Atari ditches OWI, who've signed up with EA??

[Wil]

OddBlog seems to be host to two separate, but equally bemusing news stories. See if you can get your heads around these:

In its annual 10-K form, recently filed with the American Securities and Exchange Commission, Atari has revealed that they no longer have any investment with Oddworld Inhabitants, as of the end of 2003. The news comes just months after hearing how Microsoft has ditched publishing of the next game. Atari sold their 50% stake in the developer to Microsoft for $1.8 million in publishing royalties, some eight years after investing $7.1 million in Oddworld when still GT Interactive (later Infogrames).

Atari was responcible for the publishing of Munch's Oddysee in Europe, but in Spring 2002, they cut their investment down to less than half, just $3.5 million. The move seemingly leaves Oddworld Inhabitants, Inc. with no publisher, but half owned by Microsoft.

Sources: gamesindustry.biz | 1UP | G4TechTV

The second astounding news item on Oddworld today, and the third in the last few days, it now seems possible that Oddworld Inhabitants have found a new publisher: EA Games. Although not yet officially confirmed, Computer and Video Games claims that a senior developer contact reports the deal has been signed and the game has gone alpha, with an official announcement to be made at the end of June. The article also claims the gameplay "will encompass a first-person shooter control and view style, with third-person melee combat," and that controls may be based on Halo's, a game of which Oddworld Inhabitants are reputedly fans of.

Many thanks to Worship for finding this article and appearing in OddChat with news of it. Read TeamXbox's reaction to this story, as well as their thoughts on Microsoft purchasing a 50% stake in Oddworld Inhabitants. Note that member The GiB claims that CVG are "notorious" for posting rumours as facts, so remember this news is currently stands as unofficial and unconfirmed.

Assuming Computer and Video Games aren't Elumsheeting us about, it now seems that Atari have severed all ties with OWI, Microsoft refuse to publish the game but invest in half the company, and Oddworld Inhabitants have leapt onto the Electonic Arts Games bandwagon. It's all rather perculiar! *avoids puns like the Plague*

[oddguy]

EA Games is one the top publishers. This is looking great for OWI!

Though, I find it strange that Microsoft invests in half the company after dumping it. Weirdos.

-oddguy

[MojoMan220]

Wow, I just read this news off of IGN.com; I never thought EA would pick the game up. I don't see how this could hurt OWI, in fact this should be rather interesting. EA games usually sell like hot cakes, and this could increase the amount of exposure Oddworld has. I really don't know how this new partnership will affect the game, hopefully its for the best.

[oddguy]

Dude, g4techtv used a quote from me in their story about Oddworld.

http://www.g4techtv.com/html/news.as...article_page=1

Here's how it happened.

I was just searching in google one day for Oddworld stuff, when I come upon the g4techtv forum. I see the poor kids know nothing about OW4, so I post some news and pics. I already had a techtv account because I used it one time when I needed to ask a computer questions in the Technical Support forum.

I don't know why they used my quote. I must've seemed knowledgable.

-oddguy

[Seargentbig]

Damn! I was going to write a topic about this yestoday, but I saw oddguy's quote on the thing and decided not to.
I would have given news to the forums... *sniff*

[Alcar]

Oh great. You know for some reason I had an idea EA might pop up as the publisher. But it wasn't actually an idea, it was more along the lines of: "Hahaha, as if EA Games would ever become the publisher! That's so not funny!!". Not to mention the jests of my friends claiming EA was going to buy out Oddworld were true.

Alcar...

[Havoc]

Im not a to big fan of EA. Not becouse the game's they make, but becouse they have already ruiend two of my favorite game publishers. Two years ago they bought up Westwood Studio's, the creators of the famous C&C game's. The company is ruiend now and the first game EA published in the C&C serie's after the take over was plain out crap.

Concidering Oddworld is developing into a pretty good game company with a lot of potential in the future, I just cant help it to think that EA might also buy up Oddworld Inhabitants after a few years. And on top of that, EA always wants to have their finger mixed in with the game, they always want to have a say in things which means that Lorna may not be able to make the game 'trully Odd' anymore which would be a real shame.

