for his work with 38 Studios, a game development company he founded in 2006. 38 Studios, formerly Green Monster Games, was responsible for Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning and had been working on an MMO called Project Copernicus before shutting down in 2012. The state of Rhode Island, after guaranteeing 38 Studios a $75 million loan to move offices from Massachusetts, is still trying to figure out what to do with the debt left behind. An auction for 38 Studios' intellectual properties was held late last year, though the only properties known to have been sold off are the Big Huge Games trademark and the Rise of Nations and Rise of Legends properties. [Image: Wikimedia Commons]
Proposed Rhode Island bill would default on 38 Studios loan debt
38 Studios, the now-defunct company created by former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling and developers of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, left a big hole of debt in Rhode Island when it went bankrupt. A $75 million loan guarantee-sized hole, to be exact. Last week, the state's legislature introduced a bill that would rid themselves of that burden. According to an Associated Press report, Representative Karen MacBeth, D-Rhode Island, introduced a bill on Thursday that would cause the state government to default on the loan and thus prevent the Rhode Island Commerce Corp. from making any further payments toward it. Governor Lincoln Chafee argued that a default would harm the state's financial reputation and cause an increase in borrowing costs. This isn't the first time such a bill has been introduced; the AP also reports that an attempt to default on the 38 Studios loan failed last year. The state made a payment of $2.5 million in 2013, but the next payment is substantially larger: $12.5 million. And thus, the legacy of 38 Studios continues to be defined by messy financial arguments.
38 Studios IP auction scheduled for December 11
Come December 11, Heritage Global Partners will finally begin selling off the intellectual property of Curt Schilling's 38 Studios. Initially slated for November, the auction was delayed due to "greater than expected" interest from potential bidders. The state of Rhode Island is hoping that this auction will allow it to recoup some portion of the $75 million it loaned 38 Studios, so it only makes sense to attract as many bidders as possible. Among the items included in the auction are sequel and licensing rights to Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, rights to Big Huge Games' Rise of Nations and Rise of Legends strategy games, and "Project Copernicus" which the auction house describes as "an in-development Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG) including a 10,000 year world history, completed character 'races' and playable 'zones.'" Full information on the auction can be found at the Heritage Global Partners website. Initial bids will be accepted as late as 5PM EST on December 4.
38 Studios lawyer to request delay for IP auction
Richard Land, the court-appointed lawyer for 38 Studios, said he plans to ask a Rhode Island Superior Court judge to delay the now-defunct studio's intellectual property auction. The auction was originally slated to take place on November 14 and include the Project Copernicus MMO that was in development at 38 Studios prior to its May 2012 closure as well as sequel and merchandise rights and revenue for Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. Land told The Providence Journal that interest in the auction has been "greater than expected" from prospective bidders, leading to the request to delay the auction for "a couple weeks." The auction was also slated to include Big Huge Games properties Rise of Nations, Rise of Legends and XBLA game Catan.
PSN Tuesday: NBA 2K14, Rain, Fatal Frame 3
Sony has issued its latest PlayStation Store update today, headlined by NBA 2K14. Sony's Japan Studio makes a splash with Rain today as well, and Fatal Frame 3 scares up a spot in the PS2 Classics section. PS Plus subscribers can transport themselves to the kingdoms of Amalur this week with a free PS3 download of Reckoning. Discounts have been extended to select THQ games such as Darksiders 2 and Red Faction: Armageddon, as well as Rocksmith and Persona 4: Golden. Finally, rounding out this week's offerings is the chance to be Ellen Page in a free demo for Beyond: Two Souls.
PlayStation Plus gets free Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning this week
PS Plus members will be able to snag a free download of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning on PS3 tomorrow. Reckoning is fantasy action RPG developed by Big Huge Games and 38 Studios. The State of Rhode Island will auction off 38 Studios' franchises next month, beginning on November 14. Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is one such property up for grabs, as is the Project Copernicus MMO that 38 Studios was in the midst of developing prior to closing its doors in May of 2012.
Hotline Miami, Kingdoms of Amalur head up PlayStation Plus in October
Sony revealed next month's PlayStation Plus lineup for North America, announcing that subscribers will receive free access to Dennatron's indie hit Hotline Miami and 38 Studios' action-RPG Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, among other featured games. October's free PlayStation 3 offerings include Reckoning, Telltale Games' Poker Night at the Inventory 2, and an HD remake of Shadow of the Colossus, pairing it with September's PS Plus release of Ico. Hotline Miami joins PlayStation Plus as a Cross-Buy title, giving members free access to both the PlayStation 3 and PS Vita versions of the game. PlayStation Vita owners will also receive a free copy of the acclaimed shoot-'em-up Sine Mora as part of next month's PlayStation Plus lineup. Sony previously announced that Far Cry 3, Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen, Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams, Street Fighter x Tekken, and Touch My Katamari will join the PlayStation Plus program in Europe next month.
