SOE to Publish Vanguard

[Chthonian]

http://www.sigilgames.com/sonypressrelease.html

May 5, 2006 – Carlsbad & San Diego, CA – Sigil Games Online and Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE), a global leader in the online games industry, today announced that Sigil is working with Microsoft Game Studios on an arrangement to acquire the rights to its highly anticipated massively multiplayer online (MMO) game, Vanguard: Saga of Heroes.  These efforts have resulted in a tentative agreement for Vanguard to be co-published by both Sigil Games Online and SOE. All three companies will be showing the game at the upcoming Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) as they work closely together for a successful transition. Vanguard: Saga of Heroes is scheduled to launch this winter.

“As the development process is ongoing and constantly shifting, it became clear that MGS and Sigil had varying visions and direction for the title’s development,” said Brad McQuaid, CEO of Sigil Games Online.  “In the best interest of Vanguard, it was decided that we would buy back the publishing rights from Microsoft.”

As co-publisher of Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, Sigil assumes greater control of marketing and PR, while maintaining responsibility for game development, community relations, media relations, customer support, and quality assurance. Under the terms of the agreement, SOE will provide distribution, marketing, hosting and back-end support -- including billing and technical support -- for the game. Additionally, SOE is tentatively planning on adding Vanguard, upon its release,to SOE’s Station Access™ subscription plan. Station Access allows players to enjoy all of SOE’s MMO titles for one low monthly price.

“We are very excited to be working with so many old friends at Sigil,” said John Smedley, president, Sony Online Entertainment. “Vanguard looks beautiful and has an incredibly rich game world. It’s the type of game that will appeal directly to SOE’s hundreds of thousands of players and should fit in perfectly with the current line-up of games available in Station Access.”

”This decision was made mutually by Sigil and Microsoft, in the best interest of the long-term goals for the title,” said Phil Spencer, General Manager at Microsoft Game Studios.  “As a key Windows development partner, we will continue to work with Sigil to ensure Vanguard’s ongoing success.”

Vanguard: Saga of Heroes is the next generation of massively multiplayer online games. The journey takes place in the fantasy setting of Telon, a vast and ancient world of magic, intrigue and adventure. Facing the challenges of a war torn world, the diverse people here struggle to rebuild their once great civilizations. A fragile alliance has been struck, with the lands set upon by invading forces, the races must band together to survive.

Vanguard: Saga of Heroes is currently in a closed beta phase. The game will remain available via Fileplanet for existing beta testers during the transition to SOE. New information will be sent out to testers as the changeover occurs.

For more information about Vanguard: Saga of Heroes please visit www.vanguardsoh.com.

I see this as a good thing. What does SOE have more experience doing than any other company? Setting up massively multiplayer game servers. And theirs work. I wouldn't let Blizzard set my game servers up if they paid me. According to a bunch of posts by Aradune Mithara (Brad McQuaid) on the Vanguard forums, Sigil will actually gain some control from this move. Let's look at this objectively, though...

First, what is Microsoft's track record with MMOs? Bad, real bad. They've cancelled a number of them before they came out, and have only actually been involved in the launch of what, two? One of which is now gone (AC2). MS loves getting its hands on an MMO, but it's scared shitless of releasing one.

Why would Sigil part ways with MS? Most likely, because they had differing views on the direction of the game. Microsoft sees WoW gain massive subscription numbers. Vanguard is the polar opposite of WoW in the genre. Crap, we better make this more like WoW. Of course, that's the worst idea you could possibly have, because WoW owns the casual MMO market right now, and you'd just get stomped under the weight of it.

Sigil knows this, but does MGS (Microsoft Game Studios)? Some of them surely do, but I doubt the wigs have a clue. They get pissed that SGO (Sigil Games Online) won't capitulate, and start laying down the threats. Change the game or we walk. Brad, being quite charismatic, convinces them to let him buy the game back. Uh oh, they still need a way to publish the damn thing. Well, there are a few options there, and SOE is one of the best of them.

Further, for those who are saying SOE is going to screw up the game... From the release:

"As co-publisher of Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, Sigil assumes greater control of marketing and PR, while maintaining responsibility for game development, community relations, media relations, customer support, and quality assurance. Under the terms of the agreement, SOE will provide distribution, marketing, hosting and back-end support -- including billing and technical support -- for the game."

So all SOE is doing is distributing the game, marketing the game, hosting the game, and giving it back-end support (billing and tech). All of which they do well, although I've seen complaints about tech support but never had to use it because I'm not a noob. Sigil retains development control, some marketing, PR, community relations, media relations, CS, and QA.

