Holy hell. THQ Nordic has acquired the Kingdoms of Amalur IP.
]]>Alongside Battlefield 4, EA has added Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning to its Game Time program on Origin.
]]>Rhode Island's new charwoman of the House Committee on Oversight may issue subpeonas to get to the truth of what happened between the state and shuttered developer 38 Studios.
]]>The Rhode Island House of Representatives has voted to pass a bill to expedite out-of-court settlements of its lawsuit against 38 Studios.
]]>Curt Schilling tried several times to sell Sony Online Entertainment on 38 Studios' MMO Project Copernicus, president John Smedley has revealed.
]]>Kingdoms of Amalur developer 38 Sudios ran afoul of the state of Rhode Island by taking a $76 million loan years ago to move there and then being unable to pay it back; now 38 no longer exists, and the state has suit the former studio execs. Next week, Rhode Island's House of Representatives will vote on a bill which encourages settling with the studio remains.
]]>Parties affected by the possibility of an out-of-court settlement of the Rhode Island vs 38 Studios suit seem to be coming around to the idea, which would wrap the whole matter up much more expeditiously than at trial.
]]>The Rhode Island General Assembly introduced a bill on Wednesday, January 8 which would resolve the $75 million debut incurred through a loan given to 38 Studios.
]]>In September, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) began an investigation into the $75 million loan handed to 38 Studios by the state of Rhode Island's Economic Development Corporation (EDC), which as of January 1 was renamed the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation (RICC). Today, it has come to light that the SEC has subpoenaed the RICC for more information pertaining to the investment and the ongoing lawsuit.
]]>Project Copernicus, 38 Studios' unfinished MMORPG set in the Kingdoms of Amalur universe, is pretty rubbish, one politician has opined.
]]>38 Studios assets sold during an auction conference call include Rise of Nations and Rise of Legends, and associated intellectual properties. The trademark for Big Huge Games was also sold, with gross proceeds totaling $320,000. An acceptable offer was not received for Project Copernicus nor 38 Studios' integrated social media and gaming platform Helios. Richard Land, the receiver handling the asset auction, stated that he will continue to "engage in negotiations" with interested parties to sell the remaining assets.
]]>Curt Schilling, former head of 38 Stuios, believes that the company which purchases the Kingdoms of Amalur IP in the upcoming auction, will have a "billion dollar" franchise on its hands.
]]>The upcoming auction of assets belonging to shuttered developer 38 Studios, including the Kingdoms of Amalur IP and unfinished MMO Copernicus, has attracted expressions of interest from several games companies, according to auction organisers.
]]>Rise of Nations: Tactics was a completed, unreleased game developed by 38 Studios which will go up on the auction block December 11, according to new details unearthed by Heritage Global Partners, which is handling the auction.
]]>Kingdoms of Amalur is still in limbo, with the remaining and most expensive of the shuttered 38 Studios' assets to be auctioned next month.
]]>Depositions in the 38 Studios lawsuit brought upon the company by the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation (EDC) stated this week. The first set of questioning started Thursday with an executive at First Southwest, which served as financial adviser to the agency in its $75 million loan to Curt Schilling's now defunct game studio. Former EDC executive director Keith Stokes and deputy director Michael Saul are set to be questioned in November. A lawsuit accusing the Kingdoms of Amalur developer of “fraud, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, racketeering and conspiracy” as well as misleading Rhode Island’s economic development agency was brought against the company by the state, with other defendants including four former 38 Studios executives and its insurer. Via The Charlotte Observer (Polygon).
]]>The former head of the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation has accused Rhode Island governor Lincoln Chafee of blocking attempts made by 38 Studios to handle debt and raise capital before it file for bankruptcy.
]]>After its ignominious closure in May, the auction of 38 Studios' assets has finally been set for November 14-15. Up for grabs will be IP rights to the 'Amalur' universe, including the right to produce sequels to Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning and the unreleased MMO known as Project Copernicus. Big Huge Games' entire back catalogue will also be for sale.
]]>The state of Rhode Island is set to auction the Kingdoms of Amalur IP via a website that'll be offering its 38 Studios' general assets.
]]>The SEC is investigating the $75-million taxpayer-backed loan given to Curt Schilling's 38 Studios by the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation.
