Devolver Digital: Blood IP "Crazy 'spensive"

Discuss and hash out the Blood universe here.

Moderator: General Discussion Moderators

Post Reply
User avatar
Tchernobog
Tchernobog's Love Child
Posts: 1404
Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 07:30 am
Location: Rural Alberta, Canada
Contact:

Devolver Digital: Blood IP "Crazy 'spensive"

Post by Tchernobog »

So apparently Devolver Digital, the company behind Duke Nukem 3D: Megaton Edition and the updated version of Shadow Warrior on Steam, also tried to acquire the rights to Blood, presumably to give it the same treatment. The result?
Not happening. Crazy 'spensive.
https://twitter.com/devolverdigital/sta ... 0443836416

In some small way I am glad, as even though they do support Linux they are also hopelessly tied to Steam, which would have made it even more out of my reach due to my own personal ethical refusal to use any distribution platform that itself employs DRM and lock-in.

That being said, the fact that any publisher would demand that much for the rights to a franchise that has not put out any new content in over fourteen years and that they themselves have absolutely no interest in further developing is completely asinine. :banghead:
User avatar
dosgamer000
Acolyte
Posts: 310
Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2011 07:57 pm
Location: Boggy Creek

Re: Devolver Digital: Blood IP "Crazy 'spensive"

Post by dosgamer000 »

WHY ATARI? WHY? There is no reason to hold onto an IP you have NO PLANS ON USING OR SELLING! I don't hate or like Devolver but it's getting so tiresome to see people like Mr. Hall and others try to bring Blood back in some shape and form and corporate BS holds them back. Whoever is responsible for keeping the rights/source/whatever away from the people who truly give a damn for it are, quite frankly, bad people.

It is a shame Blood's final resting place will probably be within the hands of such a backwards company. :-x
User avatar
Tchernobog
Tchernobog's Love Child
Posts: 1404
Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 07:30 am
Location: Rural Alberta, Canada
Contact:

Re: Devolver Digital: Blood IP "Crazy 'spensive"

Post by Tchernobog »

I will soften my words on Delvolver a little bit actually - they do allow DRM free releases for some of their games, such as with the new Shadow Warrior remake, and what is arguably their flagship published title - Hotline Miami - is even available from the Humble Store with both DRM free and fully cross-platform versions. I might just pick it up at some point as a tiny token of support for them at least offering further clarification that Atari still has their heads up their arses. :roll:
User avatar
dosgamer000
Acolyte
Posts: 310
Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2011 07:57 pm
Location: Boggy Creek

Re: Devolver Digital: Blood IP "Crazy 'spensive"

Post by dosgamer000 »

Tchernobog wrote:I will soften my words on Delvolver a little bit actually - they do allow DRM free releases for some of their games, such as with the new Shadow Warrior remake, and what is arguably their flagship published title - Hotline Miami - is even available from the Humble Store with both DRM free and fully cross-platform versions. I might just pick it up at some point as a tiny token of support for them at least offering further clarification that Atari still has their heads up their arses. :roll:
If you can explain simply, what exactly is DRM? I am under the assumption it is a bad thing since GOG.com doesn't support it.

Also, this how the final corperate battle for the Blood rights will be fought :P : Image
User avatar
Tchernobog
Tchernobog's Love Child
Posts: 1404
Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 07:30 am
Location: Rural Alberta, Canada
Contact:

Re: Devolver Digital: Blood IP "Crazy 'spensive"

Post by Tchernobog »

dosgamer000 wrote:If you can explain simply, what exactly is DRM? I am under the assumption it is a bad thing since GOG.com doesn't support it.
If GOG.com jumped off a cliff would you do it to? :P

Now, in all seriousness, DRM is any method by which media companies impose artificial restrictions on the use or distribution of their product, most often for the sake of copy protection. Steam itself is not DRM encumbered and there are many DRM free titles distributed on the service; however, Valve also encourages the use of its Steamworks framework, which alongside many other more savoury features also ties the game to Steam and forces anyone who wishes to play a game using it to have an account on their distribution service.

