The layoffs at one of your studios most able to ship games is a bonkers, stupid decision; but pivoting Obsidian to making a new Fallout game is a good business decision if you don’t care about what your creatives feel led to create.
The layoffs at one of your studios most able to ship games is a bonkers, stupid decision; but pivoting Obsidian to making a new Fallout game is a good business decision if you don’t care about what your creatives feel led to create.
I feel obligated to point out that this won’t be the same Obsidian who made New Vegas. Same company, but (mostly) not the same devs or the same leadership.
Though I’m a little hopeful that Josh Sawyer manages to make something neat.
I mean Josh Sawyer is leading it and Tim Cain and Leonard Boyarsky are both at Obsidian and I imagine they’ll be pulled in, as well as a bunch of other folks - so no idea what you’re talking about?
Most notably, John Gonzales, the actual writer on New Vegas, is also there.
I recommend reading through John’s AMA on reddit, it’s amusing and really made me understand why his writing worked.
outer worlds was not that good (imo) avowed was decent. would be insane to just assume theyd catch lightning in a bottle again
I liked the story of outerworlds but the mechanics and gameplay were never that interesting and it lost me, had to force myself to finish the game and I’m glad I did but oof.
totally agree, it was so not fun fighting enemies
I only watched playthroughs of Outer Worlds and Avowed, and I agree that they were mediocre. But Obsidian’s isometric CRPGs Pillars of Eternity I and II and Tyranny were great. If they can assign the isometric writing teams to the first-person games it might work.
I’m hoping they just need the right setting, and going back to FO could do that for them.
I mean you have two of the most important contributors to Fallout 1 & 2, and the project director from New Vegas - if they can’t do it, it can’t be done.
For what it’s worth I really liked Outer Worlds 1&2 and PoE I & II, as well as Avowed - so whatever they make, I’m probably going to enjoy it.
Microsoft’s leadership, specifically.
Yeah, but Feargus is still in charge of the studio and I don’t think even Microsoft is dumb enough to fuck with the actual development of the game from a proven studio. And now with so many layoffs and the need for this to succeed, Microsoft doesn’t have any other options. I’m sure they’ll find minor ways to fuck it up, but with things as they are, I truly believe this was the best possible solution to getting another good Fallout game.
They supposedly just canceled Avowed 2, which would have been about a year in development, to get the ball rolling on this.
Microsoft has a history of corporate meddling (if 343’s devs experiences are accurate) but you are right, they can’t really afford to mess this one up, so I’d hope they let the talent do their thing and make a great game.
I think the saving grace may be this:
I almost wonder if they knew this might happen and Josh was in pre-production on “totally not Fallout but actually Fallout” as an insurance policy. Also, Tim Cain actually recently came back to Obsidian full-time - which may just be a coincidence, but is very convenient for making the argument for them to be given the project.
Oh you know there were rumors months before this announcement. I’d be surprised if all of that was coincidence
And people will talk themselves out of enjoying a game for that, too.