Joystiq

Wargaming purchases Gas Powered Games

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 09:08:00 EST

Struggling developer Gas Powered Games has been purchased by Wargaming, the developer and publisher of free-to-play games World of Warplanes and World of Tanks. This is the company's second US acquisition this year, purchasing formerly independent developer Day 1 Studios (Fracture, Fear 3) for $20 million, putting them to work on an "unannounced console title." The financial terms of the GPG acquisition were not disclosed.

"Gas Powered Games has a long track record of providing incredibly engaging AAA gaming experiences and we can't wait to start working with them," said Wargaming CEO Victor Kislyi.

Gas Powered Game canceled its Wildman Kickstarter on Monday. GPG CEO Chris Taylor, who will stay on board after the Wargaming purchase, said at the time, "At this point, it makes sense for us to focus our attention on other ways to keep Gas Powered Games running. Unfortunately, we are unable to share any specifics in public."

We've reached out to Wargaming regarding its plans for the newly acquired Seattle-based developer.

Update: Wargaming is not currently providing any information on its plans for GPG. In a statement provided to Joystiq, a company representative said, "Currently, Wargaming doesn't have any information to share other than that we're extremely excited to welcome Chris [Taylor] and his team to our family and look forward to sharing more about what they'll be working on at a later date."

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Wargaming purchases Gas Powered Games originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 14 Feb 2013 09:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gas Powered Games reveals Wildman, CEO says he's betting the company

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 12:20:00 EST

Gas Powerered Games is launching a $1.1 million Kickstarter for Wildman, an action RPG/real-time strategy game/MOBA hybrid. CEO Chris Taylor tells Gamasutra it's not a good thing if they come up short on this.

"We spent all the last dough that we've had, and the last several months working on it. So we're betting the company on it," Taylor told the site.

Taylor says the game is a risk, but it's not the first time he's done it, noting he bet the company on Dungeon Siege and Supreme Commander. He also mentions that with the normalcy of the Kickstarter culture, it's easier to ask people for $15 than to ask a publisher for $1.1 million. We'll update this post with a Kickstarter link when it apparently launches in a couple hours.

Update: Kickstarter is now live.

Gallery: Wildman (Concept Art)

Gas Powered Games reveals Wildman, CEO says he's betting the company originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Jan 2013 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amazon selling Supreme Commander for a Lincoln

Mike Schramm — Fri, 20 May 2011 07:00:00 EST

Amazon has Chris Taylor's legendary RTS title Supreme Commander as a Games for Windows edition for the low, low price of just $4.50. It's only available to US customers, and only as a download.

Yes, for less than the price of a gallon of gas, you too can command vast armies of units of all shapes and sizes, zooming in and out of a gigantic map at will. It'll be the cheapest war ever fought.

Amazon selling Supreme Commander for a Lincoln originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 20 May 2011 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gas Powered Games RTS 'Kings and Castles' on hold

Griffin McElroy — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 22:30:00 EST

Though most of the Kings and Castles progress updates delivered by developer Gas Powered Games have been absolutely rife with levity and good cheer, the latest word from founder Chris Taylor is decidedly non-hilarious. Speaking to Big Download, Taylor explained, "We've put the project on hold for now, but the moment I know more I will let you know." When pressed for further info, he added, "I can't go into those details just yet... let's call it a 'timing' thing."

We hope Gas Powered Games can get the project back on track once the "timing" is right -- not only because the game looks really fun, but also because, man, we miss those video updates.

Gas Powered Games RTS 'Kings and Castles' on hold originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Obsidian and Square Enix announce Dungeon Siege 3, will include co-op

Griffin McElroy — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

It's been almost two years to the day since we last heard any updates on Dungeon Siege 3, which led us to the fairly understandable conclusion that Uwe Boll may have murdered the franchise with his Statham-fronted film adaptation. Apparently, those fears were unfounded -- Square Enix just announced it will publish the series' third installment, which will be developed by Obsidian Entertainment under the supervision of Dungeon Siege forefather, Gas Powered Games' Chris Taylor.

The threequel, which is set for release on 360, PS3 and PC, will remain true to the series' roots, giving players access to a catalog of highly customizable RPG archetypes that will participate in some action-oriented ... dungeon sieging. Players will also have access to an "all-new co-op multiplayer mode," though the particulars of this mode weren't specified by the game's press release announcement. We'll try to divine a few more details at E3.

Obsidian and Square Enix announce Dungeon Siege 3, will include co-op originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 07 Jun 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Total Annihilation strategically (and exclusively) moving to Impulse

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 02:30:00 EST

Stardock has announced that Total Annihilation, Chris Taylor's classic RTS, has arrived on its Impulse digital distribution platform. 10 bucks nets buyers the Impulse client-based version of TA, replete with the game's Core Contingency expansion and modernized multiplayer support.

