THQ Nordic acquires the "Kingdoms of Amalur" IP

[Raevenlord]

THQ Nordic today announced they had acquired the IP for Kingdoms of Amalur, the huge, ambitious RPG that launched back in 2012. Developed by 38 Studios and the adequately named Big Huge Games, Kingdoms of Amalur> Reckoning launched to a good public and critic reception (albeit slightly polarizing in the extreme), which wasn't really that unexpected - renowned fantasy writer R. A. Salvatore created the in-game story and lore, for one, and Todd McFarlane was responsible for the art department.

However, the game didn't go on to be the commercial success it needed to be (perhaps because of it threading genre conventions all too well, particularly in the side quest portion of the game), and 38 Studios eventually filed for bankruptcy. The world and lore of Kingdoms of Amalur was already quite substantial to begin with, and a sequel was in the works and in pre-production; and that's ostensibly all part of the new IP acquisition by THQ Nordic. There's something about the overall Kingdoms of Amalur aesthetic and gameplay that resonates with THQ Nordic's own Darksiders, so it seems to be a good fit for the company. Here's to something new actually flourishing from the ashes of this acquisition.



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[megamanxtreme]

I recently started this game to see what it is about. So far, I chose it due to having a long time to complete. Anticipated what they will bring to the market if and when they release a new game.

 

[Frick]

I actually finished that game, and I liked it even if it was a bit simplistic. I tried it a second time though and it just didn't work. I don't remember much about the story though.

Will look forward to an eventual second game.

 

[Easo]

I think this is a game which does deserve a sequel to it.

 

[INSTG8R]

I actually finished that game, and I liked it even if it was a bit simplistic. I tried it a second time though and it just didn't work. I don't remember much about the story though.

Will look forward to an eventual second game.

Did that just this week and felt the same way.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

I actually finished that game, and I liked it even if it was a bit simplistic. I tried it a second time though and it just didn't work. I don't remember much about the story though.

Will look forward to an eventual second game.

Fate weavers and how the player singularly can change the future. There was something about a betrayal in there and how you got removed from the fate weave. Then you fight your way back to the person that betrayed you to stop them from unleashing a demon on the world.

I wonder who owned the rights, the state of Rhode Island or EA? Either case, I'm shocked THQ Nordic was able to recover it. I'm shocked they *wanted* to recover it. I wonder if they're going MMO or single player. Also wonder how much of the original material they were able to get.

 

[Renald]

38 didn't fall because of bad selling.

It's because the guy at the top at food chain had a dream and wanted something huge. They spent money, too much money, and one day said : "oh, well, it's empty". End of story for 200 people...

source : https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/169444/38_Studios_Downfall_The_Gamasutra_Report.php

 

[the54thvoid]

Fate weavers and how the player singularly can change the future. There was something about a betrayal in there and how you got removed from the fate weave. Then you fight your way back to the person that betrayed you to stop them from unleashing a demon on the world.

I vaguely remember it now from your brief synopsis. I think I liked it but the tell is in the lack of memory I have of it.

In contrast, I'm still sipping wine in my vineyard as Geralt, with that foxy lady Yennefer at my side. I can recall my adventures in the Witcher, the emotions and the stories all still there. I know this isn't about the Witcher, but the fact I can recall so much about it shows the bar that games of that genre have to meet. Frankly, you'd be forgiven if you just gave up making any more fantasy RPG's.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

Reckoning was broken up into like 15 chapters with little connection to the main plot. I haven't played it for a long time but I remember the summer and winter elves the most. It was a nice twist on stereotypical fantasy. None of the characters are particularly memorable other than the first fate weaver you encounter that pushes the main plot forward every time you speak to him. It really didn't introduce any main plot villains until the end. Witcher 3's main plot was relatively shallow too but it's building off the narrative of Witcher and Witcher 2 which were anything but shallow. Reckoning was more about the journey than the destination.

I beat Reckoning twice many years ago.

 

[neatfeatguy]

Played through the game a few years back. Was a bit simple....nah, easy, in the combat area. The story wasn't very memorable, but the world was well done. I enjoyed the game enough to play through, but I never felt it held any kind of replayability.

