ニュース
「Saints Row」シリーズの開発元,Volitionが30年の歴史に幕を下ろす。親会社Embracer Groupの再編プログラムの一環によるもの
Farewell(Volition公式サイト)
Access Accepted第762回:強気の買収攻勢をかけていたEmbracer Groupが大規模なリストラプログラムを発表
多数のゲーム企業やスタジオを子会社に抱えるEmbracer Groupが,大規模なリストラの実施を発表した。ここ5年ほどの間に,Gearbox SoftwareやMiddle-Earth Enterprisesなどを傘下に収めてきたが,今後はスリム化を進めながら,プロジェクトの量より質を重視せざるを得ない状況にあるようだ。
Volitionは,「Car and Driver」誌の編集部で働いていたマイク・クーラス(Mike Kulas)氏とマット・トシュログ(Matt Toschlog)氏によって,1993年にマサチューセッツ州ボストンで設立されたParallax Softwareを前身とするゲームデベロッパである。
同社は,世界で初めて,3Dグラフィックスの中で360度方向への移動を可能にしたFPS「Descent」,そしてその続編である「Descent II」を手がけて話題を呼んだ。1996年には社名をVolitionにあらため,よりシミュレーション性を高めた「Descent: FreeSpace - The Great War」と,その続編「FreeSpace 2」などをリリースしていった。その後は,THQ傘下の開発スタジオとして,アクションRPG「Summoner」,FPS「Red Faction」ら,シリーズ作品を産み出していき,満を持して2006年に「Saints Row」を発売した。
なお,THQは2012年に倒産しており,Saints Rowを含むVolitionのIPは「Deep Silver」というブランドで活動していたKoch Media(現PLAION)の手に渡る。ここでスタジオ名をDeep Silver Volitionとし,新体制のもとで2013年に発売されたのが「Saints Row IV」だ。
THQの資産に関する競売が終了。「Saint's Row」のVolitionはDeep Silverが,Relic EntertainmentはSEGAが落札するなど,開発中のタイトルやスタジオの行き先が決まる
倒産したTHQの資産の競売が北米時間の2013年1月23日に終了し,同社の資産のほぼすべてが売却されたことが明らかになった。「Saint's Row」シリーズのVolitionはドイツのDeep Silverが,「Company of Heroes」シリーズのRelicはSEGAが落札するなど,傘下スタジオや開発中のタイトルの行方が決まり,THQは20年以上の歴史に幕を下ろすことになった。
また,先述したTHQの倒産にあたり,その名称使用権を獲得したのがNordic Gamesである。そしてTHQ Nordicは2018年にKoch Mediaを買収し,その際に持株会社Embracer Groupが発足している。こうして開発資金を得て,2022年にリリースされたのがリブート版「Saints Row」だ。どちらかといえば小規模なIPが多いEmbracer Groupの中では,大きなローンチが期待されたものの,残念ながらそれほど話題になっていないというのが現状と言えるだろう。
今後,Volitionが持つIPはPLAIONの元で管理・運営されていくことになると思われるが,歴史ある社名が無くなるのは寂しいことである。
A letter to our community. pic.twitter.com/vtFM7szLbN
— Volition (@DSVolition) September 1, 2023
キーワード
(C)2021 and published by Deep Silver, a division of Koch Media GmbH, Austria.
Developed by Deep Silver Volition LLC. Deep Silver, Saints Row, Volition and their respective logos are trademarks of Koch Media GmbH. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are property of their respective owners. All Rights Reserved. Uses Bink Video, (C)1991 - 2021 by Epic Game Tools, Inc. Uses Havok software, (C)2021 Microsoft. All rights reserved. Uses Wwise, (C)2006 - 2021 Audiokinetic Inc. All rights reserved. Uses Lipsync Tool is (C)2021 Annosoft LLC.. Lypsync Tool and all other Annosoft logos are registered trademans of Annosoft LLC. All rights reseverd. Portions of this software utilize SpeedTree(R)RT Technology ((C)2004 - 2021 Interactive Data Visualization, Inc.). SpeedTree(R) is a registered trademark of IDV, Inc. All rights reserved. Portions of this software utilizes Aura(R) technology ((C)2021 Confetti Interactive, Inc.). Aura(R) is a registered trademark of Confetti Interactive, Inc. All rights reserved. DTS, the Symbol, and DTS and the Symbol together and all other DTS logosare registered trademarks of DTS, Inc.
(C)2021 and published by Deep Silver, a division of Koch Media GmbH, Austria.
