VALVe Doesn’t Mind Being Acquired

 

Having Independent game studios/publishers is always a good thing, independent studios place emphasis over quality instead of quantity and you’re always guaranteed a good game. Valve is probably the largest independent developer around and has some of the most popular and best selling titles in it’s portfolio. Unfortunately, that also makes it an attractive target for biggest companies like Activision, EA and Ubisoft. How does Valve feel about being acquired?

Doug Lombardi talks:

If anyone is interested in acquiring Valve, VP Doug Lombardi is “happy to have that conversation,” 

“EA was very progressive about saying, ‘We understand who you guys are. We understand what Steam is. We don’t want Steam to go away.’ Well, they might want Steam to go away, but they’re not asking us to make Steam go away.”

The “valuable add” of EA’s distribution power to Valve’s business was all the company needed from EA. “And [EA Partners] is obviously in a sweet spot right now. I mean, all publishers go through personality changes, and that caused them to be at better points in time,” said Lombardi.

Ofcourse, If Valve was acquired, they would actually release titles/content on time. Which, hey, no one would mind.

Splash Damage Hires Industry Veterans

 

Splash Damage, the developer of Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, has hired four game industry veterans to work on their announced multiplatform project. Atleast Splash Damage was smart enough to acknowledge how inadequate they are when it comes to developing great games. Maybe the four hired veterans will add another cheek to their half-ass work. Maybe?

Press Release: 

Splash Damage, the award-winning independent developer, today announced the hiring of four industry heavyweights to its team. Following the recent announcement of its partnership with Bethesda Softworks®, Splash Damage is planning to double the size of its development team to more than 60 staff as it moves into multi-platform development on an as-yet unannounced title. Read more

Silkroad Online gets a new expansion

Silkroad Online, the popular MMMORPG is getting a new expansion; named Legend III Roc Mountain, the new expansion will give players a new area to play around, alongside an increase level-up cap, new monsters, new items and new quests.

Press Release:  

Joymax, an independent developer and publisher of interactive entertainment for the global market, today announced a new expansion for its massively popular free-to-play MMORPG, Silkroad Online. Entitled Legend III Roc Mountain, the expansion will give players access to a mountainous new area west of historical Karakoram, and promise high-altitude adventure amongst the desolate peaks and rocky terrain. Treacherous new monsters that call the forbidding mountain ranges home will challenge even the bravest and most seasoned of adventurers as they take on epic quests to obtain the most precious armor, weapons, and shields available in the magical world of Silkroad Online. Read more