Kingdoms of Amalur IP auction starts November 14, includes Rise of Nations
The 38 Studios and Big Huge Games liquidation auction will begin November 14, according to the Heritage Global Partners auction services page. Among the assets included in the auction from the state of Rhode Island are the Kingdoms of Amalur intellectual property, namely the Project Copernicus MMO that was in development at 38 Studios prior to its closure in May 2012. Additionally, buyers will be able to obtain sequel and merchandise rights and revenue for the developer's lone release, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. Other assets in the auction include intellectual property rights for Big Huge Games' properties, particularly Rise of Nations, Rise of Legends and Catan in addition to the studio's Big Huge Games Engine and 38 Studios' Helios platform. The liquidation auction begins at 9:00am ET on November 14 and ends November 15 at 12:00pm ET.
38 Studios loan under SEC investigation
It seems as though we can't go more than a few weeks without hearing about some new complication related to the collapse of 38 Studios and the financial catastrophe it left in its wake. This week's news comes in the form of an SEC probe into the $75 million in loan guarantees offered to the studio by the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation. The RIEDC has secured the services of a law firm to help it handle the SEC's investigation. Further details are sparse, as the RIEDC has offered only that it "doesn't discuss ongoing matters related to 38 Studios and maintains a level of confidentiality as requested by the SEC." Strangely, the SEC investigation, which launched in early 2012, was not mentioned to investors when Rhode Island published financial documents related to a bond transaction in April of that year. According to the treasurer's spokesperson, the state's treasury was not aware of the probe at that time. The RIEDC is currently involved in a lawsuit against studio head Curt Schilling and former RIEDC members responsible for the 38 Studios deal.
Rhode Island set to pay 38 Studios bonds. Probably.
38 Studios collapsed upon itself in a heap of flaming disaster last year, and Rhode Island taxpayers ended up stuck with the bill. The state used a $75 million loan, acquired through the sale of taxable bonds, to convince 38 to operate within its borders, and RI is now on the hook for around $89 million after the studio declared bankruptcy. Some state lawmakers in Rhode Island flirted with the idea of "walking away" from the debt, which is apparently a privilege afforded to a government and not its citizens. However, the state's House Finance Committee has approved a budget that includes, at the very least, making an interest payment of $2.5 million on the debt in May 2014. If Rhode Island is running off the plan it talked about last month, this first payment will be followed by yearly payments of $12.5 million until the debt is repaid. The budget hasn't passed; it still needs to get through the state's House and Senate. Future interest payments will also have to be approved by the state legislature.
Rhode Island holding public hearings over 38 Studios, exploring loan default
The story of 38 Studios as a video game developer is long over, but the financial fallout from its $75 million in taxpayer-backed loans continues in the state of Rhode Island. The Providence Journal reports two developments this week, as the state will shortly begin a public hearing process over the debacle and consider whether it will pay back the loan. House Oversight Committee Chairman Michael J. Marcello said the state will launch the hearing process shortly based on the "thousands of pages" of documents it received this week, in response to a public information request made over a month ago. The committee will focus on two issues: Did the state properly retain an independent, third party to monitor and assess 38 Studios' financial standing? And what happens if the state decides not to pay the loan, which amounts to nearly $113 million after interest. Governor Lincoln Chafee's administration believes the state, which has no legal necessity to pay the loan, does have a "moral obligation." Chafee's proposed state budget (which needs to be approved by July 1) does factor in an initial $2.5 million payment, with $12.5 million paid out over the next seven years.
Rhode Island selling 38 Studios' game assets
Do you have a few million on you and a desire to preserve some gaming history? Then pick up the phone and call Rhode Island, as the state is getting ready to sell 38 Studios' assets, including its games. The state is looking to recoup some of it $130 million debt that it fell into once 38 Studios went belly-up. One of Rhode Island's lawyers says there "is interest" in the studio's assets, including concept art, design documents, and computer software. The sale of 38 Studios' IP includes the Amalur franchise, which encompassed the Project Copernicus MMO. The state is also set to begin a lawsuit this week against former 38 Studios execs, including founder Curt Schilling. The suit claims that the executives did not inform the state when they knew that the studio would have a hard time keeping afloat financially. Schilling has asked the judge to dismiss the suit.
PS Plus Europe explores Amalur, Demon's Souls, Ico/SotC in June
European PlayStation Plus subscribers have plenty to keep themselves busy with when the rain inevitably lashes down on Wimbledon next month. June's Plus update brings two very different breeds of RPG to the PS3's Instant Game Collection in Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning and Demon's Souls, as well the Ico and Shadow of the Colossus HD Collection. All three games arrive a wee bit early on May 29. Meanwhile on Vita, June features Rayman Origins and Coconut Dodge Revitalized for the portable. Both Vita games join the Collection on June 5. Coconut Dodge Revitalized is the next Futurlab PS Mini to get the HD treatment. As before, the self-explanatory (or not) 2D high-scorer gets leaderboards and trophies support on Vita. As ever, the revolving door that is PS Plus means new arrivals are countered by departures. Hitman: Absolution, Joe Danger 2, and Dead or Alive 5 leave the service on May 29, followed by Sine Mora on June 5, and Futurlab's Velocity Ultra on June 12.
