It’s always sad when a video game developer has to close doors. We’ve seen various studios shuttered and my own video game development company, Tsek Games, was also shut down when I fraudulently hosted a Kickstarter event for a kickass game and embezzled all the money as I hightailed it for a country that had no extradition laws. Maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned that. One other studio that was on the brink of closing down? Veteran developer Obsidian. And if it wasn’t for Pillars Of Eternity, then they wouldn’t be around today.
In the preview for the upcoming documentary Road to Eternity (Watch it below kids!), Obsidian explained that during 2012, the studio was working on a rather big new game for consoles. That game however, was cancelled and left Obsidian in a position where they were without another project to work on, resulting in various staff being bled off in redundancies.
And then Double Fine hit it big with their adventure game on Kickstarter, convincing Obsidian to crowdfund a game that was prototyped by Adam Brennecke and Josh Sawyer. It was a gamble for Obsidian, but one that paid off as they managed to secure $3.9 million in crowd-sourced funding. I’m not anti-Kickstarter, but I am rather wary of the fact that the platform has seen plenty of games fail to deliver on promises. Fortunately, Pillars Of Eternity is one of the few examples out there of how to do Kickstarter properly, as that game arrives on March 26 and already has a sequel in the works.
So to everyone who did back the game, well done: You helped save a legendary studio.
Last Updated: March 11, 2015
Admiral Chief
March 11, 2015 at 15:35
GG guys!
Pariah
March 11, 2015 at 15:57
How did The Elder Scrolls threaten Obsidian? O_o
Anon A Mouse
March 11, 2015 at 16:01
With an arrow to the knee.
Pariah
March 11, 2015 at 16:02
That was Skyrim, but still funny as [censored]!!!
Timmy_1988
March 11, 2015 at 16:09
Skyrim is Elder Scrolls?
Kromas Votes LAG WCMovie Event
March 11, 2015 at 16:52
Not sure if it is a joke but yeah it is Elder Scrolls 5.
Okay neveermind it has to be a joke. 🙂
Timmy_1988
March 11, 2015 at 16:08
in the knee
Pariah
March 11, 2015 at 16:09
Damn, hit right in the meme.
Anon A Mouse
March 11, 2015 at 16:38
Sors ne.
Viking Of Science
March 11, 2015 at 16:12
That makes me Happy. I’ve always loved Obsidian RPGs, as
buggy as they are on release.
I’m very hopeful that Pillars will be awesome. It’s the
first Original IP Obsidian have worked on in years!
Vulcha
March 11, 2015 at 17:15
So much of respect for Obsidian. Glad they’re still around today to show other devs and publishers how to make games interesting and fun and fantastical. Because, let’s face it: not a lot of publishers really care about the experience anymore.
Blood Emperor Trevor
March 11, 2015 at 17:20
They’ve always been one of the best story tellers when it comes to RPGs.
Joe Black
March 11, 2015 at 23:25
If PoE has any crafting then I just hope it is not just for the sake of having crafting. I’d like it to be meaningful.
[After watching Video] Oh… They are the aholes that screwed up the Dungeon Siege franchise (was reminded by the poster in the lobby). They can close shop for all I care. Sorry… That was unforgivable. They took that franchise from one of the richest RPG experiences in the history of gaming to a 3rd person view platformer. Chancers the lot of them imho. I’ve just checked out some PoE gameplay vids and tbh it does not look special. I don’t think they are gamers.
Ryan
March 12, 2015 at 09:22
Well I did fund Pillars on Kickstarter, having said that I would only do it for a company that has a track record like theirs. You definitely don’t want to fund an unknown ever… The sole reason for me funding them… Chris Avellone who happens to be just about the best gaming writer out there.
Deadalus
March 27, 2015 at 19:50
This game is ALMOST ruined for me by the lack of coop.
And no , cave-dwellers, of course I finish my games on single first, but if you don’t do a playthrough of Baldurs Gate 2 with a full party with a friend or a 2 man run (after u re done with a solo run,because u already played the game so many times) you LOST a LOT.
“bla bla only 10% played BG/BG2/IWD multiplayer, I prefer single player” , is like saying because only 10% people play halflings,lets not include the race. I waited for this like the next Baldur’s gate, but until it gets a multiplayer, this isn’t even close.
/rant