The way I see it, SOE saved Sigil's ass. Sigil needed a publisher, and there aren't many MMO publishers worth their salt in the industry. Lucky for Sigil, SOE was willing to forgive all the BS Brad has said over the years (saying their games suck, saying their ideas suck, etc.) and welcomed him into their publishing umbrella in the interest of good business, and we still get to see Vanguard the way it was intended to be made rather than the way MGS wanted it made.

[dusematic]

Mole imo.

[stray]

[Falconeer]

Mole imo.

Smed's or Brad's?

[Broughden]

Mole imo.

Smed's or Brad's?

One or the other because its his first post here. But then again when I started posting people though I was that dipshit telemod.
But he still smells like a mole.

[Falconeer]

One or the other because its his first post here. But then again when I started posting people though I was that dipshit telemod.
But he still smells like a mole.

I made the mistake of introducing myself here talking close-to-nice of Auto Assault. :)
Mole!

[CmdrSlack]

Yep.  Enthusiasm = mole.

Unless it's for the NGE.  We all know that twitch = luv. 

[Arthur_Parker]

I wouldn't let Blizzard set my game servers up if they paid me.

How many game servers do you have?

[WindupAtheist]

[Lantyssa]

I wouldn't let Blizzard set my game servers up if they paid me.

How many game servers do you have?

When SOE has to worry about having enough servers for 6+ million people and they do it better, let's talk.

[Broughden]

One or the other because its his first post here. But then again when I started posting people though I was that dipshit telemod.
But he still smells like a mole.

I made the mistake of introducing myself here talking close-to-nice of Auto Assault. :)
Mole!

You posted something semi-nice about Auto Assault?
MOLE!  :-D

[Morat20]

Ew....they're getting SOE all over my grindfest. Now it's going to suck!

[jpark]

I can't help but see this as repudiation of EQ2 by SOE.

[Falconeer]

I can't help but see this as repudiation of EQ2 by SOE.

Groan.
Could that be?
Could be that Smed is getting nostalgic about the good ole days of EQ, back in the twentieth century?
I mean, we use to see them all as corporate money making human-like machines (and actually, I still think they are), but maybe sometimes, in their dollar-shaped heart they feel a shiver, for the pioneering days. EverQuest has been so influent, that I can't believe they don't miss those days sometimes, in a romantic way.
Maybe they feel the urge to recreate the magic, of the endless grind, of the corpse retrieval, of the traaaaaaaaaaain to zone!....
Who knows. Honestly, I strongly doubt that Vanguard will ever score more subscriptions than EQ2, and I think Smed feels the same.
But could be that in his heart he secretely loves Vanguard and McQuaid more than EQ2 as it is now and what money and the wow-ization syndrome made of it.

Could it be?

[eldaec]

and we still get to see Vanguard the way it was intended to be made

I like how you saved the best line till last.

[Merusk]

Some of the choice 

Someone gives details on why Vanguard sucks.
But he's lying! That was what it was like 9 months ago, clearly despite nobody playing it's much better now!

Hrose calls Smed crazy, Smed says "Nuh Uh!"

American education at it's finest.  "The Brits spell some things differently!

[Falconeer]

This is great. Brad answered so many questions in the last 24 hours that they could put up a huge FAQ about the deal out of his posts :)

OFFICIAL SIGIL & SOE FAQ (from the Vanguard official boards)

[schild]

I am DISGUSTED that he actually capitalizes the word "Vision."

Edit: I do not believe Smedley thinks Vanguard is a great game. In fact, I do not believe anyone does. I also don't think that this deal is costing SOE much if anything at all. If I was a rumor monger (which I can be) and if I were to make predictions about how things go down (which I do all the time), here's how I see it:

Microsoft says, "Brad, your vision sucks. Take your ball and go home. Actually, no fuck that. Buy your ball back then go home - you don't want the sort of black marks we can give on your record."

Brad says, "Fine. Here's pennies on the dollar."

Microsoft says, "Fair deal. Our pockets are bottomless. Enjoy the fanboys, you wackjob."

Brad calls SOE, "I will hand you publishing rights. HAND them to you. This game must come out! My continued paycheck and ability to live relies on the stupidity of people who want to play an endless grind."

SOE says, "Awwww, it's cute. Ok, sure. But you're going to be in the station pass. Learn2BeABusiness, nub."

[Falconeer]

Looks like we all agree on what happened here :)

I quote myself from elsewhere to report my VISION (capital all, buy me blondie!):

No seriously. I spent (now) 3 hours reading every single post of McQuaid, Grande and Smedley.
I know they are as honest as Nixon and I am pretty sure the real deal is Microsoft said:
"Gimme something playable soon or I'll bail."
So Brad, who couldn't give anything playable even if he wanted too, raised some money (and this is where's the thing gets interesting. Who gave him this new fresh lots of money?), bought back his share from MS (which gladly sold out their ticket to hell) talked to Smed about granting him marketing and publish, and here we are.