I just hope OWI will be carefull when contracting with EA...

[Xavier]

I realy hope Alf or Alf's Assistant will drop in the forums and tell us what is going on and tell us what it changes for Oddworld...

Anyway EA seems to be a good editor, I simply hope they will leave oddworld their freedom to do what they want...

[atusiya@]

Larry Probst meets OWI?!?

He's a no stranger to poverty.


atusiya's father..

[paramiteabe]

I hope your wrong Havoc because I think Lorne will bail out of something that does not comply to his vision. I think thats the reason why they left Microsoft in the first place. Microsoft simply cheapened Oddworld with Munch and Lorne dident like that. If EA decides to cheapen Oddworld then Lorne most likely would get out and find a new publisher. Now I think OWI should become their very own publisher as oppose to finding someone else to publish their work. If OWI were to be their own publisher then everything of Lorne's vision will be there and we would not have to worry about other publishers takeing away the essance of Oddworld we've known over the years to love. In my opinion OWI needs to become not only the prosperous game developer they are but aswell as being a publisher of their own product. Its the safe road to go because its truely a risk of your vision if you allow some other guy go ahead and buy and publish your work. It truely is a risk because there are a lot of people who want to make easy money by cheapening production of a very qaulity piece of work. And we don't want that, we want Lorne's vision not some others. At least thats what I am doing with my business. I am going to publish my own work that way the other guys can kiss my ass because I want to be in complete control of my projects and what I do. OWI needs to become their own publisher!

Paramiteabe...

[Xavier]

hmmmm, they will need lots of money to do that... and they can afford to be their own publisher.

anyway did Oddworld quit Microsoft or did Microsoft quit Oddworld?

[Havoc]

I thought MS quit OWI... thats why I don't get PA's post...

[_GrubHunter_]

So, next game's of OWI will be on PC?

[Xavier]

no... it will be on Xbox...
and the 2 after OW4 will probably be on Xbox too

[Oddish]

I like everybody veiw points.I do hope EA won't cheapin the game, coz i went to some other forums, and i see a lot of negitive stuff said about EAwants to to publish OWI.But i know OWI make there game oddwordly and to have the odd atomshere, and wont let EA to ruin the games.(i think)

I thought Stranger won't fearture first person, or am i wrong?

[Xavier]

I don't think OWI ever said there wont be any first person parts in the game...
but again we aren't sure that "Computer and Video Games" is a reliable source

[oddguy]

Lorne is a good business man. He knows what he's doing. I trust he's making the right descisions. I'm not worried a bit.

-oddguy

EDIT: Nevermind what I just said. Microsoft owns half of OWI! Run for your lives!

*induces panic*

[Nate]

Im not a to big fan of EA. Not becouse the game's they make, but becouse they have already ruiend two of my favorite game publishers. Two years ago they bought up Westwood Studio's, the creators of the famous C&C game's. The company is ruiend now and the first game EA published in the C&C serie's after the take over was plain out crap.

Concidering Oddworld is developing into a pretty good game company with a lot of potential in the future, I just cant help it to think that EA might also buy up Oddworld Inhabitants after a few years. And on top of that, EA always wants to have their finger mixed in with the game, they always want to have a say in things which means that Lorna may not be able to make the game 'trully Odd' anymore which would be a real shame.

I just hope OWI will be carefull when contracting with EA...

Yeah, EA does have a reputation for buying good companies and turning them bad - look at Bullfrog. Peter Molyneaux lasted one game under EA and quit! BUT (and this is an important distinction) Peter went back to EA to publish Black and White. So we should be clear about the difference between EA as a game designer and as a publisher.

I really don't think Lorne will sell a majority stake in OWI to anyone, let alone a company with a reputation like EA.

[Alcar]

After talking with my father last night, about this subject (he's a firm anti-Microsoft) we both believe, that if the information we have is correct, that Microsoft have once again proven how malevolent they can be. Effectively, Microsoft now owns 50% of Oddworld Inhabitants, and they don't have to do a thing. Though, we don't know the full facts, so properly committing to my statement would be naive.

