Sierra to make comeback....

[Rock Knight]

''BY JENNA PITCHER Activision is flaunting a Sierra-related announcement for Gamescom 2014 with the launch of a teaser website for the historic graphic adventure game publisher and developer.

The Activision-owned website depicts computer generated footage of an adventurer running through a blizzardy snowscape before animating into a modern revamp of the familiar Sierra logo. Along with current Activision trademarks, the splash page simply states "Gamescom 2014." The video's description on the Sierra YouTube account reads "More to be revealed at Gamescom 2014."

Sierra Entertainment was founded in 1979 as On-Line Systems by Ken and Roberta Williams and bought by Vivendi Games in 1998. The company is currently owned by Activision following the merger between Vivendi and Activision in 2008. That year, Activision Blizzard announced its intention to sell Sierra and its titles, with Sierra Online being described as a non-strategic business unit.

Sierra is well known for publishing, and developing, beloved franchises and titles across many genres over the years, such as Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon, Space Quest, Police Quest, King's Quest and Leisure Suit Larry.

Gamescom 2014 will take place from August 13-17, 2014 in Cologne, Germany. We'll be reporting live from the conference to provide you with all your gaming news.''

http://www.ausgamers.com/news/read/3463388/sierra-re-branding-teased-ahead-of-gamescom-2014

[Sslaxx]

Gabriel Knight 20th Remake the first Sierra-branded title? I'd say quite possible. Good chance the Phoenix guys knew before any announcement was made - certainly the Williams family knows (I'd be surprised if certain other alumni like Jane Jensen didn't know).

[Bludshot]

Get ready for King's Quest tower defense on the iPhone

[GrahamRocks!]

I'm wary...

[Numbers]

Angry Cedrics: the crossover nobody was asking for.

[Bludshot]

Angry Cedrics is fun until the snakes all get poisonous. It is impossible to get 3 stars.

[Rock Knight]

John Williams (brother of Sierra founder and CEO Ken Williams, brother in law of Roberta) said to relax, that good news is on the way.

I don't think one of the Williams' family would be telling fans to relax and that good news is coming if there was another rape of the Sierra brand on the way. John Williams was Sierra's historian back in the day and their first employee--If anyone knows the difference between 'good news' and 'bad news' involving Sierra, it's him. If he is telling fans to cool their jets and wait for the good news, then I do not think wariness is necessary.

My take is the following will happen, or at least one or two of the following anyway:

Sierra revamped with the Gabriel Knight game as their first new product, with other classic IPs' futures depending on Gabriel Knight's success.

Sierra revamped with a new King's Quest and/or Space Quest game announced, possibly already in development. Or possible plans for new other 'classic' Sierra titles announced as well.

Possible plans including Space Venture.

Involvement to some extent on the part of Phoenix and Phoenix Online Publishing studios.

What people forget is that Sierra's downfall happened largely because of the involvement of Vivendi Universal. Vivendi is the company that dismantled and raped Sierra beginning with Chainsaw Monday back in 1999.

Since 1996, Sierra has been owned by 3 different companies and only suffered under Vivendi. Under CUC/Cendant, despite the Cendant Scandal, Sierra prospered, grew and continued to get even bigger. Things only went downhill after Havas/Vivendi bought Sierra in 1998, and Vivendi was in the picture until just last year.

They're out of the picture now as Activision severed all ties with them last year due to Vivendi basically suffocating the game business--just as they did with Sierra. This means Sierra won't be used as just a label for Vivendi's product. Activision has a long history of great products and great success. Look at the way Blizzard, another Activision subsidiary, is thriving under them.

Also note that Bobby Kotick, the CEO of Activision, was a big fan of Sierra's games back in the '80s.

I think optimism and open mindedness is needed now. Not cynicism, skepticism, negativity and darkness.

[Numbers]

Also note that Bobby Kotick, the CEO of Activision, was a big fan of Sierra's games back in the '80s.

Bobby Kotick also hates video gamers as much as they hate him, so he's hardly the best example to use here.

I think optimism and open mindedness is needed now. Not cynicism, skepticism, negativity and darkness.

Uh...thank you, Care Bears after-school special?...

[GrahamRocks!]

Yeah, wasn't he the guy who said, "I want to take the fun out of video games"? or was that somebody else?

[Numbers]

He said he wanted to take the fun out of making video games. He said he tries to instill "skepticism, pessimism and fear" of the economic downturn into the corporate culture at Activision. And to further drive the point home, he came out and said this: "We are very good at keeping people focused on the deep depression." So what's become of his business practices? Activision is number one in the gaming industry right now. So basically, the family-unfriendly Aesop of all this is, evil business practices, reprehensible as they may be, actually work. Remember the Emperor from Star Wars? There are people just like him running businesses all over the world. And they are more successful than you will ever be. They run the show, they rake in the gold, they control the world. And to them, we are nothing but a speck in the sea of life. Nothing. But. A. Speck.

...


So anyway,

[GrahamRocks!]

Thanks for clarifying, Numbers. I thought I was getting it wrong there.

This man sounds like a charmer. Just as much as the guy from Replay Games that made Al Lowe go back into retirement after he took things too far.

