Sid Meier practices diplomacy regarding EA/Take-Two deal

by Alexander Sliwinski { Mar 3rd 2008 at 1:30PM }

Newsweek's N'Gai Croal had a chance to eat filet mignon last week with Sid Meier and ask him a couple questions about the potential industry-altering EA buyout of Take-Two. Meier's company, Firaxis Games, currently has its titles published by Take-Two's 2K games, but he did work with EA almost ten years ago. Meier thinks as long as EA gives his company the creative freedom Take-Two did that everything should be fine.

Sid Meier fanboys will also recognize that if Meier goes back under the EA umbrella, Firaxis will have access to the Alpha Centauri IP which EA owns. Granted, Alpha Centauri was Brian Reynold's baby, with Meier's name on the cover, but a return to Planet and its diaspora would certainly be welcomed by sci-fi strategy fans. Although, Sins of a Solar Empire is doing a fine job currently.

Tags: alpha-centauri, ea, sid-meier, sidmeier, take-two

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Veko @ Mar 3rd 2008 2:05PM

I hate when people say this but...this is news?

Seriously, the only thing Sid Meier does good is Civilization. Alpha Centauri was just 'Civilization in Space'. It feels like Sid took the half finished version of Civ 3, changed all the graphics and names to be spacey, and released it.

In other words, Alpha Centauri was a Civ game, not a sci-fi strategy game. Sins of a Solar Empire is where we are now. No one wants to go back 9 years.

hvnlysoldr @ Mar 3rd 2008 2:24PM

No it's technically not news. That's why it's filed under Business. BUSINESS not NEWS.

Veko @ Mar 3rd 2008 2:39PM

They need to file it under 'irrelevant' instead.

OhJustSomeRandomGuy @ Mar 3rd 2008 2:41PM

Are you kidding me? Alpha Centauri is NOT Civ 3 in Space.

A world full of new techs, new races, and thousands of lines of new dialogue? The game was fantastic. The only 4X I've ever liked better was the first MOO.

BTW, Sins of a Solar Empire is most certainly NOT getting it done for turn-based fans. If you're an RTS fan who wanted more depth in an RTS, it's great. If you're a turn-based fan who wanted a fantastic 4X experience, it's not good. On default, the actions in real time end up being SLOWER than they'd be if you were playing turn-based.

It's decent, but seriously, don't just buy into the hype, 'Stiq. Play it yourself, first.

Kujel @ Mar 3rd 2008 3:23PM

Are you an idiot, AC was light years ahead of Civ, Civ isn't bad but AC stomps it into the ground with way better game play.

josh @ Mar 3rd 2008 5:30PM

"Seriously, the only thing Sid Meier does good is Civilization."

Uhhh have you ever played Pirates? Or Railroad Tycoon (now known simply as Railroads!)?

I guess not, because those games are awesome!

josh @ Mar 3rd 2008 5:37PM

PS

"It feels like Sid took the half finished version of Civ 3, changed all the graphics and names to be spacey, and released it."

You apparently didn't play AC, Civ 3, or Civ 2. AC and Civ 2 were both Brian Reynolds games and played similarly (though AC was massively refined and advanced in comparison to Civ 2). Civ 3 was very different from Civ 2 so your comment is fairly off base.

Beyond that, there are game mechanics in AC that are not present at all in any Civ game (such as unit design), so yeah... you should go back and play AC then rethink your comment.

Veko @ Mar 3rd 2008 6:03PM

Actually I've played Civ 2, 3, and 4, as well as AC. I will admit I haven't really played 4 very extensively(probably only about 30-40 hours as opposed to 100+ I have on the others), but since it isn't part of the discussion, I think that's okay.

Anyways, Unit design isn't that amazing of a feature. Secondly I said AC was a half-assed version of Civ 3, not of 2. In my opinion many of the things they did right in 3 (still my favorite Civ), was first started in AC.

In ending, I'll say you're an idiot if you are going to tell me they're not very similar games.

epownza @ Mar 3rd 2008 2:50PM

doesnt this guy always wear polos with a fleece? hes gotta stop with the half smile too. maybe that smile is because he knows hes involved in one of the biggest growing industries, or it could be because he just dooked his pants.

Kujel @ Mar 3rd 2008 3:21PM

OK I'm now fully in favor of EA buying out Take 2, Alpha Centauri was the greatest game ever and if Firaxis makes another that would rock. Alpha Centauri on my 360 would be the sweetest thing since sex and chocolate. BTW Sins of a Solar Empire isn't bad but Alpha Centauri was light years better (hell the Civ games have been jacking concepts from it ever since).