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Obsidian's Project Eternity fully funded, stretch goals revealed
Remember that isometric PC dungeon crawler called Project Eternity that Obsidian Entertainment sought funding for on Kickstarter? The one we told you about, oh, yesterday? Well, not only has the $1.1 million funding goal been reached, but Obsidian revealed the project's initial set of stretch goals for the next month of fundraising.Should the team raise just over $100K more, the game will receive a new playable race, class and companion each in addition to the three races, five classes and five companions included in the game. At the $1.6 million goal, Obsidian will make a Mac version of the game and add a "new major storyline" with added quests and locations. Hitting the $1.8 million mark nets the same result as the first goal, with another new race, class and companion created for the game.Players will receive their own houses in the game if the project reaches $2 million in funding, and will see Linux support and a new region, faction and companion if it hits $2.2 million. At the rate Obsidian is moving in its Kickstarter campaign, it is already working on $2.4 million and above stretch goals. If money keeps moving its way, we'd give it another day or so.
Obsidian Kickstarting 'Project Eternity' for PC, already nearly funded
Obsidian Entertainment, the development studio responsible for Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2, Neverwinter Nights and Fallout: New Vegas has launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund its next game. Provided the pledge drive is successful, Project Eternity will be a PC-only isometric dungeon crawler reminiscent of Baldur's Gate and Planescape: Torment, although it will take place in its own, new fantasy world.Project Eternity's development team includes alumni from the original Fallout, Icewind Dale 1 and 2, Planescape: Torment and Fallout: New Vegas. "We have wanted to go back to our roots and create an epic PC role-playing game adventure for years," the Kickstarter reads. "But, it's been almost impossible to get funding through traditional methods for a game like this."Obsidian's ultimate goal is to raise $1.1 million, and as of press time it has raised $1.05 million with 31 days still left on the clock. So, unless the game is suddenly revealed as secretly having been a multiplayer-focused FPS/kitten murder simulator this whole time, we're pretty certain this one is going to be successful. Reward donation levels range from a $5 forums badge to a $10,000 "Ultimate Pledge Pack" that includes designing your own weapon and NPC for the game, and an evening playing a table-top board/pen-and-paper game of your choice with the Project Eternity team.
Original Fallout and Planescape: Torment dev Black Isle Studios re-opens [updated]
The studio that created classics like Fallout and Planescape: Torment may be rising from the ashes – at least in name. A website for Black Isle Studios popped up with the image you see above and a mailing list signup, as NeoGAF discovered. There's also a Twitter account and a Facebook page tied to the website, and if you sign up for the mailing list, Black Isle is said to be a "a division of Interplay."InXile's Brian Fargo doesn't seem to be involved, as he tweeted, "I just read that Interplay is bringing back Black Isle. Hmmm... Not enough info for me to comment." We've already reached out to Obsidian – where many ex-Black Islers went when the studio shut down in 2003 – and have yet to hear back.Update: Interplay CEO and entrepreneur Herve Caen is behind the resurrection of Black Isle, we're told. The studio's website is also registered to Interplay, per WHOIS search. It's unclear who – if anyone – from the original Black Isle staff is involved with the studio.Update 2: Obsidian tells Joystiq that the new Black Isle, "Doesn't involve Obsidian at all." We've yet to hear back from Interplay or Herve Caen.Update 3: Obsidian creative lead Chris Avellone says on Twitter, "I know nothing about the Black Isle Studio news announcement, doesn't involve me or Obsidian... or well, anyone that I know. ;)"
New South Park screens keep you guessing
These South Park: The Stick of Truth screens suspiciously look like they're from the television show of the same name. We have no choice but to believe these are screenshots from the game, which will be available on Xbox 360, PC, and PS3 on March 3, 2013.