There are also many other more severe examples of DRM from other content distributors, but where I draw the line is that I refuse to purchase any content wherein I could be barred from using it at some point due to one or more of these artificial limitations kicking in. That unfortunately bars me from using Steam.
User avatar
dosgamer000
Acolyte
Posts: 310
Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2011 07:57 pm
Location: Boggy Creek

Re: Devolver Digital: Blood IP "Crazy 'spensive"

Post by dosgamer000 »

Tchernobog wrote:
dosgamer000 wrote:If you can explain simply, what exactly is DRM? I am under the assumption it is a bad thing since GOG.com doesn't support it.
If GOG.com jumped off a cliff would you do it to? :P

Now, in all seriousness, DRM is any method by which media companies impose artificial restrictions on the use or distribution of their product, most often for the sake of copy protection. Steam itself is not DRM encumbered and there are many DRM free titles distributed on the service; however, Valve also encourages the use of its Steamworks framework, which alongside many other more savoury features also ties the game to Steam and forces anyone who wishes to play a game using it to have an account on their distribution service.

There are also many other more severe examples of DRM from other content distributors, but where I draw the line is that I refuse to purchase any content wherein I could be barred from using it at some point due to one or more of these artificial limitations kicking in. That unfortunately bars me from using Steam.
Ah, I see. Thank you very much my friend; I figured that's what it was. That's terrible really, if I buy a game it's mine period.

So if I bought it on Steam but by chance, my Internet is offline, I cannot play the game I paid for? How about no.
User avatar
Tchernobog
Tchernobog's Love Child
Posts: 1404
Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 07:30 am
Location: Rural Alberta, Canada
Contact:

Re: Devolver Digital: Blood IP "Crazy 'spensive"

Post by Tchernobog »

I have heard that Steam does have an offline mode, but if it utilizes Steamworks your game is forever tied to your Steam account, meaning that you do need to be logged in to Steam in order to play it. This also means that only one person can play any one copy of a game you bought at one time, as it is tied to that account. At least, that is my understanding.
User avatar
Willis

Master of the Mask
Lead Programmer

Posts: 872
Joined: Tue Aug 10, 2004 09:28 am
Location: Eau Claire, WI USA
Contact:

Re: Devolver Digital: Blood IP "Crazy 'spensive"

Post by Willis »

For those not initiated, Devolver Digital hinted that if Shadow Warrior sold well enough, they would consider attempting a Blood remake as well. Clearly that isn't going to happen with Atari's licensing stance, which is likely the same reason Jace Hall's efforts went nowhere.

Atari, at this point, exists solely for the purpose of licensing their IP. I'm not surprised they want a lot, but it certainly is disheartening that two serious contenders have now failed outright.

As per DRM, Devolver Digital seems to be okay on this front. As has been pointed out, they did release Shadow Warrior on GoG. I honestly think they would do a better job of keeping an 'open' version than Jace would. I'm not sure who's 'image' of the game would be better however.
User avatar
dosgamer000
Acolyte
Posts: 310
Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2011 07:57 pm
Location: Boggy Creek

Re: Devolver Digital: Blood IP "Crazy 'spensive"

Post by dosgamer000 »

Willis wrote:For those not initiated, Devolver Digital hinted that if Shadow Warrior sold well enough, they would consider attempting a Blood remake as well. Clearly that isn't going to happen with Atari's licensing stance, which is likely the same reason Jace Hall's efforts went nowhere.

Atari, at this point, exists solely for the purpose of licensing their IP. I'm not surprised they want a lot, but it certainly is disheartening that two serious contenders have now failed outright.

As per DRM, Devolver Digital seems to be okay on this front. As has been pointed out, they did release Shadow Warrior on GoG. I honestly think they would do a better job of keeping an 'open' version than Jace would. I'm not sure who's 'image' of the game would be better however.
I heard that the new Shadow Warrior is pretty true to the original, minus the raunchy stereotype-like humor (whether it should have been toned down/removed or not is another subject entirely.) I haven't being watching Jace Hall closely but last I seen, Monolith was working on Gotham City Impostors and some other game. I'm not too certain he's still at Monolith tbh.

I rip on F.E.A.R. light-heartedly because of the craze they had with that game while having little or no interest in Blood, but it is not terrible. I honestly don't know how well a modern Blood would look, it's been so long.
User avatar
Willis

Master of the Mask
Lead Programmer

Posts: 872
Joined: Tue Aug 10, 2004 09:28 am
Location: Eau Claire, WI USA
Contact:

Re: Devolver Digital: Blood IP "Crazy 'spensive"

Post by Willis »

dosgamer000 wrote:I haven't being watching Jace Hall closely but last I seen, Monolith was working on Gotham City Impostors and some other game. I'm not too certain he's still at Monolith tbh.