However, Oddworld Inhabitants will need to strike a deal with some other publisher. The question is, how much of the remaining 50% OWI own, can they afford to loose to a publisher?

Alcar...

[oddguy]

Microsoft doesn't have any descision making power do they? And, since they own half of Oddworld, does that mean they get half the profit OWI makes? I'm kinda lost on this whole situation.

I trust Lorne...I just don't trust Microsoft.

-oddguy

[Alcar]

I don't know, but it sounds like it is only a monetary deal. Which is why I'm concerned with how much Oddworld can afford to loose with another publisher. And if all of it's true, gawd, you have to glare in awe at Microsoft's cunning plans.

Alcar...

[oddguy]

Do you think Atari traded there share of OWI to Microsoft without the consent of OWI? Can they even do that?

I just don't like the sound of this.

-oddguy

[Havoc]

If OWI is ever to be its own publisher, the first thing they need to do is buy all of their stocks back. They can't afford to only own half of them.
Cuz there is one downside on public game biz stocks... theire free to buy and sell. Therefor, if EA just come's up with the right amount of money they can easely buy up the stocks that MS owns and the one's OWI owns. And Lorne would have no choice... if EA wants to buy stocks, legaly there is no way for Lorne to say no to them...
OWI... may the Odd be with you!

[oddguy]

You seem to know what you're talking about, Havoc. Tell me more!

-oddguy

[Alcar]

Like I said, what exactly happened between Microsoft and OWI isn't known. We only have the information concerning Atari, and frolm that we've made assumptions about Microsoft.

Like I said, I'm just concerned about what is going to happen with OWI. I'd hate for them to have to do things they don't want to do.

Alcar...

[Xavier]

this would be a perfect moment for an official statement...
not especially tell us who is the publisher, but tell us if it changes anything to the way of working of OWI...

[Havoc]

I'd hate for them to have to do things they don't want to do.

Or want to do things they can't do...

You seem to know what you're talking about, Havoc. Tell me more!

Well to keep it simple, its like this.
MS now owns 50% of OWI's stock. Therefor they are kind of co owning the company. The stocks owned by OWI are divided onto the executive's thus being Lorne, Sarah, and the other board members who helped founding OWI.
At the moment Lorne still fully owns OWI as the stocks are balanced out. But the second a third party company buys stocks which make it, lets say: 30 % for Lorne and 70 % for EA. Then OWI will already be under new managment becouse EA owns most of the stocks. OWI would still be ran by Lorne and Co and it will also be Lorne deciding on staff, payment and all that stuff. But it would be EA who would want to have a verry big say in everything related to game producing.

And the second EA buys up all the stocks from both MS (and MS is pretty willing to sell any stocks as long as they are offerd more as they payed for it) and OWI, then EA is the new owner of OWI and will also have complete control over staff, payment and everything around it. Probably resulting in half the staff fired and the other half leaving becouse of pay cuts.

And legaly seen, there is nothing Lorne could do about it. If EA offers to buy the stocks against a reasonable price, Lorne can not legaly say no. He'd have to take it up to court, and against a massive game company like EA, hes probably gonna lose.

Thats about all...

Oddworld Inhabitants, may the Odd be with you.

[steel scrab]

theres a spot on this over on gamespot.com where they interviewed Lorne about stranger and choosing EA as publishers.

[Hobo]

Yo dudes, Stranger is with EA. PS 2 and XBox.

Check this out: http://www.gamespot.com/news/2004/06...s_6100793.html

Also, check out this super sexy picture where he appears to be underwater: (Might not be new, I don't check out GD much)


*Beats stupid fanboys under Max's Advice*
EDITS: Ok, well I suppose this is confirmation and could be in the other thread, but as I said, I don't read GD dammit. Move it if you want or whatever.

*Doesn't appear in GD ever again*

[oddguy]

Well, we know some new stuff.

Being released early 2005
PS2 and Xbox release
And...that is a new picture

Good work, hobo.

-oddguy