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Links time!
Some Official stuff from EA:
Here is a bunch of links reporting the news of OWI signing with EA:
- IGN Online
- Game Daily
- Voodoo Extreme
- Game Infowire
- IGN Newswire
- TeamXbox
- BDGame
- GamerFeed
- The Adrenaline Vault
- Games Asylum
- SPOnG.com
- Ferrago
- DailyGame
- Gamers.com
- MCV
- Gamers Europe
- 1UP
Here are some links of sites mirroring the press release:
And by the way: Gizmoid is reporting a twist on the ‘Atari dumps OWI’ story.
EA to publish Stranger
Okay, beyond all belief, SPOnG was correct: GameSpot have updated with the full information on the new game, including an interview with Lorne Lanning and a new image of Stranger. The press release is on display on the updated Oddworld.com, and is due to be released by Electronic Arts imminently.
Official site Gecko compliant
Oddworld.com has been updated from .html to .shtml, resolving the long‐standing issue of the site not being able to load for those using Gecko‐based browsers such as NS6+, Mozilla and Firefox. Information comes from Buckminster and Alcar.
Additional articles on the news and rumours surrounding OWI are appearing at Designtechnica News, GameDaily, Total Video Games, EuroGamer, Games Domain, Game Baboons, Gamers Europe, Gizmodo (an accurate and amusing one), Gamasutra, BDGamer, Xbox Addicts, and the notoriously unreliable SPOnG.com, who claim that Stranger will be released on Xbox and PlayStation 2 in Quarter 2 of 2005, and that screens and artwork will be released along with an official announcement within the next 48 hours. Wear your dubious faces, please, ladies and gentlemen.
Finally, Stranger’s opening sequence’s presence at this year’s Animation Theatre has a mention in an article on the Computer Animation Festival.
Sources: Buckminster and Alcar
Oddworld wins ICE Awards
The National Association of Broadcasters, in cooperation with Future Media Concepts (FMC), announced the winners of the NAB Individual Creative Excellence (ICE) Awards: ‘Oddworld Stranger CG Intro’ has won the ‘Graphic & Animation (Non‐Broadcast)’ award and ‘Producing & Directing (Non‐Broadcast)’ award at the NAB ICE Awards.
By the way, here are a couple of other aticles about Microsoft owning half of Oddworld Inhabitants Studio: on XboxAdvanced and on Voodoo Extreme.
EA rumoured to publish Stranger
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.
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. The CVG article also makes mention of The Art of the Oddworld Universe book, Atari’s ditching of OWI, and the Stranger opening sequence being submitted to SIGGRAPH.
IGN have their own version of the Atari story.
Sources: Worship
Atari cuts ties with OWI
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, and Permalink
Comments (3)
Discuss on the Oddworld Forums
Art of OWI hits media
Two news articles on the upcoming book have already appeared. TeamXbox’s contains information additional to that provided by Ballistic Publishings, including an extended quote from Lorne, while Slashdot’s is so short it’s pointless, even bringing money hats unnecessarily into things. The comments at both sites are worthless.
Finally, German‐speaking Oddworld fans are now able to RPG with ease thanks to Oddworld‐Fan’s new RPG Forum.
The Art of Oddworld Inhabitants
Ballistic Publishing have announced The Art of Oddworld Inhabitants: The First Ten Years 1994–2004, displaying artwork from the Oddworld Inhabitants team from their foundation in 1994 to the present day, with work spanning all four major projects to date. Lorne comments: ‘Since Sherry McKenna and I founded Oddworld Inhabitants back in 1994, we have eagerly anticipated the moment when a densely packed and finely printed “Art of Oddworld” book would find life.’
The book will be available from Fall/Autumn 2004, and is available to be pre‐ordered from the Ballistic Publishing website in August/September. A limited number of numbered and leather‐bound volumes will also be available on this date.
Ballistic Publishing, owned by Ballistic Media, sets standards for publishing computer graphics and digital art, and has previously released EXPOSÉ and EXPOSÉ 2—both of which have featured digital artwork from Oddworld Inhabitants—among other books.
The page features an option to sign up for news on Oddworld Inhabitants and The Art of Oddworld Inhabitants, which we strongly suggest you sign up for!
EDIT: The book has been announced on the Oddworld.com homepage, with an elaboration on its Press Page.
Stranger at Siggraph ’04
atusiya@ found out that ‘Oddworld Stranger CG Intro’ is in the Animation Theater section of the Siggraph 2004 Conference.
Discuss on the forums.
Sources: Atusiya
Spoiler Forum opens
Following the release of potential spoilers through Alf’s Inhabitants Anonymous, the Oddworld Forums have re‐opened the Spoiler Forum.
Finally, Hayley has enlarged images from Alf’s Inhabitants Anonymous on Depths Of Oddworld.
Official site updates, June 2004
Oddworld.com has been freshly updated for June, with an Inhabitant Profile of marketing assistant Kristen I. featuring new and specific questions, a non‐demeaning and productive Dear Alf, and the second installment of Alf’s Inhabitants Anonymous, featuring information that might be able to be built up into a vague plot device—a warning for the easily spoilered.