Revisiting Reckoning: How Kingdoms of Amalur got the single-player MMORPG right
This is a weekly column from freelancer Rowan Kaiser, which focuses on "Western" role-playing games: their stories, their histories, their mechanics, their insanity, and their inanity. Recently, I decided to play Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning in remembrance of its one-year anniversary this past February, knowing I'd have to contend with two things that dominated discussion about the game: the politics and failures behind the 38 Studios disaster and dealing with a game I had been warned was filled with fantasy nonsense names and detailed lore – a model of storytelling I find quite annoying. But when I finally played Reckoning, I was surprised to learn how much I enjoyed it. I had an instant gut reaction to the game's beauty. It reminded me of the best times I'd spent in massively multiplayer role-playing games, and that was totally unexpected. My first character in World of Warcraft, the MMORPG that consumed most of my time with the genre, was a Night Elf starting on the island of Teldrassil. What I remember of that first character's journey wasn't tied to game mechanics, player interaction or even narrative, it was the feel of that starting zone. I remember the lush setting, trees with a slightly exotic, magical tinge, luxurious purples and greens, the seemingly perpetual twilight, the hints of corruption and danger, and the music hinting at all of those things and the history of the Night Elves. Indeed, most of my best experiences while playing WoW solo took place in those verdant, corrupted provinces, with Feralas probably my favorite of the old world. I didn't expect to ever have the same feeling again, but Reckoning delivered.%Gallery-129421%
Darksiders 2, Kingdoms of Amalur, EndWar all coming to PSN Nov. 20
Prepare to get your brutality, fantasy, and strategy on, as Darksiders 2, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, and Tom Clancy's EndWar are all arriving on PlayStation Network November 20. This week's PlayStation Blogcast confirmed the trio of PS3 digital releases.Darksiders 2 recently got its second downloadable content pack, Abyssal Forge. Developer Vigil Games claims the DLC has some of the toughest enemies in the game. But, as the saying goes, Death laughs in the faces of a game's toughest enemies, or something. According to the podcast, the PSN version of Darksiders 2 includes a pass to the game's Crucible arena, and the official soundtrack.Eccentric shoot-em-up Sine Mora lands on PSN next week too, for PS3 and Vita. Grinding onto Vita via PSN is Jet Set Radio, free for PS Plus users until the end of the year. Clan of Champions and the fifth episode of The Walking Dead will be available online for PS3.
Architects of 38 Studios' $75M loan sued by Rhode Island EDC
The Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation (EDC), the quasi-public group that granted the $75 million taxpayer-guaranteed loan to 38 Studios, has filed a lawsuit against the architects of the 2010 deal. WPRI reports the defendants include 38 Studios founder Curt Schilling and CEO Jennifer MacLean, former EDC executive director Keith Stokes, Wells Fargo Securities, Barclays Capital and many, many more."I know you work hard for your paychecks, and for your tax dollars to be squandered is unacceptable. The board's legal action was taken to rectify a grave injustice put upon the people of Rhode Island," said Governor Lincoln Chafee in a prepared two-and-a-half-minute statement posted on YouTube (found after the break, with text transcript).The full complaint [PDF] alleges the former EDC board never ordered an independent assessment of 38 Studios' capabilities to finish Project Copernicus before the loan was approved, even though it was to do so. It also claims Wells Fargo received nearly $500,000 "in hidden commission from 38 Studios" that weren't disclosed to the EDC board.The recent public auction at 38 Studios' former Providence HQ grossed approximately $650,000. The auction at 38 Studios' Big Huge Games division in Maryland brought in $180,000. It's estimated 38 Studios owed $150.7 million when it declared bankruptcy, so far the state of Rhode Island has recovered about $830,000.Update: We got in touch with Law of the Game attorney Mark Methenitis to boil down exactly what Rhode Island is seeking in the suit. We've placed his analysis after the break.
38 Studios auctions recoup $830k of $150.7M owed
Earlier this week, 38 Studios' former headquarters in Providence, Rhode Island played host to a public auction that brought in approximately $650,000 through over 1,000 bidders. If you combine this number with last week's auction at the studio's Big Huge Games division, the total recouped through auctions came to $830,000. This is unfortunately only a fraction of the estimated $150.7 million owed in bankruptcy filings, but the best part hasn't been put up on the block yet. The Kingdoms of Amalur intellectual property is said to be "sold in a negotiated transaction over the next three to six months," according to Joystiq. The total from that sale doesn't expect to cover the entire amount owed, which leaves the remainder up to the Rhode Island taxpayers.
38 Studios auction in Rhode Island earned around $650,000
The public auction held Tuesday at 38 Studios' former headquarters in Providence, Rhode Island, grossed approximately $650,000. The official number comes from the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation, which held an auction last week at the former site of 38 Studios' Big Huge Games division in Maryland. That auction brought in $180,000.The court-appointed receiver who organized the auctions told us earlier this week that the Kingdoms of Amalur intellectual property, which is Rhode Island's best hope for recouping money from its bad investment, will be sold in a negotiated transaction over the next three to six months.It is estimated that 38 Studios owed $150.7 million when it filed for bankruptcy. The state of Rhode Island has recovered about $830,000 so far, and the remainder of the bill following the IP sale will be swallowed by state tax-payers.
