Obsidian Lands Paizo's Pathfinder License

[StewShearerOld]

Obsidian Lands Paizo's Pathfinder License

Obsidian Entertainment has announced a new partnership with Paizo to create video games based on the company's famed tabletop RPG Pathfinder.

While the eyes of the tabletop gaming world are mostly likely (and understandably) fixed on the impending release <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/tabletop/reviews/12103-5th-Edition-D-D-Player-s-Handbook-Review-A-Greatest-Hits-Collect>Dungeons & Dragons fifth edition, it's been revealed that Pathfinder fans now have some new reasons to stay excited about their own game. Namely, it's been announced that <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/tag/view/obsidian%20entertainment>Obsidian Entertainment (<a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation/2435-Fallout-New-Vegas>Fallout: New Vegas, <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/conferences/e32014/11755-Pillars-of-Eternity-Preview-Hallelujah-for-Classic-Isometric-RPG>Pillars of Eternity) has obtained the license to create new video games based on Pathfinder.

The new "long-term partnership" will begin with Obsidian creating a tablet game based on Paizo's popular Pathfinder Adventure Card Game. After that however, Obsidian hopes to use the license to help fashion deeper gaming experiences based in the franchise's fantasy setting. It's a task that Paizo CEO Lisa Stevens believes the developer is perfectly suited for. "Obsidian is a video game developer at the top of its game", said Stevens. "Being able to bring that type of experience and passion to Pathfinder can only mean great things, both for our loyal Pathfinder community and for all fans of great CRPG's."

Obsidian has likewise expressed its own excitement over the deal, with CEO Feargus Urquhart saying that the company is collectively "thrilled" to have access to Pathfinder. "At Obsidian we have a long history of working with the greatest RPG franchises, and we're thrilled to get to play in the Pathfinder universe now," said CEO Feargus Urquhart. "We're huge fans and can't wait to bring what we do in the electronic gaming world to Pathfinder fans everywhere".

As one of those fans, I can personally say that I'm very much excited to see just Obsidian comes up with. That being said, I'm also interested to see how this new partnership will affect the <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/123238-Pathfinder-Online-Modfies-Magic-for-MMO-Mojo>Pathfinder Online MMO that was Kickstarted by GoblinWorks early last year. While there hasn't been an suggestion yet that the MMO will factor into this, the possibility is still there. Either way, this partnership sounds like great news and I'm sure I won't be the only Pathfinder player waiting with baited breath for more future announcements.


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[Fappy]

They should make an isometric RPG based off the Rise of the Runelords module. That would be fucking awesome.

 

[Random Argument Man]

I wished that I had more occasions to play some Pathfinder with my friends. I really miss it. In this case, I just hope Obsidian doesn't release a glitchy mess of a game.

 

[Aiddon_v1legacy]

They should make an isometric RPG based off the Rise of the Runelords module. That would be fucking awesome.

No, they need to start with Iron Gods which is set in Numeria, the Savage Land of Superscience (seriously, the setting booklet for that is stupidly awesome).

 

[Sanunes]

I wished that I had more occasions to play some Pathfinder with my friends. I really miss it. In this case, I just hope Obsidian doesn't release a glitchy mess of a game.

That is my biggest concern as well, for any Obsidian game I have played I have encountered numerous bugs that make me regret buying the game. I think the only one I know of where I don't know someone that has had a major bug is the South Park game.

 

[Scrythe]

I wished that I had more occasions to play some Pathfinder with my friends. I really miss it. In this case, I just hope Obsidian doesn't release a glitchy mess of a game.

That is my biggest concern as well, for any Obsidian game I have played I have encountered numerous bugs that make me regret buying the game. I think the only one I know of where I don't know someone that has had a major bug is the South Park game.

Thank you!

I find it strange that Obsidian makes four buggy, unfinished games (Knights of the Old Republic II, Alpha Protocol, Fallout: New Vegas, and Dungeon Siege III) out of their total lineup, and then one day they make a Kickstarter for this "Project Eternity" and suddenly everyone forgets this and acts as though Obsidian are the heralds of a gaming revolution (or at least that's how it's looked these days).

I'm not saying that they make bad games, and no one has ever released a game that was 100% bug-free, but these guys have a history of releasing unfinished products, but everyone's been sucking their dicks ever since that Kickstarter went up.