Obisidian goes obscene with South Park: The Stick of Truth
Way back at the beginning of 2011, Obsidian Entertainment CEO Feargus Urquhart hinted that his company was about to work on a huge licensed title it didn't dare pass up. "It's a license that you would go, well you gotta do it," he told us at the time. "It's not a license where it's, 'Ok, we'll take that and we can do something with it.' It's more like, well that's once in a lifetime." Urquhart didn't budge at the time on what the license was, but he was visibly excited about being able to make it happen, whatever it was.That licensed turned out to be none other than Matt Stone and Trey Parker's South Park, and the game turned out to be South Park: The Stick of Truth. It combines Obsidian's talent for grindy fantasy RPGs with Stone and Parker's warped sense of humor (and construction paper production values) to make a mix that's one of a kind.%Gallery-156913%
Xbox Marketplace renames Obsidian's South Park as 'South Park: The Stick of Truth'
Not only has an Xbox Marketplace listing for Obsidian's South Park: The Game turned up with an astoundingly erroneous release date of today, but it's also revealed what appears to be the game's actual title: South Park: The Stick of Truth.None of the other assets in the listing (screenshots, description, etc) are particularly revealing, although the box art and banner do look exceedingly legit. Obviously, none of this is official until Obsidian or THQ make some sort of announcement, which hasn't happened yet.It might be possible that some rogue Microsoft employee, in a nefarious attempt to cause mayhem and wanton confusion, manufactured false artworks and an inaccurate Marketplace listing, but where's the motive? Was he spurned by a former lover? Did he do it for the money, for the fame? Nope, sorry, this screenplay just isn't coherent enough. Get out of my office.
Obsidian will help with Wasteland 2 if Kickstarter reaches $2.1 million
Brian Fargo's Wasteland 2 Kickstarter, having already surpassed two funding goals, has laid out a third one that will ensnare Obsidian Chief Creative Officer Chris Avellone if passed. With 17 days of funding left to go and $1.7 million already pledged, Fargo's company inXile wants to hit $2.1 million on Kickstarter, after which Avellone will agree to work directly with the design team on the project.Fargo and Avellone's relationship goes back to the better days of publisher Interplay, where the pair worked on titles like Fallout 1 and 2, and Planescape: Torment."Wasteland is one of my favorite RPGs of all time, and when Brian asked if I wanted to work on the sequel, I jumped at the chance," said Avellone. "While I've worked on Fallout 2 and Fallout: New Vegas, getting the chance to work on the spiritual predecessor to the Fallout franchise is a honor."Developer Obsidian will also lend a hand in the game's creation, providing "experience they have in the development of RPG games and tools to inXile."Fargo stated, "Obsidian has an incredible library of story, dialog and design tools that they have used to create hits like Neverwinter Nights 2, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II, and of course, Fallout: New Vegas. Regardless of the tech we use to develop the game, experience with these tools will help us efficiently design the game without wasting time and resources on the tools needed for development."If you're looking to support the dream, you know where to go.
Obsidian's XBLA title 'on hold'
Obsidian Entertainment announced last year that it was working on "an original IP XBLA game," but times have changed. Targeting a launch for the first quarter of 2012, Obsidian CEO Feargus Urquhart said at the time it would be an "action RPG that's focused on fun." Checking in with Urguhart about the project, we were told, "That project is currently on hold; we are looking at where we might want to take it." It's been a rough news week for Obsidian, as layoffs hit the company and it came to light that the studio missed a bonus based on Fallout: New Vegas' metacritic score by one point. Obsidian is most definitely working on the South Park RPG at the moment, which will be published by the even more financially troubled publisher, THQ.
Obsidian missed Fallout: New Vegas Metacritic bonus by one point
Business sucks, alright? It's cold and rigid and occasionally unfair. Such is the case with Obsidian's Fallout: New Vegas contract with Bethesda, wherein the developer only received royalties if the game matched or exceeded an 85 rating on Metacritic. Leaving aside the fact that Metacritic is a woefully unbalanced aggregation of review scores from both vetted and unvetted publications, agreements like this can leave indie studios -- like Obsidian -- in the lurch should that Metacritic score just barely miss the mark.Unfortunately for Obsidian, Fallout: New Vegas currently has a Metacritic average of 84, a single point below the average that would've earned the company royalties on its product. "[Fallout: New Vegas] was a straight payment, no royalties, only a bonus if we got an 85+ on Metacritic, which we didn't," Obsidian creative director and co-owner Chris Avellone told one Twitter user.The Metacritic news comes just one day after we reported layoffs at the California-based developer -- layoffs that were said to be the result of a canceled next-gen project (codenamed "North Carolina") for an unnamed console. New Vegas lead producer Jason Fader's Facebook profile reflects the recent layoffs, also outing himself as former lead producer on the North Carolina project. His credentials also list an unnamed project known as "Vermont," but that could be Obsidian's upcoming South Park RPG (we've reached out for clarification).Additionally, Kotaku reports that the North Carolina project was to be published by Microsoft, and was intended for the still unannounced Xbox 360 successor console. Our tipster tells us that the North Carolina project was "desperately needed" for the studio's continued survival, which matches reports that Obsidian CEO Feargus Urquhart "choked up" while addressing his employees about the canned project.