[Rosella]

It seems important to note that in one of the linked javascript pages, the source code looks like this:

[boopish]

I just saw the video on Sierra's website tonight, and the first thing I wanted to do was come share it with everyone here. I am so glad other people have stumbled across this as well!
I don't have anything other than opinion to add to this conversation, but that sure looks like an adventurer's backpack to me!

[Numbers]

Raise of hands, how many quick-time events do you think they'll cram into the King's Quest of tomorrow?

[rudy]

I'm optimistic about it. That is all 

[Bludshot]

Raise of hands, how many quick-time events do you think they'll cram into the King's Quest of tomorrow?

Press X to not die of dehydration!

[Numbers]

What's that, you can't press X fast enough? Guess you'll just have to get a 12-year-old to play it for you! No veteran adventure gamers who cherish slow pacing and strategy allowed, it's the hip young crowd that values constant cutscenes and arcade sequences that truly matters here!

Seriously, people. You need to stop jumping on the "it's new, so it has to be good" bandwagon. You should not at all be surprised if the new games suck, which they most likely will. Better to have low hopes so you're not disappointed than high hopes in case you do. In my experience, optimism has never worked out to my benefit, only realism. I wish people would figure that out.

[Rock Knight]

News is--
There will be a new KQ game, in an adventure game format, developed by The Odd Gentleman, and the game will come out next year, with Graham sharing stories of his adventures with his granddaughter.

The new Geometry Wars game comes out later this year.

Sierra will be Activision's indie games publisher, and will also work on classic IP in the future besides KQ.

[Sslaxx]

News is--
There will be a new KQ game, in an adventure game format, developed by The Odd Gentleman, and the game will come out next year, with Graham sharing stories of his adventures with his granddaughter.

Embellished retellings of past KQ games? Sounds like it could be fun!

[Rock Knight]

"Our long global nightmare is over. A resurgent Sierra Games just announced what is certainly the game of the year: Geometry Wars 3.

Sierra and Activision revealed new plans for the beloved label today, which include launching a new King's Quest adventure game as well as a new entry in the Geometry Wars dual-stick shooter series. While the company retains the Sierra name and is publishing King's Quest, the Activision subsidiary will not focus only on re-releasing Sierra classics. The plan is to have it do that while also forging deals with "edgy" independent developers working on innovative new projects. This should bring some further diversification to a portfolio of software that includes Call of Duty, Skylanders, and World of Warcraft.

"Sierra's goal is to find and work with talented indie developers working on their own amazing projects, or passionate about working on great Sierra IP, and leverage our expertise to aid them in bring these fun and exciting experiences to gamers with the level of visibility and awareness they deserve," Sierra director of external development Bob Loya said. "In addition to Lucid Games and The Odd Gentlemen, we're in talks with a large number of other indie devs, and can't wait to share more details with fans in the near future."

The Misadventures of PB Winterbottom developer The Odd Gentlemen are producing the new King's Quest game. It is a fully "reimagined" take on the original series, according to Activision. The publisher promises that The Odd Gentlemen comprises a number of fans of the King's Quest franchise. The studio intends to capture the same combination of difficult puzzles and engaging narrative as the originals. The adventure title is due out in 2015 for unspecified platforms — although the company notes it will release its software on Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, and Steam.

While we wait for King's Quest, we can all shoot some shapes in Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions. Studio Lucid Games, which has produced a small number of mobile games, is taking on the latest entry in the popular shooter franchise. Dimensions will feature a single-player campaign with 50 different challenges in addition to 10 different battle modes. The game is due out this holiday, but Sierra once again didn't mention any release platforms by name — but it is coming to "more platforms than ever before."

http://venturebeat.com/2014/08/12/die-triangles-sierra-is-back-with-new-kings-quest-and-geometry-wars/

"ORIGINAL STORY: Six years after the company closed, a casualty of the merger between parent company Vivendi and Activision, Sierra is back. There's even better news, too - its return sees an all-new Geometry Wars, as well as a fresh installment in the King's Quest series.

Sierra's revival comes after Activision teased the news late last week with a brief video. Founded by Ken and Roberta Williams in 1979, Sierra was a label famous for its graphic adventure games such as Space Quest, King's Quest and Police Quest. The new King's Quest is due in 2015, and revolves around the character of King Graham as he shares tales of his adventures with his granddaughter.

The new Geometry Wars - Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions - comes from Lucid Games, the developer formed from ex-Bizarre Creations staff. It will be fully 3D, as opposed to its 2D predecessors, and is due out later this year. No platforms have been announced just yet. Series creator Stephen Cakebread wasn't working at Lucid Games last time we checked - will be back onboard for this new sequel.

"We're very proud of what we created all those years ago with Sierra Online, and today's news about carrying Sierra forward as an indie-specific brand is very encouraging," said Sierra founder Ken Williams in an official statement. "We look forward to seeing Sierra's independent spirit live on, and are especially excited to see what The Odd Gentlemen will do with King's Quest."

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-08-12-sierra-online-is-back-and-so-is-geometry-wars-and-kings-quest