]]>A judge has given the go ahead on a lawsuit accusing Kingdoms of Amalur developer 38 Studios of "fraud, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, racketeering and conspiracy" as well as misleading Rhode Island's economic development agency can go ahead.
]]>Founder Curt Schilling rates the closure of Kingdoms of Reckoning developer 38 Studios as one of the worst experiences of his life.
]]>After toying with the idea of abandoning certain debts, Rhode Island has found room in its budget to honour bonds which financed bankrupt Kingdoms of Amalur developer 38 Studios.
]]>After the publisher's cut, proceeds from ongoing sales of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning go to the State of Rhode Island, primary creditor of shuttered developer 38 Studios.
]]>The state of Rhode Island is investigating the possibly of not paying lenders who helped finance shuttered Kingdoms of Amalur developer 38 Studios.
]]>A year after the closure of 38 Studios, A Rhode Island Superior Court judge has begun hearing arguments over a motion to have the case dismissed by the defendants.
]]>Kingdoms of Amalur is to be sold by the State of Rhode Island as part of the ongoing case against 38 Studios and owner Curt Schilling. Lawyers close to the sale have confirmed that the IP has drawn the interest of unnamed parties.
]]>The state of Rhode Island claims Kingdoms of Amalur developer 38 Studios deliberately misled its major creditor in securing a $50 million loan.
]]>Here's some odd news for you: the 38 Studios website seems to be back up and running.
]]>38 Studios founder Curt Schilling is facing a fraud lawsuit over $75 million in loans from the State of Rhode Island. In an attempt to cool the issue, Schilling has filed for the presiding judge to throw out the case.
]]>The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's soundtrack is being co-composed by audio lead Gene Rozenberg, who previously served a similar role on Project Copernicus, the 38 Studios MMO. In a video interview on GameInformer, Rozenberg describes the lessons he learned from the project - making sure the music offers enough variety; ensuring different pieces are in tone with each other; keeping music ambient where it needs to be; and making combat music reactive and adapative. You can also hear some samples and view some screenshots of Copernicus and The Witcher 3. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is expected in 2014, on PC, PlayStation 4 and other unnamed consoles.
]]>Art director Todd McFarlane has said the Kingdoms of Amalur MMO, Project Copernicus, was very close to complete when 38 Studios folded.
]]>Former pro baseball player Curt Schilling is putting his own goods under the auction hammer in order to meet debts caused by the collapse of 38 Studios last year.
]]>Lawyers for the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation are suing the architects of the $75 million taxpayer-guaranteed loan granted to bankrupt Kingdoms of Amalur dev 38 Studios in 2010.
]]>Ex-38 Studios staffer Steve Danuser has rejoined Sony Online Entertainment. Danuser was part of the Everquest fold before jumping ship to become lead developer on Project Copernicus, the ill-fated MMO based on the Kingdoms of Amalur IP. Happily, SOE seems pleased to have Danuser back following 38 Studios' closure, as he's now taken on the role of creative director of Vanguard; read a little about his philosophy and approach to MMOs in a developer profile on Vanguard's site.
]]>The first batch of assets from shuttered developers 38 Studios and Big Huge Games went on auction this week and drew in $180,000 for the benefit of creditors. Polygon reports auctioneers described the final figure as "robust" and considered the auction to have been well-attended both in-person and online. It's the first of three planned sell-offs to help recover some of the company's debts; the most interesting one, scheduled for about three months, will offer the developers' intellectual property; whoever snaffles that could well get behind a Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning sequel or MMO Copernicus.
]]>According to a Boston Globe report, founder Curt Schilling is in financial difficulties following the insolvency of 38 Studios. Schilling stood as guarantor for "millions" in loans to start and run the developer, and his personal belongings, including valuable baseball memorabilia from his career as a Major Leagues pitcher, are among collateral pledged to his creditors. If you're a baseball geek you'll be interested to learn this collection includes the infamous "bloody sock" from the 2004 World Series. For everyone else, there's this Kotaku article explaining its significance. 38 Studios went bust in May; track the whole sorry story here.
]]>The makers of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, 38 Studios, will not face federal charges for bank fraud. A state investigation into the studios attempt to secure loans with tax credits that were never issued is still proceeding, but the U.S. Attorney in Rhode Island has stated their investigation is finished.
]]>38 Studios' assets are being auctioned off, along with Xbox 360 developer kits which Microsoft hopes to reclaim.
