Potential EPIC Games buyout affect Gears of War deal, Bioshock 2 PS3 bound
Today some interesting news tidbits were revealed on the Web. 2K Games finally announced the platforms for Bioshock 2 and as anticipated the sequel will not be Xbox 360 exclusive like the last time. Also there is word that EPIC Games may be bought out by another company, all after the jump.
The original Bioshock was a Microsoft timed exclusive for the Xbox 360. After a year later, 2K Games finally announced Bioshock for the PS3. Despite the fact that 2K Games tried to make peace with the PS3 fanboys by promising PS3 exclusive downloadable content, fans are still a little ticked they had to wait a year.
Several months ago it was revealed that Bioshock would have a sequel, but it was only verified for the Xbox 360 and the PC. This led some to speculate that Microsoft might have written another check for the sequel as well. However, according to Gamespot, a 2K Games rep confirmed that Bioshock 2 will be coming out on the PS3, Xbox 360 and the PC.
The 2K Games rep said:
“BioShock 2 is destined for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Windows PC platforms.”
It looks like Microsoft was unwilling to shell out millions of dollars to keep Bioshock 2 as an Xbox 360 exclusive. Also, given the success of the first game, 2K Games might have been a bit more cautious in agreeing to platform exclusivity this time around.
In other news, according to Variety, Legendary Pictures is currently in talks to buy out EPIC Games. Apparently, multiple sources close to the company have indicated that EPIC Games is also open to the idea. What makes this deal even more plausible is that Thomas Tull is spear heading this deal.
Thomas Tull is the chairman for Legendary Pictures and former board member for Brash Entertainment, the video game publisher. However, Tull quit Brash Entertainment after becoming frustrated with the company’s poor performance. It seems that Tull is still very much interested in joining the movie studio, Legendary Pictures with a game studio.
If Legendary Pictures does indeed acquire EPIC Games, then that could mean that the future of the Gears of War franchise exclusivity deal with Microsoft could be in question.
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18 Responses to “Potential EPIC Games buyout affect Gears of War deal, Bioshock 2 PS3 bound”
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October 24th, 2008
Xbox 360 has nothing left but Gears of War 2. Soon they will lose that too not like we care Epic Games sucks at making game story. Bioshock 2 on PS3 was just obvious. Sony is gonna kill Xbox like they have done to Saturn and Dreamcast.
October 24th, 2008
Damn Ivan, thanks for the shoutout!
http://home.earthlink.net/~ivan-playstation/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/imag0036.jpg
October 24th, 2008
lol I dont understand the picture…
Anyways the trailer for the sequal is odd. I guess Bioshock’ going on land?
October 24th, 2008
instead, M$ will probably shell out millions for DLC that will come out 4 months later……..
October 24th, 2008
Dave you forget that Gears of war is a Microsoft Owned IP.
October 24th, 2008
CAD. I was under the impression it was just for the first two games…Is just the name owned or the whole universe that gears resides in? I could see Epic making a game that’s based on gears (not their characters) but the war and name it something else after 2 comes out.
October 24th, 2008
Why is there a delay? Which I hope that’s what it is. or is this a glitch? My post is not up yet.
October 24th, 2008
Epic did not make Bioshock. They just used the Unreal Engine to make the game.
October 24th, 2008
thanks xboxoz360 for clearing that up.
October 24th, 2008
harry sachz:
Your welcome LoL, i was bored so i posted that.
Mass Effect 3 Gears of War 3 Bioshock 2 all these games are coming to PLAYSTATION 3 and Microsoft knows it already. EA might even put the Mass Effect trilogy on PS3. Gears of War 2 was Microsoft last deal with Epic Games they will make the next one on PS3 for more profit. When they did the deal with Microsoft i bet they didn’t know the game was gonna be so popular that’s why they agreed for Microsoft to pay them a huge massive enormous check. Bioshock 2 was meant for PLAYSTATION 3 the most powerful console.
October 24th, 2008
I knew that Microsoft had the two game exclusive deal with Epic games, but I didn’t realized that Microsoft owned the IP. That was a bad move on Epic’s part.
October 24th, 2008
@ Harry – Hahah, funny that you made Ivan’s site
@ xboxoz360 – I fear you may be putting more thought into this than everyone else who posts combined
(thats not a bad thing)
Anywhoos, I enjoyed Bioshock on PC (which is where it belongs thank you very much
) and I thought gears was horrible, totally horrible – so I don’t care where it does or doesn’t go.
October 24th, 2008
@Xboxoz360
You do make a lot of very good points. It sounds like MS helped to establish the series to what it has become. My thinking was from Epic’s standpoint – If Epic was to retain the rights to the IP, they would be able to better position themselves for earning money on the franchise in the future.
I know Epic created the Unreal engine which powers many games this generation, and they have the Gears Series, and Unreal Tournament, but asides from that they do not really have any IPs. If they played there cards right, maybe they would become the next EA.
October 24th, 2008
Sorry to break it to you guys but EPIC owns the Gears of War IP.
Thats why there has been speculation by N’gai Croal and other video game analysts that Gears of War 3 will be on PS3 and Xbox 360.
October 24th, 2008
Xboxoz360
I know your new here but believe me when I tell you that your wasting your breath with this site. As far as I am concerned You are the most knowledgeable person to come here in a while. You obviously are an insider and you know what you are talking about. This is a Pro Sony Site with a bunch of loosers who cannot accept truth and the writers of Blorge don’t give facts they give opinions. Thanks for giving such a clear picture. I’ll visit your site more often.
October 24th, 2008
Markus
Those are dreams not reality. When I scratched My Gears of War disk and I went through the Disk Replacement Program they only replace games where Microsoft is the Publisher. This is what the Xbox.com site says:
This program only applies to games where Microsoft is the publisher, and is subject to availability. To check and see if your game is available for replacement, please review which Microsoft products currently fall under this program here.
Banjo-Kazooie® Nuts & Bolts
Crackdown™
Fable II®
Forza Motorsport™ 2
Fuzion Frenzy 2
Gears Of War®
Gears of War® 2
Halo® 2
Halo® 3
Kameo™: Elements of Power™
Lips
Lost Odyssey™
Mass Effect™
Ninja Gaiden II™
Perfect Dark Zero™
Project Gotham Racing® 3
Project Gotham Racing® 4
Scene It? ® Box Office Smash
Scene It?® Lights, Camera, Action
Too Human™
Viva Piñata™
Xbox Live® Arcade Unplugged Vol. 1
Viva Piñata™: Party Animals
Viva Piñata™: Trouble in Paradise
You’re In The Movies
October 24th, 2008
Thats what I thought. Epic had a two game exclusive deal with MS. This is the second game of that deal.
October 24th, 2008
The first two Gears of War may not come to PS3 due to Microsoft and Epic Games deal. But the third will definite be for PS3. Bioshock 2 will also be on PS3 and i bet it will have extra content. Mass Effect the trilogy will also be on PS3 for sure.