Epic Games Signs Microsoft Publishing Deal

Thanks to Gamers.com for the news that Unreal creators Epic have signed a long-term publishing deal with Microsoft. According to the piece, "Microsoft will publish 'several' future Epic projects - as yet unnamed - exclusively for Xbox and Windows", and it's noted that "Epic is the sole owner of the Unreal name and franchise", although Atari is still publishing Unreal Tournament 2004 for PC this November. Included in the Microsoft deal are two projects from new Epic offshoot Scion Studios, promising to "explore development opportunities within Epic Games' established action titles, and beyond", possibly implying at least one Unreal-branded, Microsoft-published title - unless the "established action title" in question is Jazz Jackrabbit.

Comments

Cool?

[Dancin_Santa]

No conspiracy here. Microsoft does what it does best: spot talent and buy it.

Re:Microsoft is just buying it's way into the mark

[adamjaskie]

And buying out companies that make Linux more attractive - UT and UT2003 run GREAT on my system under Linux. We arent going to see Linux binaries for future products published by Microshaft.

Note how

[Anonymous Coward]

Microsoft's acquisitions are always designed not only to serve as revenue generators, but also as cockblockers for the competition.

In the games industry alone, they've done this to Mac users (Bungie), Nintendo (Rare - honestly, Nintendo got rid of them at the right time, IMO), and now Linux gamers (Epic/Unreal).

Basically, they use their large coffers from their Windows/Offce monopoly to prop up their side projects and diddle with everyone else.

Where does this leave the franchise?

[Murdock037]

I wonder how this affects games that are supposedly already in development. Unreal 2 came and went, and they're milking all the good will they can out of the UT franchise, but that leaves the in-house project they've supposedly been developing for the next major iteration of the Unreal engine-- supposedly called, if memory serves, Unreal Warfare.

This was the game of the trio that always seemed the most interesting to me-- they talked about it being the most advanced of the three, what little snippets we got implied that it was far more ambitious, and, well, the name is simply the coolest.

The article (short as it is) says that Epic still holds the Unreal franchise, but I wonder if they won't be tempted to abandon it-- has anybody seen any new screens in the last, oh, year?-- for a bigger and better deal from their new patrons.

and Linux?

[SanityInAnarchy]

I'm going to miss those Linux ports.

Reminds me of when MS bought Rare (unconfirmed, my little bro says so).

Time to boycott Unreal. Quake still seems to be un-bought, right?

Re:Microsoft is just buying it's way into the mark

[AllUsernamesAreGone]

From the article: "Microsoft will publish "several" future Epic projects -- as yet unnamed projects -- exclusively for Xbox and Windows ." (my emphasis). Not "XBox and PC", which could have given leeway in the OS department. No, this would be an appropriate point to say fare-thee-well to Linux clients of any future Epic games. Dropping linux servers is less likely, though Microsoft would probably pressure Epic to drop them as well.