Oddworld Inhabitants closes down. Schild cries.

[schild]

After four consecutive platinum hits, you'd think a video game developer would want to parlay his success into more elaborate -- and profitable -- next-generation titles. But the co-creator of the Oddworld universe has taken a look at the direction he sees that industry heading and he doesn't want to play.

Full Article.

I would have linked to where I read it on Greg Costikyan's blog. But he's just used it as a soapbox for continuing his whining from GDC.

While I wasn't the biggest fan of Oddworld's games, I'm enjoying the shit out of their most recent effort, and it made me turn around and pick up one of their previous games.

I understand the shock and awe value of shutting down a multi-platinum studio in response to the industry stifling innovation. And no matter how I look at it, it seems like the cowards way out.

Either way, Oddworld Inhabitants will be missed.

[AOFanboi]

Whaaa... but I just read an interview with them in GamesTM magazine! The interview was probably a month or two old but still...

Notice, developers, the death that follows XBox exclusivity. Take heed and learn, young padawans. Do not turn to the Dark Side and the Sith Lords of Redmond.

[Riggswolfe]

XBOX exclusivity has nothing to do with it. *snorts*

As for this being the coward's way out, at least he's putting his money where his mouth is. I'd say it's actually pretty brave.

[Margalis]

Yeah, I don't see how it is cowardly. The guy doesn't like the situation he's in so he's going to go do something more enjoyable.

I don't know shit about any of the Oddworld's games, so I don't know if I care or not, other than to point out that something is wrong when a solid, in-the-black shop closes up out of frustration.

[bhodikhan]

If you're into the Oddworld art there is a great art book from Ballistic Publishing. I've got it and it's very nice.

http://www.cgproshop.com/product/000007/

[schild]

If you're into the Oddworld art there is a great art book from Ballistic Publishing. I've got it and it's very nice.

http://www.cgproshop.com/product/000007/

Thank you.

[AOFanboi]

XBOX exclusivity has nothing to do with it. *snorts*

Yes it does: The PS2 is a far better home for "non-conforming" games. Noone would have published Rez or Ico on the XBox. From what I've seen from Stranger's Wrath, it has more in common with the successful PS2 franchises like Jak, Ratchet and Sly than with the other XBox titles. But water under the bridge and all that.

I do agree that wasn't his reason for moving from games to animation though.

[bhodikhan]

The guy is an amazing artist. I've seen a lot of his animation work. Without reading much about his gameworld he really wanted to animate more then continue with games. Recently, I've seen posts on boards he frequents where he's been doing some amazing animations.

You gotta do what you enjoy and I think he needed to move on, to continue his stellar animation work. I think in the future with an investor and a studio you might see some nice Oddworld movies. He's already created the 'world' now all he needs is PDI Dreamworks to give it 'life'.

Let's hope.

[MaceVanHoffen]

It only appears to be the coward's way out if either (1) you haven't seen firsthand the soul-crushing, happiness-destroying effect that big business has on game development (actually, any software development), or (2) you think that money is the only point of doing anything.

I'm sad that Lanning decided to close up shop, as they made some amazing games that were definitely not mainstream.  The first Oddworld ranks among my all time favorites.  Good for him though.  Maybe publishers will start waking up if enough developers do this.

[Riggswolfe]

Yes it does: The PS2 is a far better home for "non-conforming" games. Noone would have published Rez or Ico on the XBox. From what I've seen from Stranger's Wrath, it has more in common with the successful PS2 franchises like Jak, Ratchet and Sly than with the other XBox titles. But water under the bridge and all that.

I do agree that wasn't his reason for moving from games to animation though.

What are you basing this on? The PS2 may have more "non-conforming" games than the XBOX but so what? It has a larger library over all due to its headstart along with other factors we all know about (Sony having a better name in consoles and such.)

Anyway, I don't care. I only recently plugged my PS2 back in and that was to be a game by Working Designs.

[voodoolily]

Maybe he and his Mrs. Robinson partner (I suspect in both senses of the term partner) split up. Dude she looks like that crystal-power freak who made that cult propaganda What the Fuck Do We Know movie.

[Sky]

It only appears to be the coward's way out if either (1) you haven't seen firsthand the soul-crushing, happiness-destroying effect that big business has on game development (actually, any software development), or (2) you think that money is the only point of doing anything.

Hey, warm fuzzies about my decision to leave the music business rather than rebuild from scratch among the sharks. They never sleep, like Samara.

The music business is Samara from the Ring, looks like the games biz is heading that way fast. Viva capitalism. This industry is headed for the shitter, though it'll make a hell of a lot of money while it's there. Because that's what is important.