]]>Project Copernicus, the Kingdoms of Amalur MMO possibly irretrievably lost in the closure of 38 Studios, would have actively engaged with a mechanic many MMOs prefer to leave unexplained - death and resurrection.
]]>Project Copernicus, the MMO which was in the works at 38 Studios before it collapsed, would have launched as a free-to-play title according to the firm's founder Curt Schilling.
]]>Staff for Red 5 Studios' PC shooter Firefall has been beefed up with employees gained from layoffs at 38 Studios and BioWare Austin.
]]>A judge awarded all assets belonging to the now-defunct 38 Studios to the State of Rhode Island and the Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company.
]]>Financial documents allegedly show Kingdoms of Amalur developer 38 Studios spending huge money without a guaranteed source of revenue on its way to apparently inevitable collapse.
]]>In a revealing interview, 38 Studios founder Curt Schilling said a sequel to Kingdoms of Amalur: reckoning nearly made it off the ground - but MMO Project Copernicus was less solid.
]]>EA labels president Frank Gibeau has said hopes a sequel to Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning will be made, and that EA would "love" to the publishing partner.
]]>A leaked trailer gives us our best glimpse at Project Copernicus, the Kingdoms of Amalur MMO in production at 38 Studios when it was shuttered.
]]>Curt Schilling has told WEEI Sports Radio he is "tapped out" moneywise.
]]>Head on over to Gamasutra to read a personal account of a family affected by the closure of 38 Studios. The anonymously published but reportedly verified account exposes some dodgy treatment of staff including broken promises, long hours, poor information flow and even some shady-sounding contractual details which may leave the author with a poor credit rating. The story of the Kingdoms of Amalur developer's shut down is a complicated and unhappy one indeed, with suggestions the company was sold out by Rhode Island governor Lincoln Chaffee. Hopefully affected staff are as fortunate as the new team at Epic Baltimore.
]]>Curt Schilling's 38 Studios has declared bankruptcy, amid Rhode Island and federal authorities opening an investigation into finances at the firm were handled. According to a report on The Providence Journal, the state police, as well as the state attorney general's office, the US Attorney's office and the FBI are investigating where "both the money that came from the state as well as the money that came from Bank Rhode Island," went as well as "ctivities that have recently come to light at 38 Studios." More on Joystiq
]]>Trion CEO Lars Butler is of the opinion 38 Studios' downfall was caused by more than financial issues, and BioWare's SWTOR suffers from the lack of content.
]]>Epic Games has reached out to the bulk of former Big Huge Games staffers in an attempt to rescue as much of the team as posible.
]]>A Big Huge Games employee, speaking under anonymity with Gamasutra, has said Rhode Island governor Lincoln Chafee is partly to blame for the demise of 38 Studios and Big Huge Games. The source claims the governor, who was opposed to the deal cut with the firms by former governor Donald Carcieri, leaked incomplete information pertaining to the studios and frightened RI residents when saying they would be on the hook should 38 Studios fail.
]]>Curt Schilling has released more environmental shots of 38 Studios' Copernicus MMO. Schilling released the shots on his Facebook page. Since you have to log into the site to see them, we've pulled the shots and posted the lot below.
]]>Curt Schilling has told The Providence Journal he could end up losing $50 million of his own money due to his studio's failure, furthermore claiming comments Rhode Island governor Lincoln Chafee made regarding the firm were "devastating," and "scared off private investors."
]]>Big Huge Games was working on Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning 2, Joystiq's rumouring this afternoon.
]]>It feels almost petty to mention it at this point, but the mass lay-offs at 38 Studios have had another casualty - an anticipated patch for Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning.
]]>38 Studios was blindsided by Rhode Island governor Lincoln Chafee's failure to extend assistance to the financially troubled developer, according to creative director Steve Danuser.
]]>Kotaku is reporting a rumor that troubled development house 38 Studios is laying off its entire staff, and closing down Big Huge Games.
]]>What is likely a staff member of Curt Shilling's embattled 38 Studios appears to have leaked the first ever screenshots of 'Project Copernicus', the studio's MMO project.
]]>Both official statements and anonymous whispers suggest Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning developer 38 Studios is seriously on the rocks, with employees going uncompensated and management resignations.
]]>Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter has estimated the value of 38 Studios' Amalur IP is worth around $20 million, according to Joystiq.