 

[LordMonty]

With the rule set they're using in Pillars being possibly transferable across to a new game like a Pathfinder one... well gee this could rock!!! I am most excited! Two groups of people I love making cool stuff now making cool stuff together!

 

[NortherWolf]

I wished that I had more occasions to play some Pathfinder with my friends. I really miss it. In this case, I just hope Obsidian doesn't release a glitchy mess of a game.

That is my biggest concern as well, for any Obsidian game I have played I have encountered numerous bugs that make me regret buying the game. I think the only one I know of where I don't know someone that has had a major bug is the South Park game.

Thank you!

I find it strange that Obsidian makes four buggy, unfinished games (Knights of the Old Republic II, Alpha Protocol, Fallout: New Vegas, and Dungeon Siege III) out of their total lineup, and then one day they make a Kickstarter for this "Project Eternity" and suddenly everyone forgets this and acts as though Obsidian are the heralds of a gaming revolution (or at least that's how it's looked these days).

I'm not saying that they make bad games, and no one has ever released a game that was 100% bug-free, but these guys have a history of releasing unfinished products, but everyone's been sucking their dicks ever since that Kickstarter went up.

Because, however flawed their games are...They're pretty much the only guys that makes RPG's anymore. Except maybe the Witcher guys. So yeah, if I get a game that actually is an RPG rather than a dumb-downed shooter or a railroad fashion-show I'll gladly "suck their dicks".

 

[TheIceQueen]

I've never played any Pathfinder so I might have to research this IP a bit, but I'm already sold at Obsidian. They've been my favorite developers since I was a wee kid and even before me as well when they were Black Isle. Fallout: New Vegas and KOTOR II are my top two favorite games of all time (in that order).

Yeah, I know it'll be buggy, but I've been playing primarily on the PC for years and I'm used to bugs by now.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Well it sounds good so far, but I need to see a game before I'm happy with this.
The way things are going these days there is a very high chance this shit ends in a FPS/MMO/MOBA slave camp waiting for someone to put it out of it's misery.

 

[Aiddon_v1legacy]

I've never played any Pathfinder so I might have to research this IP a bit, but I'm already sold at Obsidian. They've been my favorite developers since I was a wee kid and even before me as well when they were Black Isle. Fallout: New Vegas and KOTOR II are my top two favorite games of all time (in that order).

Yeah, I know it'll be buggy, but I've been playing primarily on the PC for years and I'm used to bugs by now.

It's essentially D&D but with a different coat of paint. The mechanics are revised and expanded, but its mostly D&D 3.5 with tweaks. Lore-wise I haven't really delved into much (except Numeria where an alien spaceship crashed and now barbarians fight giant mecha scorpions. Seriously).

 

[Veldel]

I wished that I had more occasions to play some Pathfinder with my friends. I really miss it. In this case, I just hope Obsidian doesn't release a glitchy mess of a game.

That is my biggest concern as well, for any Obsidian game I have played I have encountered numerous bugs that make me regret buying the game. I think the only one I know of where I don't know someone that has had a major bug is the South Park game.

most cases its due to no having enough time to finish it.

They can do it well just don't put a timetable on them

 

[Abomination]

Things are looking up for Obsidian. Less producer oversight and more IPs to work with.

I admit many of their games are buggy but are (relatively) quickly fixed and the downsides are eclipsed by the good sides. I mean, the only thing people really say is bad about their games is the bugs. Everything else tends to score top marks - especially story and plot.

 

[JarinArenos]

I would love to see Obsidian make one of their trademark story/character heavy RPGs, focused on the Pathfinder setting and iconic characters.

 

[Sanunes]

Things are looking up for Obsidian. Less producer oversight and more IPs to work with.

I admit many of their games are buggy but are (relatively) quickly fixed and the downsides are eclipsed by the good sides. I mean, the only thing people really say is bad about their games is the bugs. Everything else tends to score top marks - especially story and plot.

My problem isn't that they have bugs or that they don't fix them, but the fact they have released four major titles all needing major bug fixes after launch. I am not saying I won't buy the game, but I know I won't pre-order it or buy it near launch for I am fully expecting to have bugs that will ruin my time in the game and I don't want to pay full price for that.

