Dyack: Nintendo a 'silent partner', Eternal Darkness IP ownership 'complicated'

by Ross Miller { Aug 28th 2008 at 12:00PM }

In the final part of X3F's interview series, Silicon Knights President Denis Dyack said that the question of who owns the Eternal Darkness IP is, "a complicated question with a complicated answer," while at the same time confirming that Nintendo is still a "silent partner" with the developer.

"That's a question we've never answered," he said. "At the end of the day, it's not time to even talk about those things for various different reasons. You know Nintendo, who's still our silent partner, a lot of people don't know that, we have a great relationship with those guys. It's not time to talk about Eternal Darkness 2." Dyack went on to say that, despite some reports to the contrary, SK has never announced ED2 to be in development.

Dyack also discussed his one console theory, and how the consolidation of the developers and publishers support his claim that the industry is moving towards a one-console future, adding that Silicon Knights is not opposed to being acquired by a publisher. He also said that the company's next game will be "very different" from Too Human, declining to elaborate further.

Gallery: Silicon Knights: Studio Tour

Check out all of our coverage of Too Human, including X3F's five-part video series with Denis Dyack, at our Too Human game page.

Tags: denis-dyack, eternal-darkness, nintendo, silicon-knights, too-human

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Mr Khan @ Aug 28th 2008 12:08PM

Isn't complicated. Nintendo still owns about 1/4 of SK, and owns the ED IP, as well as the patents for the gameplay techniques that made ED possible

Mr Khan @ Aug 28th 2008 12:13PM

And i upgraded to Firefox 3. Remember Me is still completely broken

BananaBoat @ Aug 28th 2008 2:35PM

After seeing all the terrible press D.D kicked up over Too Human, I wouldn't be surprised if the next Eternal Darkness game were made by a different company (or by SK with the agreement that if Dennis is filmed on camera at any point during development, he's immediately fired)

Fullmetal Salchemist @ Aug 28th 2008 4:52PM

By "it's complicated," I'm pretty sure he means:

"It'd have to be on the Wii, but goddammit, we wanted it out on the real consoles."

DIEack @ Aug 28th 2008 12:09PM

Wow, am I ever sick of this fat asshole.

Knight Marquise @ Aug 28th 2008 12:38PM

Then quit reading posts about Silicone Knights, DD, or Too Human.

Problem Solved.

Mr.ESC @ Aug 28th 2008 12:39PM

May I recommend you Diet and exercise?

Maybe you should visit a proctologist and eat more fiber.

DIEack @ Aug 28th 2008 1:30PM

oh snap!

Duke @ Aug 28th 2008 1:36PM

Comeback of the day? Hmmmm?

BananaBoat @ Aug 28th 2008 2:36PM

The Banana "Bending Rodriguez" Boat memorial burn of the week award goes to you sir. Congrats.

Pointz @ Aug 28th 2008 5:07PM

is this bloke still alive? I thought neogaf killed him. He should shut up yesterday

Roto13 @ Aug 28th 2008 12:12PM

"He also said that the company's next game will be "very different" from Too Human, declining to elaborate further."

Maybe not to be misconstrued as admitting that Too Human is less high art and more awkward pointing.

Titanium_Orchid @ Aug 28th 2008 12:14PM

Thanks for posting this series of interviews. They were interesting to watch.

D dogg @ Aug 28th 2008 12:15PM

Snippet: "the industry is moving towards a one-console future"

One can only dream. I would LOVE to play Metal Gear 4 but I'm not willing to spend the additional $300 OR have yet ANOTHER piece of hardware / machine cluttering up my already small living room.

Mr.ESC @ Aug 28th 2008 12:37PM

You know I still remember when MGS was on Pcs.
I would love to play a MGS3 remake.

Banners @ Aug 28th 2008 12:45PM

Nintendo aren't intentionally silent - it's just that Dyack is too busy trying to hype Too Human all over teh internets that Ninty, or anyone else for that matter, can't get a word in.