]]>The financially troubled 38 Studios has issued a round of lay-offs, presumably a cost cutting measure in order to meet the developer's debts to the state of Rhode Island.
]]>38 Studios has released a video for Project Copernicus showing a fly through of the game's world. Yesterday, the governor of Rhode Island said during a press conference the game would release in June next year.
]]>Rhode Island governor Lincoln Chafee said during a press conference today the $1.25 million check 38 Studios handed the Economic Development Corporation has cleared the bank.
]]>In its efforts to meet loan repayments owed to the state of Rhode Island, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning developer 38 Studios has skipped payroll, and may have let a number of staff go entirely.
]]>Curt Schilling asked the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation and the state's governor Lincoln Chafee in an emergency meeting today for additional help to save 38 Studios.
]]>More details have surfaced regarding the financial woes of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning developer 38 Studios, currently in debt to the state of Rhode Island.
]]>The government of Rhode Island is taking steps to keep a struggling Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning developer 38 Studios open, according to a new report.
]]>Former Iron Lore staffer Arthur Bruno has said Titan Quest 2 was on the cards, but was thrown over for Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning.
]]>WPRI.com has confirmed US sales of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning have surpassed 410,000 units sales during its two months on the market, 80,000 of which were sold in March. The Rhode Island news station was provided the figures by NPD which said it was “an impressive figure for just two months, no matter how you slice it,” particularly for “a new IP." Units sales will obviously be much higher once digital and copies sold outside the US are taken into consideration. Via Joystiq.
]]>Those itching to see the latest DLC for Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning in action should have a look below the break. The video for Teeth of Naros is a Gamespot exclusive at the moment, and in it, you'll notice some of what the DLC has to offer such as the city of Idylla, new enemies and the new Twists of Fate. IN all the DLC contains 20 extra side quests, multiple dungeons, a new race nine new armor sets, six new shields and 18 new unique weapons. It's out starting April 17 on Origin, PC, PSN, Steam, and XBL for $9.99.
]]>The latest Inside Reckoning developer diary checks out one development team which often goes under the radar - the world builders. If you've got triple A development aspirations, find out what this small but vital team contributed to the massive Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning.
]]>38 Studios and EA have announced a new DLC expansion for for Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning titled Teeth of Naros.
]]>A new list of achievements for Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning has indicated a second DLC pack for the 38 Studios RPG is inbounded. Reported by X360A, the second pack - untitled at the moment - features six achievements for a total value of 150 GSP. All bar one are secret, with the non-secret one, called Murder Most Fowl, worth 25 GSP to "kill 50 Pteryx".
]]>38 Studios seems to have made good on the "colourful characters" EA promised in the first DLC for Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning.
]]>Wondering when the Reckoning team will be launching their much anticipated MMO? It may be sooner than you think.
]]>EA's announced this morning the first bit of story DLC for Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, called The Legend of Dead Kel.
]]>Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is actually pretty good - provided you have time to soldier through it's snooze-worthy beginning and get to the meat of the game.
]]>Former pro-pitcher Curt Schilling founded 38 Studios in part due to disappointment in Everquest II.
]]>Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is the new UK number one.
]]>Reviews for 38 Studio's first foray into the market, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, have gone live and below the break are many a link to click full of opinions on the RPG.
]]>Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is almost upon us, and early reports are highly favourable - but what exactly is this new IP? We get the skinny from lead designer Joe Quadara on a revolutionary RPG.
]]>A couple outlets have gone live with reviews for 38 Studios' Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning and so far, it sounds promising.
]]>EA and 38 Studios have released the launch trailer for Big Huge Games' action-RPG, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. The open-world game allows the player to create a character using "millions" of combinations of weapons and armor sets, dozens of unique skills and abilities customizations, and further expanding it through the game's Destiny System. Reckoning releases February 7 in the US and February 10 in the UK for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.
]]>The newest Hero's Guide to Amalur is no substitute for a Lonely Planet, and it looks like you might need one wandering the huge open world.
]]>38 Studios has clarified details regarding what the online pass included with Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning entails, and as it turns out, it's actually DLC new buyers get for free before it's released as paid content.
]]>Despite being a single-player game, EA has tossed an online pass code into the packaging of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. According to the insert included with review copies of the game, players are locked out of seven faction quests in the RPG called the "House of Valor" until they enter the code included with the title. While it hasn't been confirmed as of yet, if Reckoning follows similar releases from EA, the quests will be available for purchase to those who buy the game used sometime after its released next month. Thanks, Destructoid.