I rip on F.E.A.R. light-heartedly because of the craze they had with that game while having little or no interest in Blood, but it is not terrible. I honestly don't know how well a modern Blood would look, it's been so long.
Jace hasn't worked at Monolith in ages. He moved to Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment in 2003 when WB acquired Monolith, but left in 2007 to start and HD film company which hosts his gamer targeted web show, The Jace Hall Show, which is focused on gaming popular culture.

I also really don't know what would come of a remake at a professional level at this point either. Part of the charm of a lot of games from the early to mid 90s was that they had small teams with more freedom, which is a far cry from today's development for major titles.
User avatar
Tchernobog
Tchernobog's Love Child
Posts: 1404
Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 07:30 am
Location: Rural Alberta, Canada
Contact:

Re: Devolver Digital: Blood IP "Crazy 'spensive"

Post by Tchernobog »

Happy New Year Willis! Thanks for posting. :)
Willis wrote:I honestly think they would do a better job of keeping an 'open' version than Jace would. I'm not sure who's 'image' of the game would be better however.
Personally, out of all the options, I still would favour a straight source code release to any remake.
Willis wrote:Jace hasn't worked at Monolith in ages. He moved to Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment in 2003 when WB acquired Monolith, but left in 2007 to start and HD film company which hosts his gamer targeted web show, The Jace Hall Show, which is focused on gaming popular culture.
You will have to forgive dosgamer000 here. He is a very nice guy, but to him a lot of the last decade really did not happen. I kind of envy him for it, actually. :wink:
Willis wrote:I also really don't know what would come of a remake at a professional level at this point either. Part of the charm of a lot of games from the early to mid 90s was that they had small teams with more freedom, which is a far cry from today's development for major titles.
Which I is why I mostly play indie games these days, that and my previously stated aversion to DRM. There is still a lacking of properly indie shooter developers out there though, but this is a situation I am hopeful will resolve itself at some point. For now, I am have a whole load of rougelikes, survival horror titles, and physics platformers to get through. :P
User avatar
dosgamer000
Acolyte
Posts: 310
Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2011 07:57 pm
Location: Boggy Creek

Re: Devolver Digital: Blood IP "Crazy 'spensive"

Post by dosgamer000 »

Willis wrote:Jace hasn't worked at Monolith in ages. He moved to Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment in 2003 when WB acquired Monolith, but left in 2007 to start and HD film company which hosts his gamer targeted web show, The Jace Hall Show, which is focused on gaming popular culture.

I also really don't know what would come of a remake at a professional level at this point either. Part of the charm of a lot of games from the early to mid 90s was that they had small teams with more freedom, which is a far cry from today's development for major titles.
So the Voice isn't even at the company anymore huh? I knew he had his own show but I didn't know he actually left Monolith. Needlessly to say, I'm quite out of the loop! :P
Tchernobog wrote:You will have to forgive dosgamer000 here. He is a very nice guy, but to him a lot of the last decade really did not happen. I kind of envy him for it, actually. :wink:
This is quite true, modern gaming and the industry, for the must part, I am uninterested in or do not too care for. It's not that I blindly think past games are superior it's just that I never find myself as capitvated or surprised by most big gaming titles. The typical gaming show, for example, highlighting all the top games seem so dull in my eyes. Maybe it's just me. :?
User avatar
I Live...AGAIN
Cabal member
Posts: 810
Joined: Fri Aug 13, 2004 05:33 am
Location: Detroit
Contact:

Re: Devolver Digital: Blood IP "Crazy 'spensive"

Post by I Live...AGAIN »

WILLIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
User avatar
Willis

Master of the Mask
Lead Programmer

Posts: 872
Joined: Tue Aug 10, 2004 09:28 am
Location: Eau Claire, WI USA
Contact:

Re: Devolver Digital: Blood IP "Crazy 'spensive"

Post by Willis »

I Live...AGAIN wrote:WILLIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ILA!

I'm still around, but sadly only occasionally undead...
Post Reply