Developed by Deep Silver Volition LLC. Deep Silver, Saints Row, Volition and their respective logos are trademarks of Koch Media GmbH. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are property of their respective owners. All Rights Reserved. Uses Bink Video, (C)1991 - 2021 by Epic Game Tools, Inc. Uses Havok software, (C)2021 Microsoft. All rights reserved. Uses Wwise, (C)2006 - 2021 Audiokinetic Inc. All rights reserved. Uses Lipsync Tool is (C)2021 Annosoft LLC.. Lypsync Tool and all other Annosoft logos are registered trademans of Annosoft LLC. All rights reseverd. Portions of this software utilize SpeedTree(R)RT Technology ((C)2004 - 2021 Interactive Data Visualization, Inc.). SpeedTree(R) is a registered trademark of IDV, Inc. All rights reserved. Portions of this software utilizes Aura(R) technology ((C)2021 Confetti Interactive, Inc.). Aura(R) is a registered trademark of Confetti Interactive, Inc. All rights reserved. DTS, the Symbol, and DTS and the Symbol together and all other DTS logosare registered trademarks of DTS, Inc.
(C)2021 and published by Deep Silver, a division of Koch Media GmbH, Austria.
Developed by Deep Silver Volition LLC. Deep Silver, Saints Row, Volition and their respective logos are trademarks of Koch Media GmbH. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are property of their respective owners. All Rights Reserved. Uses Bink Video, (C)1991 - 2021 by Epic Game Tools, Inc. Uses Havok software, (C)2021 Microsoft. All rights reserved. Uses Wwise, (C)2006 - 2021 Audiokinetic Inc. All rights reserved. Uses Lipsync Tool is (C)2021 Annosoft LLC.. Lypsync Tool and all other Annosoft logos are registered trademans of Annosoft LLC. All rights reseverd. Portions of this software utilize SpeedTree(R)RT Technology ((C)2004 - 2021 Interactive Data Visualization, Inc.). SpeedTree(R) is a registered trademark of IDV, Inc. All rights reserved. Portions of this software utilizes Aura(R) technology ((C)2021 Confetti Interactive, Inc.). Aura(R) is a registered trademark of Confetti Interactive, Inc. All rights reserved. DTS, the Symbol, and DTS and the Symbol together and all other DTS logosare registered trademarks of DTS, Inc.
(C)2021 and published by Deep Silver, a division of Koch Media GmbH, Austria.
Developed by Deep Silver Volition LLC. Deep Silver, Saints Row, Volition and their respective logos are trademarks of Koch Media GmbH. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are property of their respective owners. All Rights Reserved. Uses Bink Video, (C)1991 - 2021 by Epic Game Tools, Inc. Uses Havok software, (C)2021 Microsoft. All rights reserved. Uses Wwise, (C)2006 - 2021 Audiokinetic Inc. All rights reserved. Uses Lipsync Tool is (C)2021 Annosoft LLC.. Lypsync Tool and all other Annosoft logos are registered trademans of Annosoft LLC. All rights reseverd. Portions of this software utilize SpeedTree(R)RT Technology ((C)2004 - 2021 Interactive Data Visualization, Inc.). SpeedTree(R) is a registered trademark of IDV, Inc. All rights reserved. Portions of this software utilizes Aura(R) technology ((C)2021 Confetti Interactive, Inc.). Aura(R) is a registered trademark of Confetti Interactive, Inc. All rights reserved. DTS, the Symbol, and DTS and the Symbol together and all other DTS logosare registered trademarks of DTS, Inc.
(C)2021 and published by Deep Silver, a division of Koch Media GmbH, Austria.
Developed by Deep Silver Volition LLC. Deep Silver, Saints Row, Volition and their respective logos are trademarks of Koch Media GmbH. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are property of their respective owners. All Rights Reserved. Uses Bink Video, (C)1991 - 2021 by Epic Game Tools, Inc. Uses Havok software, (C)2021 Microsoft. All rights reserved. Uses Wwise, (C)2006 - 2021 Audiokinetic Inc. All rights reserved. Uses Lipsync Tool is (C)2021 Annosoft LLC.. Lypsync Tool and all other Annosoft logos are registered trademans of Annosoft LLC. All rights reseverd. Portions of this software utilize SpeedTree(R)RT Technology ((C)2004 - 2021 Interactive Data Visualization, Inc.). SpeedTree(R) is a registered trademark of IDV, Inc. All rights reserved. Portions of this software utilizes Aura(R) technology ((C)2021 Confetti Interactive, Inc.). Aura(R) is a registered trademark of Confetti Interactive, Inc. All rights reserved. DTS, the Symbol, and DTS and the Symbol together and all other DTS logosare registered trademarks of DTS, Inc.