Report: Obsidian hit with layoffs; South Park team affected, future next-gen title canceled
Obsidian Entertainment reportedly experienced a round of layoffs this week, with the extent of the damage not entirely clear. The company's forums lay out an idea of the body count, with messages on Twitter filling in more details."Another project canceled, this time for a future next-gen project and the layoffs impacted that team, plus the existing South Park team," a tipster wrote Joystiq. "Approximately 20-30 people from all disciplines, including one person who started yesterday, as well as one who started last week."It was around this time last year that Obsidian also let staff go. We've contacted the company for an official statement.Update: "We are always happy to talk about our announced projects, gaming and the industry as a whole. However, it is our policy to not comment on stories regarding our staff," Obsidian CEO Feargus Urquhart informed us this afternoon.
'12 Days of Xbox' savings continue with Fallout DLC today
Select DLC for Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas is in the deal spotlight today on Xbox Live. For $5 you can snag "Lonely Hearts," "Old World Blues," "Lonesome Road" or "Dead Money" for Fallout: New Vegas, or "Mothership Zeta," "Operation: Anchorage" or "Broken Steel" for Fallout 3, half off the usual asking price. You'll need to act fast in order to take advantage of this sale. Tomorrow, each of these will be back up to their full price.
Obsidian CEO shares more details on South Park: The Game
We're still in the aftershock period of the South Park: The Game announcement, so let's run down what we know again. Firstly, it's a RPG coming to major platforms, and we'll be playing as the new kid in school. Game Informer's video interview with Obsidian CEO Feargus Urquhart now tells us a bit about the behind-the-scenes stuff that lead up to it all. Of the difficulties his studio faced, the first was trying to create a game both true to its roots and enjoyable to fans of the show. During Obsidian's first meeting with show creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker, the developer tried to really nail the look -- the exterior and interior of Stan's house was created, complete with his dad Randy playing Guitar Hero in his underwear. You know, from that episode. After getting the look down, the next hurdle was making it "a big epic game," Urquhart said in the video interview, which you can see by clicking through the source link below. We'll all find out if Obsidian succeeded come next year.
Obsidian heading on up to South Park for PS3/Xbox 360 RPG [update: PC too!]
Yes, beyond the XBLA-exclusive South Park: Tenorman's Revenge game on the horizon, it appears that another South Park title is in development. Fallout: New Vegas dev Obsidian is apparently working with publisher THQ to craft "South Park: The Game," an RPG set in the world of South Park. We're already imagining Cheesy Poofs buffs and plundering the depths of Casa Bonita's mysterious caverns. According to Game Informer, who has the exclusive cover debut of the title, South Park will arrive some time in 2012. As per usual with these cover reveals, you'll find out much more in next month's issue of GI, which hits subscribers in the coming week. Update: According to a press release from THQ, the game is also expected on PC, and should arrive in the "second half of 2012."
Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate Edition announced for 2012
Next year, the Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate Edition will wander into stores across North America and Europe on February 7 and 10, respectively. The Ultimate Edition includes all the previously released DLC packs: Dead Money, Honest Hearts, Old World Blues, Lonesome Road, Courier's Stash and Gun Runners' Arsenal. The buy-in for the Mohave Wasteland bundle bonanza will be $49.99 for the Xbox 360 and PS3, and $39.99 for PC. Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate Edition follows in the footsteps of the DLC-heavy Fallout 3. If you never got around to walking through the Capital Wasteland, the Fallout 3 Game of the Year Edition, which easily includes 100 hours of content, is going for $30 (or less) these days.
WildStar design director Tim Cain joins Obsidian Entertainment
It would appear that Carbine Studios is down one great talent, as the studio's former Design Director, Fallout designer Tim Cain, has departed for greener pastures. The news was discovered via Cain's Linkedin account, confirming rumors of his departure that abounded over the summer. Greener pastures, in this case, means Obsidian Entertainment, which is perhaps best-known for Neverwinter Nights 2, Knights of The Old Republic 2, and Fallout: New Vegas. The studio is currently working on a game based on Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time book series. While it's unknown whether or not Cain will be returning to his old stomping grounds of the Fallout universe, it would be considerably apropos. As for Carbine, it remains to be seen who will replace Cain in the position of Design Director, but here's to hoping it's someone who can do justice to the promising sci-fi MMO.