Game Informer interviews Shane Kim
Rick has pointed out that the latest issue of Game Informer features an interview with Ed Fries’s replacement, Shane Kim. The interviewer addresses Microsoft Game Studios’ decision to drop Oddworld and Psychonauts from its line‐up:
GI: In the past, Microsoft as a first‐party Xbox publisher really tried to hit a lot of the demographics—everything from Halo on one end to Kung Fu Chaos on the other. Recently, a few somewhat high‐profile products, like Psychonauts and Oddworld’s Stranger, have been shelved. Is this part of a strategy to focus your development dollars on fewer titles?
SK: When we launched the Xbox, we were obviously the new kids on the block. Sony and Nintendo were established. So, we wanted to make sure we provided a reasonable breadth of content for customers who bought Xbox initailly—because we were still trying to convince third parties to support us. We are enjoying great third party support now, so there is a tremendous variety of titles available for our customers. Now, as the first party, Microsoft Game Studios, we can really focus now on delivering the type of games and experiences that will hopefully be very unique to our platform. Those kinds of games are becoming bigger, more ambitious, more risky, and more expensive to make. So, we are focusing on the teams and the ideas and the titles that we believe can fulfill that mission. We have to be very diligent about where we’re going to place our bets.
GI: In the case of Psychonauts or the Oddworld project, were they just not working out, or did you feel like they were getting too expensive?
SK: We have great respect for the creators of both of those games. From a platform perspective, I hope their games are very successful on Xbox. But, when it comes to Microsoft Game Studios, we need to make some decisions about trying to focus on a smaller set of games and teams that we believe can have a significant impact. That leaves us some very difficult decisions. And, unfortunately, it’s not a quality issue because those are both very, very talented developers.
Meanwhile, Abe Babe has returned from E3 2004, and although Oddworld Inhabitants didn’t have a booth, she has penned a three‐page article on her visit (Page 1, Page 2, Page 3), including mention of Darkwatch, the twisted Gothic Western vampire FPS by Sammy Studios, and co‐founders and ex‐Inhabitants Farzad Varahramyan and Paul O’Connor.
Sources: Rick
Special OddChat
Sorry, I’m 2 days late. Alf’s Assistant posted a message on the forums, telling us that a special chat was planned.
Unfortunately the chat is already done, BUT oddguy posted a transcript Alf, Alf’s Assistant and Abe Babe) hinted they may come back, so stay tuned on OddChat!
Sources: Alf’s Assistant
Onimusha 3 takes 3D Award
Hollywood Reporter has published an article on videogames becoming a much more staple electronic entertainment in society, on par with movies and music. Lorne Lanning gets a few words in, mentioning both Oddworld and its fanbase, just days after his session discussing game development’s influence on film and television production at this year’s 3D Festival.
Also speaking in the annual Copenhagen festival was ex‐Inhabitant Scott Easley, who talked on the making of the Medal of Honour series.
Unfortunately, Oddworld did not win the Game Cinematics prize in this year’s 3D Awards. The title instead goes to Onimusha 3 by ROBOT Communications.
Oddworld in EXPOSÉ 2
Some news from Exposé 2:
Several Oddworld pictures are already planned to be in the book, they are present on the Page Gallery: page 81, page 85 and page 148.
Intresting facts: An Oddworld picture was nominated for the Character In Action 3D Awards and Lorne Lanning is a member of the Advisory Committee and Jury (with a nice quote from him at this page).
Disscuss it on the forums!
By the way, an intresting PDF is available on the 3D Festival site.
Official site updates, May 2004
Great updates this month on the official site: a new Dear Alf, a new inhabitant interview: Rajeev Nattam—Character Artist, and a new feature: Alf’s Inhabitants Anonymous!
Disscuss it on the forums!
Stranger nominated for 3D Awards
‘Stranger—Oddworld Inhabitants’ has been nominated for the 3D Game Cinematics (non interactive) at the 3D Awards. (And a beautiful picture of Stranger was posted.)
Oddworld Universe relaunches
Forumer paramiteabe is reporting that some video game stores have starting accept reservations for the as‐yet untitled Stranger, the release date of which is still not yet known. A stand‐in box is described, though its validity remains to be seen. The clerk reports that news of the release date will emerge in June.
Alcar has updated Oddworld Universe with pages covering the upcoming game, and three dutifully transcribed recent press articles. Meanwhile, Miss Odd is looking to employ a news reporter for Oddworld Online; details can be found on the Forums.
Finally, GameSpy has an article by Raymond Padilla covering Microsoft’s recent publishing story.
Sources: paramiteabe and Alcar
Mr Shin sends pics
atusiya@ has put some pictures (courtesy of Mr Shin) of the Oddworld booth present at the GDC on his site. Enjoy!
Sources: Atusiya
Oddworld Gets Stranger
Alcar has found a couple of things of interest: the personal site of lead programmer Charles Bloom reveals that the working title for Oddworld 4 is, in fact, Oddworld Gets Stranger, while programmer Thatcher Ulrich has provided images of the Indie Game Jam, attended by Messrs Bloom and Ulrich, along with Ryan Ellis and Jonathan Blow.
IGN has a list of developers appearing at E3, though Oddworld Inhabitants do not yet appear. However, here’s the place to keep abreast of the listing, if you wish.
And, as some of you have obviously noticed, OddBlog now has a features comment, hosted by HaloScan. I have also coded in an announcement bar above the banner to appear when there is important information, such as now that the Forums are down.
Sources: Charles Bloom, Thatcher Ulrich, and Oddworld Universe