Molyneux Rumour Control

Gamespot has an article up looking at some of the current rumours swirling around designer Peter Molyneux. Best known for the Black and White series, Molyneux's Lionhead studio is heavily favoured to be the next acquisition target for Microsoft. He canceled a GDC session with no notice on Friday (one I was hoping to go to, I might add), and there's been much speculation since last week. From the article: "Over the subsequent month, the rumors festered. On March 3, Lionhead laid off between 50 and 100 people, and reduced its number of projects-in-development from three to two--a Black & White 2 expansion and a Fable sequel. Today, the floodgates of speculation re-opened, when Molyneux's session at the 2006 Game Developers Conference in San Jose was summarily canceled."

Comments

Populus

[AoT]

I just want a remake of Populus.

Maybe Lionhead Studios Just Isn't Doing Well?

[mikeisme77]

Rumors are all very good and all... but they're just that--rumors. The same things would happen if the studio was floundering because they aren't making enough returns from their investments. Fable was, disappointing, to say the least. There was lots of hype surrounding it, but it just didn't live up to all the hype. Sales were fairly good, but a game of that kind isn't exactly inexpensive to make. Black & White 2 just came out too far after the original Black & White and is another game that definitely isn't inexpensive to make... I personally don't think that the studio is doing that poorly, but I'm just playing devil's advocate and pointing out that these are signs of things other than a possible buy out...

Re:Maybe Lionhead Studios Just Isn't Doing Well?

[Senjutsu]

Black & White 2 just came out too far after the original Black & White...

No, the problem with Black & White 2 was that it was a sequel to Black & White, an incredibly over-hyped game, like Fable, that didn't come anywhere near living up to Molyneux's hyperbole, and had extremely shit game-play besides. That thing left such a bad taste in so many people's mouths that I'm amazed they even considered making a sequel to it.

Hmm

[Anonymous Coward]

Now let's think about this:

• Now-medicore developer riding on the wave of his impressive past
  
• Overpromises for years and years on every game, then underdelivers
  
• Lives and dies on a wave of overcharged hype

Yup. Looking at their past history, Molyneaux would be a perfect fit acquisition target for Microsoft XBox's games studios.

Re:Fable sequel?

[sammy baby]

Sorry. Couldn't resist.

The only thing I didn't like about the game was how quickly you could go shift sides from bad to good or good to bad. I wasn't too fond of running around with white armor and having every single adult propose marraige just because my attractiveness attribute was too high.

Yes, I'm sure you get quite enough of that in real life.

(I apologize. Like I said, couldn't resist.)

I have insider info on why BillG wants Molyneaux.

[master_p]

They need him to rewrite the Windows Vista interface. It is so simple guys, why do one has figured it out yet?

The Cut Game?

[Sux2BU]

Anyone know which game got cut? In the writeup it reads reduced its number of projects-in-development from three to two, but fails to mention anything about that third game.