Stardock head Brad Wardell notes his love for the RTS in the release announcement, even going as far as saying, "Total Annihilation is personally one of my all-time favorite games." Additionally, while the game is currently claimed to be "exclusive" to Impulse, we have to imagine such a critically acclaimed PC title will end up on those other digital distribution platforms at some point in the future. Until that happens, you can pick up the game right here.

Total Annihilation strategically (and exclusively) moving to Impulse originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 02:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Overheard@DICE: How do you define indie?

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:20:00 EST

"I find this talk offensive." -- A half-joking independent developer listening to Chris Taylor of Gas Powered Games and Epic's Mike Capps discussing being independent studios at DICE.

But, how do we define independent? And is it different from being "indie?" We know that Mega 64 has a violent reaction about the latter question.

Now, it's hard to imagine Mike Capps, who swims in a pool of Unreal Engine cash, being defined as independent. He even dryly stated during the conversation, "We became Microsoft five years ago." However, Chris Taylor, whose company doesn't have an engine that runs many of the games out there stated, "My children will probably not go to college because of Demigod." He also mentioned that in 2008 the company went from 125 people to 45 and then had to build back up again. But does a company's bank account make it independent or is it a state of mind?

In fairness, Mike Capps was a last minute replacement for Double Fine's Tim Schafer, so the original pairing may have been less jarring. But, the indie developer got us thinking: what are the lines that define the perception of independence?

Overheard@DICE: How do you define indie? originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gas Powered Games announces 'Kings and Castles,' antics ensue

JC Fletcher — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 09:30:00 EST

"We're doing something different this time," Chris Taylor, of Supreme Commander developer Gas Powered Games, said about the development of the company's new game, Kings and Castles. He's not really talking about the game -- it's another real-time strategy game, being developed for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 -- but rather of the development process.

The developer plans to be as open as it can while working on the game, promising frequent updates on Facebook and Twitter (from Taylor's account, @DeathBot9), as well as on the game's website. "Synergy will be leveraged, and paradigms will be established," Taylor said in the press release. "More importantly, buzzwords will be utilized." From the tone so far, you might expect the updates to be on the silly side.

The first effort in this initiative: a video blog in which Taylor does stuff on a farm for some reason. See it after the break.

Continue reading Gas Powered Games announces 'Kings and Castles,' antics ensue

Gas Powered Games announces 'Kings and Castles,' antics ensue originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Taylor: Changing design philosophies because of Square Enix partnership would be 'missing the point'

Xav de Matos — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:15:00 EST

Although we weren't surprised when Gas Powered Games revealed it had been working on a sequel to Supreme Commander, we did scratch our heads at the partnership that would see Japanese publisher Square Enix distribute the title. In a one-on-one interview with Gas Powered CEO Chris Taylor at E3 2009, we wondered if changes to the core design philosophies of Supreme Commander 2 were made due to the new partnership.

According to Taylor, Gas Powered Games had similar questions for Square Enix, but were told to maintain the same core philosophies -- philosophies that attracted Square Enix to the Western developer to begin with. "If we changed... we would be missing the point," Taylor told us. Taylor also mentioned a cue they took from Square Enix was they way they "embrace character and story," which is a focus for Gas Powered in Supreme Commander 2. Stay tuned for the complete interview with Chris Taylor, tomorrow.

Taylor: Changing design philosophies because of Square Enix partnership would be 'missing the point' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Taylor: Bringing Supreme Commander to Xbox 360 was a 'hair on fire mission,' sequel developed in-house

Xav de Matos — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 01:00:00 EST

In a one-on-one interview with Gas Powered Games CEO Chris Taylor during E3 2009, we questioned why the developer was attempting to bring the series back to the console -- considering the first Supreme Commander port ended with less than stellar results. "I felt bad, the developer who did the Xbox 360 version just did not have the time or the resources," Taylor told us, referring to the team at Hellbent Games -- the developer tapped to bring the THQ published RTS to console in 2008. "It was a hair on fire mission."

Hoping to correct errors encountered by bringing the first title to the Xbox 360, Taylor says development of the console version for the Square Enix published sequel is being done by the team at Gas Powered Games. "We're doing it in-house and giving it a lot more time and a lot more resources," Taylor said, admittedly "bullish" the sequel will fare better for console players. "I would be very surprised if it didn't do as well as the PC version." Stay tuned for our full interview with Chris Taylor, tomorrow.

Taylor: Bringing Supreme Commander to Xbox 360 was a 'hair on fire mission,' sequel developed in-house originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 08 Jun 2009 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Former Fallout dev rejoins Interplay for 'Project V13' MMO

Ross Miller — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:10:00 EST

Filed under: Online, RPGs, MMO

Original Fallout designer Chris Taylor - not to be confused for Total Annihilation and Dungeon Siege designer Chris Taylor - has re-upped with his former employer Interplay to work on unannounced MMO "Project V13," currently in development with several other members of the Fallout team.

