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Oddworld Ditches Money Hat, Seeks Stranger Route
Thanks to 1UP for its article mentioning that developer Oddworld Inhabitants is seeking a new publisher for the next title in its Oddworld game series, after the allegedly lucrative Xbox-exclusive deal for the slightly disappointing Munch's Oddysee seems not to have been continued - apparently the new, "Western-vibed Xbox shooter... [formerly called Steef's Oddysee] has nothing to do with Microsoft anymore." The Depths Of Oddworld fansite has the most recent CG screens from the next Oddworld title, whose name is uncertain, though "Oddworld's website simply refers to the new project as 'Stranger'", and 1UP notes: "Oddworld Inhabitants representatives didn't specify any companies that may be interested in the game, although they said they were 'in talks with several'."
Some of those oddworld characters just keep getting stranger and stranger looking!
Although I'm not too familiar with this game, it would be another way for the PS2 to get a notch up if the game turns out worthy. I guess the game is probably written for the Xbox now and the company just wants to find some more funding to release it, but if the game is pretty fun and gets ported to the PS2, Sony might end up wtith another developer exlcusive to the PS lineup.
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I think what MS paid for, and to some degree all they got, was an evangelist-for-hire. In the initial days of the Xbox, the enthusiasm of Lorne Lanning, combined with that of Seamus Blackley and a few others, was a driving factor in rousing up the "home crowd." I think that what everyone was thinking when Oddworld came out, after after a full year of preaching, was, "And this is revolutionary because........???" It wasn't a bad game, it just a game, not the second (or first) coming of the messiah of video gaming.
So now, it's what, over 3 years later, and all these guys have to show for is some pre-rendered footage? His New Year's resolution is to get the game out? Riiight. What I saw on that Discovery channel documentary didn't look too promising anyway. Like Oddworld, but...and get this...WESTERN. It looked a lot like Munch; fun, but not worth keeping around. Apparently, that's how Microsoft felt about the company as well. Ok, to be fair, Bungie has yet to release another game. But, it was Halo, and not the expected Oddworld, that carried the Xbox on its back during the system launch. In fact, Oddworld could never have come out and the Xbox probably done just as well. Without Halo...well, that's another story all together isn't it?
So I wonder if Lorne Lanning is as enthuastic about the Xbox today as he was three years ago?
Does anyone really want to see any more from this tired franchise?
It's made of MONEY!
(The Ob-PA reference related to the title).
There are only 10 kinds of people in this world... those who understand binary and those who don't
That is a very funny PA strip. That's also why that same one is in included in story (second link).
Like, apparently, every one else, I am a huge fan of Penny Arcade. However, what scares me is that in 6 months here on games.slashdot, instead of actually writing succinct, witty posts as we, of course, all do now, our posts will consist merely of a series PA links.
They got in bed with Microsoft, they alienated their fans (anyone else remember the Oddworld forums at the time?) and sold very few copies of the game as a result, they destroyed their developer credibility by shamelessly shilling for the Xbox, and now Microsoft has got what it wanted they've been hung out to dry. Now there's a surprise.
Maybe if they ported Munch's Oddysee to run on the PS2 like it was intended to, some of us would buy it. If they're going to make another Xbox-only game, let 'em go bust.
GCHQ Quantum Insert installed. If only our tongues were made of glass, how much more careful we would be when we speak
You know, this Lorne guy was always talking about how great he is, how great oddworld is, how their amazing talent made this amazing thing, how all the other games sucked until this one came about, but at the end of the day, they talk a good game, but it seems like they can't make one.
The first game was 'interesting'... but as it went on, the IP and world just became sort of dull. It was the type of game you start and say, hey this is cool, but in the end... you never see the end, because you finish the first couple of levels and then drop it. It just never held up.
In the second game, that thing in the wheel chair. Ug. That little guy just is not appealing as someone I want to play in a video game. And with all their money, time, the XBox game was just simply horrendously average.
I would say that, all in all, this whole Oddworld thing has been successful in hype, but a failure as a property. And frankly, I'm just sick of reading about it...
I do pity the publisher who is the next one to be suckered into this washed up IP.
Way to post a fucking link from the article, fuckhead. I hope you die tomorrow, you worthless sack of flesh. No one likes you, you sad pathetic loser.