It might be interesting to see where THQ can take the game.

 

[rtwjunkie]

It might be interesting to see where THQ can take the game.

They have such strong dealings with GOG I’d be surprised if it doesn’t end up on there as one location.

Now I won’t have to get it from Origin, which I almost did a few months ago when I saw it there.

 

[yogurt_21]

loved the game myself played through it many times including expansions. Hundreds of hours in.

Super thrilled for its possible revival THQ Nordic is my new favorite game company. Between resurrecting darksiders and this I'm in love.

 

[dirtyferret]

The studio was owned by Curt Schilling the former baseball player. He signed a deal with EA to publish the game and they totally screwed him. Basically EA would recoup every last penny spent in publishing before 38 studios could make a dime and take a huge chunk out of each game sale (above what other studios split with publishers).

I bought it on a steam sale for $5 and played about ten minutes of it.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

It wasn't EA that screwed Schilling, it was Rhode Island. Rhode Island gave him a loan guarantee if he moved his company to their state, which he did. It incurred a huge amount of debt to pay to move all of those employees and their families. Then an election happened, and the next person to come in pulled the rug out from under the studio. I suspect EA owns the rights to Reckoning but I think Rhode Island probably ended up with Kingdom of Amalur. THQ Nordic probably bought it from Rhode Island. 38's share of profits from EA likely went to Rhode Island to pay on the debt. Wouldn't be surprised if THQ Nordic bought the rights by simply paying off the remainder of the debt.

 

[StrayKAT]

That's cool someone is doing something with it. I never actually finished though. I just felt bad for Kurt Schilling. I used to be on a small mmo gaming forum years ago where he showed up. He was a nice guy.

 

[bibob94]

YES PLEASE!

 

[FordGT90Concept]

One quick search, what I surmised above was correct:
https://www.wpri.com/target-12/fina...o-austrian-game-publisher-for-900k/1423015740

Richard Land, the Rhode Island receiver for 38 Studios, said the intellectual property from the games "Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning" and the unfinished "Copernicus" - including artwork and programming - were sold to Austrian-based developer THQ Nordic for $900,000.

Refresher on how it all fell apart ($75 million Rhode Island loan, about $50 million was never paid back):
https://abcnews.go.com/Business/curt-schilling-lost-50-million-video-game-company/story?id=16629658

Schilling believes Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee, who campaigned against the loan guarantee when he was running for office, never wanted to see the company succeed.

Schilling also alleged the company had found an investor who was willing to invest $15 to $20 million to keep it afloat, but Chafee's decision not to take action allowed the deal to fall through.

Wouldn't be surprised if that investor was EA for a stake in 38 studios.


Wonder what Schilling thinks of his baby not being dead. Wonder if THQ Nordic will consult with him at all about it.

 

[seronx]

I want the MMO, give me the MMO.

 

[Vayra86]

Is it really such a fantastic setting then? I played through Kingdoms of Amalur but all I found was a weird mix of J-MMO and World of Warcraft with some serious identity crisis and zero original gameplay ideas. It was literally a stirring pot of what was popular in (MMO)-Action RPGs of that time. Repetitive, grindy gameplay, smooth, fast and simplified combat and a very shallow set of skills and builds. The game had what, 3 classes and five skills per class?

Seems like money well wasted tbh

 

[THU31]

The only problem I had with this game was that it did not have co-op. That was why I stopped playing after 35 hours, because I wanted to do everything, but I got bored playing by myself.

 

[Sir Alex Ice]

KoA was actually quite a better game than most people gave it credit for. Did not finish it, though I might pick it up again.
The story idea was fairly interesting, the game world was pretty good looking too.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

Is it really such a fantastic setting then? I played through Kingdoms of Amalur but all I found was a weird mix of J-MMO and World of Warcraft with some serious identity crisis and zero original gameplay ideas. It was literally a stirring pot of what was popular in (MMO)-Action RPGs of that time. Repetitive, grindy gameplay, smooth, fast and simplified combat and a very shallow set of skills and builds. The game had what, 3 classes and five skills per class?

Pretty much. There wasn't really anything fantastic about it but there wasn't anything really bad either.