Lorne Lanning, creator of Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee is busy promoting his awesome new Oddworld game – just don’t call it a remake. In fact, he has a lot of strong words about his game and the industry in general.
Uncharacteristically, I’m going to start this with a video. Here is the latest gameplay trailer for Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty that has been making me and Geoff way happier than it should:
I remember the awesome times I had playing Oddworld games – I was overjoyed when one night at university I had the “hi, follow me” exchange with a friend I didn’t know had played the game. I’m excited for the new game, but apparently people have been reporting about it incorrectly. Speaking to VG247, Lanning was emphatic:
We still see press calling it an HD remake, and it’s not a fucking HD remake
That’s right, the game has been built from the ground up in 2.5HD with Unity – developing the game a second time with the same blueprint. Um, I’m not quite sure how that’s different from literally remaking the game, but I suppose the word “remake” has the connotation that it’s the old game with some prettier textures slapped on top.
This is all part of Lanning’s push to turn his studio, Oddworld Inhabitants, into a viable indie game producer. Previous Oddworld titles were published by EA and GT Interactive, but Lanning had some choice words about the publishing giants:
Fuck that business. I don’t want to play with that business, because it was a losing business. I just don’t want to go back and play the old [publisher] game. I’d rather not make games than go fucking be a slave for public companies who care more about their shareholders than they do about their customers.
Why did Battlefield 4 ship? You know that team was crying. You know that team knew that game wasn’t ready to go. You know that team fucking spent a lot of sleepless nights building that shit out to look as good and play as good, when it was able to be experienced, being played as they were intending it to be played. Someone made a decision that the shareholders are more important than the customer. And we see a lot of that. How do you blow that? How do you take that fucking jewel and ship it with dirt all over it?
He didn’t show the same hatred towards Sony, who he called a “godsend” for their brand awareness. I don’t know why I’m still so surprised when I hear how developers hate working with the likes of EA. Somehow, I imagine that some studios have it better, like Bioware. I suppose only the likes of Bioware can protect themselves and stay insulated from the profit-driven shareholders. Everyone else must just ship product, regardless if it’s ready or meets creative standards.
Last Updated: March 25, 2014
oVg deprived
March 25, 2014 at 17:21
Fuck that business!!!!!
http://i.imgur.com/g2RXrlZ.gif
CAE9872
March 25, 2014 at 19:48
LOL
Johan du Preez
March 25, 2014 at 17:25
Say it as it is I like this guy
MarcoNley
March 25, 2014 at 17:27
I suppose only the likes of Bioware can protect themselves and stay insulated from the profit-driven shareholders. Everyone else must just ship product, regardless if it’s ready or meets creative standards. http://b54.in/98ua
Admiral Chief of Auraxis
March 25, 2014 at 20:01
Heh, f-bombs
Ryanza
March 25, 2014 at 21:34
Now, all this game needs is, Hello, No DRM, Follow me!
It’s been a long time that, EA releases broken games for money, EA releases unfinished games for money, EA releases buggy games for money, EA releases no quality games for a lot of money.
Then EA uses Origin and DRM so that we can not sell these messed up games they selling us.
EA forces Origin and DRM on us, to sell us unfinished, broken, buggy, games, at premium prices, only to patch the games months from release, and we end up paying for those patches.
EA and other publishes, like to blame piracy for lose of sales. But with their business strategy of Origin, DRM and unfinished games, EA’s target market is not anyone with a PC or console anymore. EA’s target market now is, A – people with internet and B – people with uncapped internet.
The lose in sales comes from the difference in people with computers in this world and the people with internet on this planet.
Trust me there are more people on this planet with computers than there are people with internet.
So fuck EA. Fuck Origin. Fuck DRM.
Do not support EA with money
Do not support Origin with money
Do not support DRM with money
In the words of Lorne Lanning, the creator of Oddworld, “I’d rather not make games than go fucking be a slave for public companies who care about their shareholders than they do about their customers.”
We are the customers, we are the power, don’t be a money slave to EA’s shareholders. Do not support this shit.
This message needs to be spread in this world – Do Not Support DRM.
justlikemo
March 26, 2014 at 06:03
no F@#in around with this guy hey, I like him
Jedi JJ
March 26, 2014 at 07:10
I think he got a bit confused between what’s a remake and what’s a remastered game.
Hammersteyn
March 26, 2014 at 07:34
I fucking love Lorne Lanning. He tells it like it is. I’d buy the new Oddworld now if it was available in the store.
Alien Emperor Trevor
March 26, 2014 at 07:49
Those comments just gave me morning wood.
Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim
March 26, 2014 at 07:53
Remake, remaster, whatever. I will throw money at this. I love oddworld, and I love Lorne’s attitude.
oVg deprived
March 26, 2014 at 09:01
I still have the originals. Just a pity my 17 year old PS1 has hung itself.
Oh well I am sure these super duper next gen machines can play an old disk 😛
Alien Emperor Trevor
March 26, 2014 at 09:58
*cough* http://www.gog.com
Jedi JJ
March 26, 2014 at 10:33
loooool
Jedi JJ
March 26, 2014 at 10:33
Agreed.