Amalur dev files for bankruptcy, FBI investigating

[Nujui]

Studio 38, who are known for Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning and Project Copernicus, have filed for bankruptcy. Documents obtained by Rhode Island news outlet WPRI shows that the company owes between $100 million and $500 million, spread across at least 1,000 creditors. It seems also that the Rhode Island state police, the attorney general's office, the U.S. Attorney's office, and the FBI are launching investigations into the company.

Source Via Gamespot

 

[Hells Malice]

So i'm assuming we wont see much DLC for KoA.

 

[machomuu]

First GlyphX, and now Studio 38; this is truly disappointing. That said, I didn't like KoA much, but they certainly didn't deserve this.

 

[VashTS]

thats what they deserve for basing out of RI.

 

[ferofax]

thats what they deserve for basing out of RI.

what, they been syndicated or something?

 

[ZAFDeltaForce]

Well that's a shame, but do the FBI really need to get into this as well?

 

[ChaosBoi]

I knew this would happen eventually when I first read an article about their troubles, but I didn't think it would be this soon . Wonder why the FBI is needed though.

 

[chartube12]

Well that's a shame, but do the FBI really need to get into this as well?

Because they borrowed 75 million dollars from Road Island's storm emergence fund. Now all that money just went and disappeared? It isn't a big company at all and them spending 100 million on one game looks funny for such a small group of game designers. They want to make sure someone didn't pocket any of the money. If someone did, they not only stole from the company but from the state as well. The federal government will end paying road island back in the meantime and the companies debts could ended up being paid by tax payers for the next few years.

As aside note: I'm sure Family Guy will now come up with an interesting episode next season cause of this.

 

[Qtis]

A pity that the company didn't do well. Kingdom of Amalur is an interesting game nevertheless.. Hopefully they'll be able to pump out some kind of added content in one way or another..

 

[ferofax]

A pity that the company didn't do well. Kingdom of Amalur is an interesting game nevertheless.. Hopefully they'll be able to pump out some kind of added content in one way or another..

Expecting DLC from a bankrupt company? I lol'd.

 

[ZAFDeltaForce]

Well that's a shame, but do the FBI really need to get into this as well?

Because they borrowed 75 million dollars from Road Island's storm emergence fund. Now all that money just went and disappeared? It isn't a big company at all and them spending 100 million on one game looks funny for such a small group of game designers. They want to make sure someone didn't pocket any of the money. If someone did, they not only stole from the company but from the state as well. The federal government will end paying road island back in the meantime and the companies debts could ended up being paid by tax payers for the next few years.

As aside note: I'm sure Family Guy will now come up with an interesting episode next season cause of this.

Just needed to know that. The rest is elementary.

Thanks

 

[Guild McCommunist]

I heard good things about KoA but didn't like the demo much. The art just really put me off, I'm not a fan of this Fable/WoW type of art style.

Plus KoA is another open-world high-fantasy WRPG that came out in the wake of bigger WRPGs. It's hard to get a good footing in that market when Skyrim came out only a couple months before.

But it's a shame though, the devs seemed like a dream team of developers and the game is apparently a lot of fun.

 

[Skelletonike]

I loved the game, didn't finish playing it until I had completed everything... I did read somewhere before that they spent more during production then what they got from sales, sure, it's a mighty good game but to be honest, most people didn't even know it was coming out (none of the gaming stores near my place had it for pre-order or even adds about it), the only reason I found out about it, was from steam, saying the game would be released a month from then. I bought my copy on pre-order, but I'm pretty sure most people that liked the genre didn't even know it was coming out (a few friends of mine had never heard of it either).

 

[Qtis]

Expecting DLC from a bankrupt company? I lol'd.

Last effort to make money? Not that unheard off.. Though making some kind of arrangements (selling rights or something) could lead to new content for sale, especially if it's ready already

 

[machomuu]

Expecting DLC from a bankrupt company? I lol'd.

Last effort to make money? Not that unheard off.. Though making some kind of arrangements (selling rights or something) could lead to new content for sale, especially if it's ready already

How are you going to make more content if you have no money?

 

[FAST6191]

I know it was mentioned in a few other threads but we did not have a proper one. A pity this happened as I really liked the game and it done some interesting things.

DLC from a bankrupt company. I can not pretend to understand a tenth of US bankruptcy law/procedure (not to mention it varies a bit by state and more) as it is as big a mess as anything involving money is stateside, but it is worth noting there are many types of it and all sorts of things can happen when you are in it. I will note that KOA is probably a fairly hot IP if a company can snag it and if sticking out a bunch of DLC will net some money the people in charge of the bankruptcy will OK it, especially if it is already done or a license can be made to do it (plenty of companies got their start making DLC/addons- gearbox started with half life mods remember and if people insist on spending the silly money to make games it only becomes more lucrative*).

*engine making, art/tech farms or mod making companies were something of a rarity a while back, today other than trying to figure out what a company/team has done before and having to wade through some nonsense to find it I do not think it warrants raising an eyebrow.

Re making it in Rhode Island. I agree entirely that it takes infrastructure but New York is not that far away and it has decent film, TV and CGI stuff so it might not have been that bad an idea (especially if you can get a whacking great development loan like that and presumably a few tax breaks).

 

[Gahars]

I'm sad to see Kingdoms of Amalur become a financial train wreck-oning.

 

[Qtis]

How are you going to make more content if you have no money?

If there was content already done and ready, but not yet released. Been done a lot of times: Games released and content coming out quite fast as DLC or patch updates.

 

[Sterling]

I'm guessing Mr. Salvator asked for a bigger pay check than they let on. I'm sad really. I liked Amalur, and I'd really hate to see the gameplay screwed up.

Edit: Friggen typos. :/