]]>Ian Frazier, lead designer on Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, has said each designer working on the game brought various ideas to the table in terms of development in order to create an IP Big Huge Games hopes will be redefine combat for the RPG genre.
]]>38 Studios' Ken Rolston, who famously served as lead designer on two past Elder Scrolls games, belives Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning has one massive advantage over Skyrim.
]]>"It’s big. Really, really big. And perhaps more importantly, it’s incredibly dense. I couldn’t tell you the exact square footage of the overworld map, but I can tell you that it takes over half an hour to sprint at full [speed] across the map, even if you somehow avoid all combat. As for dungeons, there are around 130 of them in the game, and each one is hand-crafted in several different art styles, from crystal caverns to the organic innards of an ancient tree, so there’s an awful lot of variety to experience there." - Big Huge Games' Ian Frazier to 360 Magazine on the size of the game world in Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning.
]]>"Despite the fact that RPGs have made such deep and passionate inroads into the mainstream market, I still feel they are slow-paced, abstract, and awkward. Reckoning reflects my hunger for a faster pace of action and combat drama, and a desire for simpler, easier-to-use interfaces. RPGs are naturally the deepest, longest, and most complicated kinds of videogame entertainment… that’s what makes them great. But making them just a tiny bit less clumsy in the interface, and just a big, fat, huge amount more physical and exciting in combat, gives them more fun-per-unit-time. Me? I want All-Fun, All-the-Time, Right-Now, thank-you-very-much." - Ken Rolston to GameFront on how the current state of RPGS affected the design of Kindoms of Amalur: Reckoning.
]]>38 Studios has released a new developer diary for Kingdoms if Amalur: Reckoning, featuring Tim Coman and Sean Murray explaining how the game's deep lore and a signature style make it stand out from other RPGs. The demo for the game is out now on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360, in case you haven't tried it already. It releases on all three platforms February 7 in North America and February 10 in Europe.
]]>38 Studios and Big Huge Games have released the demo for Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning on Xbox Live. Currently available for Gold members, the game provides you with a taste of the RPG created by he New York Times bestselling author RA Salvatore, Spawn creator Todd McFarlane, and Ken Rolston, lead designer on Morrwind and Oblivion. Players will be able to create their character using various customization options and continuously evolve it to their play-style using the game's Destiny system. We've got 15 minutes of 720p gameplay for you below. Reckoning releases on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 February 7 in North America and February 10 in Europe.
]]>"I've never experienced a game like it before, and that's been the difficulty of talking about this game. It's an RPG with good combat, and people have a hard time figuring out what that means in their own heads, because there's no example of it, really. Now we're in this age where we have all these action games that have RPG elements, that right there has just destroyed to me what an RPG means because we're talking about RPG elements. There are all these different ways we can spread out, and these are all valid representations of RPGs. But you ask any different person what an RPG is and they'll give you a different answer." - Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning's lead combat designer Joe Quadara to Gamespot.
]]>We've already told you about the upcoming double-act that is Mass Effect 3 and Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning - play the demo of one game to receive unlockable items in the other?
In case you're not so familiar with the deal, EA has thoughtfully sent over a new trailer to explain what's what.
]]>Playing the upcoming demos for Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning and Mass Effect 3 will unlock special "inspired" items for both games, all of which were designed by Reckoning artist Todd McFarlane.
]]>38 Studios has released a new video for Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, showing off the various crafting options in the game. Crafting skills shown include blacksmithing, sage crafting, and alchemy. It also delves into how to develop the mercantile skill in order to negotiate pricing with various merchants across the game's landscape. Players will also need to practice using a silver-tongue in order to get out of sticky situations using persuasion or intimidation. Stealth and lock picking were also touched upon in the video, which is posted below courtesy of Gamespot. Reckoning is out next month on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360. A demo for the game is also now available on Xbox 360 for Gold members.
]]>38 Studios has released the full list of minimum and recommended PC specs for Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. Got the belly rig to run it? Find out below. The EA Partners-published RPG launches on PS3, 360 and PC on February 7 in the US and February 10 in the UK.
]]>38 Studios founder Curt Schilling has said the firm cannot "in good conscience support" the Stop Online Piracy Act as it is currently written.
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