Topic: Freespace/Descent thread -> Update: Interplay buys Freespace IP for $7,500

[MysterD]

NEW -> 6-6-2013:
Polygon -> Interplay buys Freespace IP from THQ and Volition for $7,500.

OLD:
Nowgamer -> Volition says they would "kill" to do a Freespace 3...
30% off all the Descent and Freespace games on GOG.

[Xessive]

Sweet deal. The Freespace games alone are worth it!

I really wish a 3rd Freespace game gets made.

[MysterD]

Sweet deal. The Freespace games alone are worth it!

I really wish a 3rd Freespace game gets made.

Who would you like to see develop it?

[Xessive]

Who would you like to see develop it?

Oh Volition can still do a great job of it, I'm sure! Especially with their developments in physics and destructible environments; imagine blowing a ship to bits and actually seeing those bits disperse into the eternity of space! But as mentioned in the wiki:

Volition, Inc., the company responsible for developing the game FreeSpace 2 was bought over by THQ in 2000. With Interplay Entertainment holding the licenses for the FreeSpace series, Volition could not continue to develop the series.

I stumbled on this, which you may find interesting: Freespace 2 Source Code Project

[scottws]

Sweet deal. The Freespace games alone are worth it!

I really wish a 3rd Freespace game gets made.

I don't see it happening.  Or if there was one it would be consolized.

[Xessive]

I don't see it happening.  Or if there was one it would be consolized.

Yeah, especially with Volition having no access to the IP, which is apparently still owned by Interplay.

I'm gonna get Freespace 2 on with the FS2Open mod at some point, it supposedly upgrades the game's visuals etc.

[MysterD]

Yeah, especially with Volition having no access to the IP, which is apparently still owned by Interplay.

I'm gonna get Freespace 2 on with the FS2Open mod at some point, it supposedly upgrades the game's visuals etc.

Given the shit Interplay has been through in the past and what's going on now...
Interplay probably needs money and all...so - does THQ and Volition have any and wanna buy the IP?

[MysterD]

Nowgamer -> Volition says they would "kill" to do a Freespace 3...
Man, someone tell Volition and THQ to make a spiritual successor or purchase that license from Interplay...

[sirean_syan]

Yeah... Volition hasn't really done anything in the past decade that would make me think they're anywhere near the right mindset for what made Freespace or Descent good. After having Nintendo shit all over Metroid, I don't think I need another of my favorite places in gaming to get crapped on for a while. Leave it be. The originals have some legs thanks to the open source work that's been done and they still play great. I say leave it where it is.

[MysterD]

Polygon -> Interplay buys Freespace IP from THQ and Volition for $7,500.

[Cools!]

Sad that Volition had no interest in making another game so I guess it's in better hands now. But man, only $7,500?

[MysterD]

Sad that Volition had no interest in making another game so I guess it's in better hands now.

Yeah, I wish it was still in Volition's hands...
...but I guess w/ it now in Interplay's hands, it'll probably make it easier for them to keep the old Freespace games staying up on GOG. {shrug}
Who the hell knows if Interplay would get someone to make a sequel.

But man, only $7,500?

That's what I thought...I was like, "That's it? Really??!?"

[sirean_syan]

I had no idea that Interplay was still a thing.

But man, for 7.5K I sort of wish the fan community bought the game and did a Kickstarter or something. They've done some pretty amazing things with the source code over the past decade and I guess some of the fan made campaigns are actually awesome but lacking in niceties like voice acting and proper cutscenes. It would have been great if they could have made those into something proper with a budget to round them out.

And the Violition of today is, I suspect, nothing like the one that made the original Freespace. Red Faction and Saints Row should be proof of that. They've gotten really good at those things and make fine stuff (Saint Row 3 at least), but I can't imagine them making a few serious space sim anymore.