PSA: Fallout: New Vegas former pre-order, new items DLC available today
New adventures for the Courier may have concluded with "Lonesome Road," but a wandering instrument of vengeance can always use more toys. New Vegas DLC packs "Courier's Stash" and "Gun Runners' Arsenal" are available today for Xbox 360 and PS3. The Courier's Stash is a bundle of four pre-order bonuses that will set Mojave wanderers back $1.99 (160 MSP). The Gun Runners' Arsenal, available for $3.99 (320 MSP), adds new weapon mods, ammo types and recipes. Bugs that will erase your save files are, of course, still free. %Gallery-131660%
Fallout: New Vegas' Lonesome Road DLC dated Sept. 20, new DLC packs announced
The Courier's adventures in the Mojave Wasteland are coming to an end, with the last of Fallout: New Vegas' announced DLC expansions, "Lonesome Road," arriving on September 20. It was delayed beyond July and then, "due to circumstances beyond [Bethesda's] control," missed another scheduled pick-up in August. Bethesda has also announced two smaller DLC packs for New Vegas, entitled "Courier's Stash" and "Gun Runners' Arsenal." The Courier's Stash includes the four content bundles previously available as pre-order bonuses, while The Gun Runners' Arsenal adds weapon mods, ammo types and recipes. Courier's Stash and Gun Runners' Arsenal will cost $1.99 (160 MSP) and $3.99 (320 MSP), respectively. [Thanks, Nathan.] %Gallery-131660%
Fallout: New Vegas' 'Lonesome Road' DLC delayed, launching 'as quickly as possible'
Back in May, Fallout: New Vegas publisher Bethesda Softworks announced a trio of DLC packs for its post-apocalyptic wasteland wanderer: "Honest Hearts," which arrived in May; "Old World Blues," which arrived in July; and "Lonesome Road," which was also planned for a July launch. "We just wanted to drop in here and let you know that due to circumstances beyond our control, Lonesome Road won't be out this month," senior producer Jason Bergman explained in a Bethesda.com forum post. "We don't have an exact date yet, but we're working to get it out as quickly as possible. We'll be announcing the final date, along with a couple of other interesting FNV-related items in the near future," he added without specifying a new launch window for the third DLC pack. As a peace offering, Bethesda showed off the first image of Lonesome Road, seen above. If that's what taking the high road gets you, how bad must the other one be?
Surprise! Fallout: New Vegas 'Honest Hearts' DLC won't work with certain save files
Admittedly, it'd be more so "news" if a Fallout update actually worked out of the gate ... But here we are, again, with this week's stuttering launch of the "Honest Hearts" add-on for New Vegas. The issue appears to be connected to the bug laden "ED-E, My Love" side quest, according to a comment left by a Bethesda representative on the company's blog post announcing the DLC's release on Xbox Live and Steam this week. While Bethesda says it's working on a fix, there is a catch: "If you already have a save game where the bug is occurring, the fix will not apply and you'll need to revert to an earlier save prior to ED-E leaving in order to play through Honest Hearts." We've contacted the company to find out if this issue affects all platforms and for an ETA on the patch. New Vegas developer Obsidian has taken its share of criticism for the game's continued bugginess, insisting that it's improved its internal QA process for Dungeon Siege 3, the studio's next release. However, it's only fair to note that the Bethesda-developed Fallout 3 also had notoriously buggy DLC releases -- hopefully things will go smoother with Skyrim, which is built on a new game engine.
Fallout New Vegas: Honest Hearts DLC out now
Honest Hearts, the first of three recently announced Fallout: New Vegas DLC packs, is available now on Xbox 360 and PC for 800 Microsoft Points and $9.99, respectively. It will be available on PSN as soon as the service has a regular store update. Honest Hearts finds the courier traveling to Utah's Zion National Park and becoming embroiled in a war between a mysterious figure, known as the Burned Man, and missionaries that oppose him. Yeah, yeah, we're sure your idelogical issues are important and all, but the courier has to get back to New Vegas and pray at the alter of a Caravan table. %Gallery-123345%