And Smed, he is an evil genius. Given that he strongly believe in the portfolio idea (and Garriott believes it too. Scary), can you blame him for getting a game like Vanguard on board?  (edit: yeah, basically for free?)

Point is, they aren't even denying most of it. They are *only* denying that the game is crap.

[schild]

Here's the problem. You think it's interesting.

It's not.

It's obvious. The MMORPG industry is infantile and much of the business done in it is infantile. Sounds like you wasted 2 hours and 55 minutes to come to that conclusion.

[Big Gulp]

But he still smells like a mole.

How can he be a mole?  Correct me if I'm wrong, but it would seem to me that the point of being a mole is to ingratiate oneself into a community and then start shilling for your corporate masters.  A one post wonder does not a mole make.

Retarded?  Most likely.  Mole?  Nah.

[Falconeer]

Here's the problem. You think it's interesting.

It's not.

It's obvious. The MMORPG industry is infantile and much of the business done in it is infantile. Sounds like you wasted 2 hours and 55 minutes to come to that conclusion.

Mmm, you could be right, actually I am pretty sure you are, but I am a sucker for gossip so I actually enjoyed those 3 hours. And the drama. A show like this doesn't happen everyday.
And it's not interesting to know who gave Brad the new money, I am just curious as hell. Who the frak gave him money again?

[sinij]

  because WoW owns the casual MMO market right now

What?

[WindupAtheist]

Of course, that's the worst idea you could possibly have, because WoW owns the casual MMO market right now, and you'd just get stomped under the weight of it.

Fixed.

[dusematic]

But he still smells like a mole.

How can he be a mole?  Correct me if I'm wrong, but it would seem to me that the point of being a mole is to ingratiate oneself into a community and then start shilling for your corporate masters.  A one post wonder does not a mole make.

Retarded?  Most likely.  Mole?  Nah.

You're overthinking it.  The dude's a douche who popped in with his first post to make a huge elaborate defense about a frail ass game at a highly coincidental time. 

But yes, technically you are correct.

[Nija]

http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1869334

Nice Vanguard thread for some laughs.

The game is absolutely terrible anyway. They couldn't pay me to play it.

It's painfully ugly but still runs like hell, it's not fun at all. The install was 16gb, and I don't even know why or how. It certainly wasn't jam packed with models, since every race was the exact same with a different head. The gameplay is worse than EQ1. if it doesn't get outright cancelled it's going to bomb hard.

[schild]

Awesome.

[HRose]

I can hardly believe it's a 16gb install.

[Simond]

The FoH thread has a couple more similar breaches on p26 and p29.

Of course, when the NDA is dropped all of the Vanbois are going to blame the game sucking on SOE now.

[Tale]

The SomethingAwful thread is hilarious, where the people in beta say "it's really bad - we wanted to like it, but it SUCKS".

And then the fanbois who are NOT in beta say "no, it will be great". LOL.

[schild]

It's hilarious until you realize that a lot of people looked forward to the game. Then it's just sad.

I said awesome before because of the 16gig install. Auto Assault was 9 gigs though, so I suppose it's reasonable.

Edit: Also, am I from fucking Mars or something? Haven't the FoH people been around forever? Don't they know shit when they smell shit? Jesus.

[Signe]

If reasonable means stupendous insanity, I agree.

[schild]

I didn't mean reasonable like I'd allow it. I mean reasonable as in "Not Outside the Scope of Reality."

[Merusk]

Edit: Also, am I from fucking Mars or something? Haven't the FoH people been around forever? Don't they know shit when they smell shit? Jesus.

The FOH people themselves have been, yes. But like ElGallo said, the FOH forum community != FOH.  Think of it was Something Awful for MMO players.  They have a lot of people whose first game happened in the last 2-3 years yet talk about how EQ pwned.  Much like how if you added-up all the people who talk about how much ass they kicked in UO then the subs for the game should have been somewhere in ithe 500k range and made entirely of PKs.

[Threash]

The FoH thread has a couple more similar breaches on p26 and p29.

Of course, when the NDA is dropped all of the Vanbois are going to blame the game sucking on SOE now.

Reading that thread reminded me of that simpsons episode where Homer is having a bbq and recently turned vegetarian Lisa sabotages it by throwing the pig away and Homer sits there going "its still good, its still good!" no matter all the horrible things happening to it.