Obsidian CEO almost talks about canceled Aliens RPG
by Kevin Kelly 
{ Sep 17th 2009 at 7:30PM }
The good news? There's an answer. The bad news? You're going to have to wait until February 2011 to get it. We hope we remember the question that far in the future. If that makes anyone think about The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, you get bonus points. Read on after the break for what he said, which did not include the proper pronunciation of his name.
This panel was about developing licensed games in tough economic times. Is that what happened to the Aliens RPG? That was announced awhile ago. What happened?
Of course, whenever a relationship like that ends, there is the letter that we get that has the legal reasons for why this is happening, then there are the reasons that we all have an idea about, but they can't really talk to us about those because it has to be talked about from a legal perspective.
It's a tough thing for us, because it means we're all still under a non-disclosure agreement, at least for awhile. We have our ideas, but they're purely opinions and they could be absolutely wrong. The NDA was two years past termination, so talk to us in February 2011.
Oh, we will. Expect your phone to ring very early that day.
[Laughs, calls security]
How far had development gone?
It had gone pretty far. A lot of it was us building our own internal technologies, and part of that was an understood thing before we got to the game itself. We'd gotten fairly far.
Did you retain that engine?
Oh yeah, we retained that. We own that, it's our own technology.
Are you using it now?
We are. We just signed a deal about 10 weeks ago. We'll be using it on a new product.
The previously unannounced game ... that's still unannounced?
Yes, we'll be using it on that. It will probably be announced early next year. We're working on three things right now: finishing up Alpha Protocol, Fallout: New Vegas, and then the new game which will use that engine.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
The Dark Wayne @ Sep 17th 2009 7:33PM
I just hope colonial marines survives
Captain Planet [Planeteer | Power of Captain Planet] @ Sep 17th 2009 7:37PM
Thinking about this Aliens RPG + Fallout 3 type gameplay makes my pants tight.
MystileArmor @ Sep 17th 2009 7:46PM
Your pants were and always have been already tight...
The Dark Wayne @ Sep 17th 2009 7:49PM
if they can be called pants at all
Backslash @ Sep 17th 2009 8:03PM
Pants! Like shorts, but longer!
skittenz @ Sep 17th 2009 8:03PM
...more like a tight red speedo....using your blue legs and knee highs not to fully cover up....you aren't fooling anyone!
Dima @ Sep 17th 2009 8:12PM
You would have been dissapointes then. It wasn't gonna be in fpp, or anything like Bethesda style games. It was gonna be a real RPG.
HippoHero @ Sep 17th 2009 8:13PM
It kind of amazes me that you felt the need to add a belt to a skin-tight speedo.
Captain Planet [Planeteer | Power of Captain Planet] @ Sep 18th 2009 12:59PM
So my mom still dresses me. You do you have to make me feel like that =(
Zeal @ Sep 18th 2009 2:28PM
42. But what was the question?