While Interplay isn't coming out and saying it, all signs point to this being the Fallout MMO. Besides the Fallout-infused dev team, the company itself reaffirmed plans for the game last April. Even the logo bears resemblance of the Fallout aesthetic, and V13 could stand for either "V13" or if you interpret 13 as a 1337 version of "B", you have Project VB, the initials of which make the codename for Interplay's Fallout 3 (i.e. Project Van Buren) from before Bethesda took the reins. If Interplay's looking to ride next month's Fallout 3 hype train, we'll know more soon enough.

[Via EuroGamer]

Former Fallout dev rejoins Interplay for 'Project V13' MMO originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joystiq interview: Demigod, Sins, and the death of PC gaming

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:25:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, RPGs, Simulations, Strategy, Casual

With publisher Stardock's rise the last couple of years and the announcement that it'll be publishing Gas Powered Games' next title, Demigod, it was time catch up with the two companies. We spoke with Stardock's CEO Brad Wardell and Gas Powered Games' founder Chris Taylor and asked some niggling questions on our minds ... and fired a few total shots in the dark which yielded results (like Demigod on consoles?). Find out more about Stardock and why Gas Powered Games decided to hook up with the little-publisher-that-could for its next title in our interview.

OK, let's get right into it, what's Demigod?

Chris Taylor - Demigod is a frantic team-based action game with RPG and RTS elements mixed in. If that doesn't sound familiar, it's because we're sort of inventing a new style of hybrid gameplay. The player selects a Demigod, and fights for a place in the pantheon of Gods in these incredible arenas. Each battle puts the player in command of either an Assassin Demigod, or General Demigod. These two types gives the player a choice of whether they command just the single Demigod, an Assassin, or whether they take command over every single unit in the game, like a traditional RTS, a General.

Gallery: Demigod (PC)

Continue reading Joystiq interview: Demigod, Sins, and the death of PC gaming

Joystiq interview: Demigod, Sins, and the death of PC gaming originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Demigod could one day rule consoles

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 10:55:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360

Gas Powered Games founder, Chris Taylor, recently spoke to Joystiq about his upcoming game Demigod (full interview, which includes publisher Stardock's Brad Wardell, coming later today). With GPG's latest game, Supreme Commander, jumping from PC to consoles, we wanted to know if Demigod could do the same thing. Taylor says it's a discussion the studio is having, "but no final decisions have been made just yet."

Even if the game isn't coming to consoles, we wanted to know if the company is thinking ahead and designing the PC version of Demigod for use with a gamepad. Taylor explains that GPG is focusing on the PC version and if it made another version for consoles, the company would overhaul the interface, as there are currently no plans to support gamepads (like the Xbox 360 controller) at this time. He says GPG re-did Supreme Commander's controls when translating it to the Xbox 360, and also alludes to Supreme Commander coming to PS3 as well. We'll have the full interview up soon.

Update: Interview is up now.

Gallery: Demigod (PC)

Demigod could one day rule consoles originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 24 Apr 2008 10:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CES 2008: Hands-on with first public showing of Space Siege

Michael Zenke — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 13:58:00 EST

Filed under: Features, PC, Adventure, RPGs, CES

The last Dungeon Siege update came out almost 18 months ago. Chris Taylor and his Gas Powered Games have had plenty of time to mull the next move, reflecting on half a dozen titles in the fantasy world, and even a major motion picture. The move they've made - a quick hyperspace jump away from the fantasy setting - shouldn't surprise anyone. With the Games for Windows initiative ramping up to full power it's the perfect time for the unveiling of Space Siege.

Even in pre-alpha state, Space Siege is already exactly what you'd expect. Instead of a hard-jawed warrior wading through waste-deep goblin blood with sword clenched, the protagonist is a hard-jawed space marine wading through waste-deep alien blood with a big gun clenched in his hands. There isn't a lot of game to actually play on the CES show floor, but what there is reminds us of how much fun it is to mindlessly click creatures to death. Despite the similar-sounding nature of the game, there were actually a number of changes to the formula on display; enough that we think some folks are going to be surprised.

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CES 2008: Hands-on with first public showing of Space Siege originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 Jan 2008 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gas Powered Demigod unearthed

James Ransom-Wiley — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Action, RPGs, Strategy

Chris Taylor's Demigod is an action/RPG/RTS mashup built in the spirit of WarCraft III mod Defense of the Ancients, reveals 1UP. While the blowout tell-all is reserved for the pages of the Games for Windows mag, a few hand-me-down details have been passed along describing the basic architecture of Gas Powered Games' latest feat. Players control single units, so-called lesser deities, each armed with variations of brute force (action) and minion-manufacturing powers (RTS). (1UP notes that dude with the ginormous shoulder pads is skilled in dispatching petty units when his arm gets tired of swinging that tower-sized mallet.)

Gas Powered has designed Demigod to be a multiplayer game with an emphasis on co-op play, but a single-player mode will be included, to serve as a "training ground" for PvP matches.

Gas Powered Demigod unearthed originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Jan 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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