 

[Metadigital]

Pathfinder, like D&D 3.5, is best suited for a CRPG. It really struggles when it comes to non-combat challenges. It's exciting that Obsidian would pick up the franchise for this! I'm really interested in seeing where it goes.

 

[Setch Dreskar]

I wished that I had more occasions to play some Pathfinder with my friends. I really miss it. In this case, I just hope Obsidian doesn't release a glitchy mess of a game.

That is my biggest concern as well, for any Obsidian game I have played I have encountered numerous bugs that make me regret buying the game. I think the only one I know of where I don't know someone that has had a major bug is the South Park game.

Thank you!

I find it strange that Obsidian makes four buggy, unfinished games (Knights of the Old Republic II, Alpha Protocol, Fallout: New Vegas, and Dungeon Siege III) out of their total lineup, and then one day they make a Kickstarter for this "Project Eternity" and suddenly everyone forgets this and acts as though Obsidian are the heralds of a gaming revolution (or at least that's how it's looked these days).

I'm not saying that they make bad games, and no one has ever released a game that was 100% bug-free, but these guys have a history of releasing unfinished products, but everyone's been sucking their dicks ever since that Kickstarter went up.

Said unfinished products come from them being consistently shafted by their publishers which is why they specifically lept at Kickstarter to begin with. Hell Kotor 2 is a master class in getting screwed by your publisher 101, even down to the point when they asked to release the remaining content in a patch they were told to piss off and could only guide the player base in re-adding some of the missing content without legal repercussions. Alpha Protocol almost had the exact same thing happen but worse when SEGA said they weren't happy and delayed the game they also told Obsidian they weren't allowed to make changes to try and make SEGA happier which made the delay completely pointless and didn't let them even try to fix bugs after they were forced to cut their QA department at the publisher's demand.

When Obsidian does get all the time it requests it puts out things like Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer which is considered second only to Planescape Torment for best RPG Story of all time. Which is why people tend to forgive their previous games shortcomings, especially when they work so hard to patch it after they finally get the okay from the publisher's that hired them in the first place.

 

[Rebel_Raven]

If they want something that'll practically print money they need to make a Pathfinder game as true to pen and paper as possible, and make it multi-platform. Odds are high, IMO, that there's many starved pen and paper players, and those tht aspire to it that just don't have the resources, or connections to have a traditional game.

I can't really understand why neverwinter nights 1, or 2 never got ported to any console. Or baldur's gate that wasn't a hack and slash.

 

[Sanunes]

Said unfinished products come from them being consistently shafted by their publishers which is why they specifically lept at Kickstarter to begin with. Hell Kotor 2 is a master class in getting screwed by your publisher 101, even down to the point when they asked to release the remaining content in a patch they were told to piss off and could only guide the player base in re-adding some of the missing content without legal repercussions. Alpha Protocol almost had the exact same thing happen but worse when SEGA said they weren't happy and delayed the game they also told Obsidian they weren't allowed to make changes to try and make SEGA happier which made the delay completely pointless and didn't let them even try to fix bugs after they were forced to cut their QA department at the publisher's demand.

When Obsidian does get all the time it requests it puts out things like Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer which is considered second only to Planescape Torment for best RPG Story of all time. Which is why people tend to forgive their previous games shortcomings, especially when they work so hard to patch it after they finally get the okay from the publisher's that hired them in the first place.

I do agree they have had some rough breaks, but at the same time dropping $60 for a game I cannot play because the game made it to shelves in an unplayable state is something I don't want to go through again. Since the last generation of consoles I have found developers have been releasing games in an unfinished state and it takes a month or two to get all the bugs worked out and Obsidian is not the only one with this problem, but I don't want to get burned again so I take a wait and see approach.

 

[xaszatm]

They should make an isometric RPG based off the Rise of the Runelords module. That would be fucking awesome.

Really, I wish they wouldn't. Rise of the Runelords has had so many repeats an reiterations (the module, the revised module, the audio book, etc.) that I would rather see either a new module within the setting or Curse of the Crimson Throne or Path of the Righteous or any of the other modules get a chance. Of course, if they could include multiple adventure paths I would be so happy.

OT: Interesting, hopefully it turns out well.