Boffo the Sock @ Aug 28th 2008 2:56PM

We have pet names for Nintendo now? Anyway, if "Ninty" wanted to make an announcement, then I highly doubt they would be overshadowed by Dennis Dyack's digital dickery. Nintendo could announce when Shigeru Miyamoto is about to take a dump and the announcement would get more hits than another Dennis Dyack interview clip.

ComicShaman @ Aug 28th 2008 12:58PM

I'm sorry, it seems that the only people who believe in this "one console future" are developers engaging in wishful thinking. Yes, it would be convenient for the devs to have one standard spec, one controller model, and one platform to consider. But so what? Can anybody see Microsoft, Sony, or Nintendo deciding to bow out of the hardware game because they want to make life easier for guys like Dyack?

I don't see any movement towards one console in the marketplace or with any of the major players. Right now, it's just a pipe dream of developers.

umm....hello??? @ Aug 28th 2008 2:36PM

technically isn't the PC a "one-console" system? problem is too many hardware configs/specs...and all the major companies want a piece of the apple. think how expensive it would make games if EACH company had to have their own licensing agreements--you'd sit through 15 minutes of logos before your game started (hey--just as bad as watching commercials before a movie at AMC)...so yeah, pretty much a developer pipe-dream...

John @ Aug 28th 2008 1:23PM

I wish Dennis was a silent developer.

Bass Masterson @ Aug 28th 2008 1:25PM

Media over-covers someone, makes you sick of them; you blame the person. Not the media. Hilarious.

Anyway, while I feel sorry for Dyack and his company getting completely undeserved low scores for Too Human, Eternal Darkness was crap. Probably the worst attempt at survival horror I've yet to play.

Burritoclock @ Aug 28th 2008 1:27PM

wow....

Mr Khan @ Aug 28th 2008 1:28PM

To each his own, but still

?

Duke @ Aug 28th 2008 1:35PM

Yeah and the reviews back you up on that one...oh wait...

Bass Masterson @ Aug 28th 2008 2:22PM

Survival horror is entirely hit or miss. ED just missed for me. Bad atmosphere, bad lighting, bad story, bad art direction, bad enemies, bad combat (just target the head & chop it off over and over), bad puzzles.

Anni @ Aug 28th 2008 2:30PM

"Eternal Darkness was crap"

W.. what? Your Sanity Meter must be WAY low, my friend.

Mr Khan @ Aug 28th 2008 2:40PM

Understandeable. I have a few hit-or-miss genres myself, namely Rhythm, Fighting, and Puzzle

Alex @ Aug 28th 2008 1:29PM

please stop talking

blake @ Aug 28th 2008 1:35PM

there used to be one console, it was the pc, and video game systems already split off from it. if there were to be one console, it would be the pc. yet the pc is already here, so i dont understand why people say its "going" to happen. it already happened and has passed.

the one console people apparently arent aware that the pc exists.

B3astofthe3ast @ Aug 28th 2008 1:58PM

Wow, that is so true.

Saeth @ Aug 28th 2008 1:36PM

I like Too Human

Ghede @ Aug 28th 2008 2:30PM

Well. I hate Silicon Knights now. Let them burn. Raze their company to the ground. Allow their IP's to be bought up by another developer, along with some of their better employees.

TwEE @ Aug 28th 2008 2:43PM

Well I love em, so it is you who should burn... and your ovaries should be donated to science. So there!

Chase @ Aug 28th 2008 2:37PM

"3"
"Uhh, what?"
"Eternal Deathslayer 3"
"Oh, right... 3"

TwEE @ Aug 28th 2008 3:07PM

I fricking loved Eternal Darkness.. I hope nitendo and SK team up for a part 2 on the wii..

I totally dug the story and characters.. the audio from Dr. Maximillian Roivas' autopsies made me smile.

"Oh...oh gibbering insanity wrought in flesh as though an artist had sculpted it! Created from nothing by their mistress Xel'lotath, a canvas as grotesque as any!!

Their bodies made no sense.. no heads, no organs.. an empty husk devoid of the trappings of nature....

But it walked...it sang.. It shrieked!!!

A mockery of reason, both natural and mental, but whoooweeee... one hell of a kisser, I tell you what!!"