Crackdown Devs Wrest Control Of APB From The Koreans
And by "the Koreans" we mean the fine folks at publishing outfit Webzen, which until now was the planned publisher of Realtime Worlds' cops and robbers MMO APB, planned for a PC (and possible PlayStation 3 and almost definite Xbox 360) release. You may recall that the Crackdown developer was on the receiving end of a $US50 million cash infusion, the majority of it we assume was spent on frozen haggis, but which some was surely earmarked to get the game out of hock from the Korean distributor.
Realtime Worlds now holds distribution rights to APB—which, by the way, looked nothing short of fabulous at GDC—which founder David Jones says "can ensure that gamers around the globe experience the revolutionary gameplay we envisioned." Jones also spoke of a "having direct, personal relationships with our players" due to the change. We can only presume that the Scottish method of microtransacting does not necessarily jibe with the Korean style, but we hope that whatever the reason, the game will be better for it. Press release follows.
Realtime Worlds Regains Global Distribution Rights to Ground-Breaking Online Game APB Following Second Round FundingBOULDER, Colo. & DUNDEE, Scotland—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Realtime Worlds, Inc., a leading independent video game developer, today announced that it has regained the global distribution rights to All Points Bulletin (APB), the highly-anticipated urban-themed massively multiplayer online game (MMOG) under development in the company's Dundee studio. The move follows Realtime Worlds' recent US$50 million second round funding and provides the company with the independence to push creative boundaries in the development of the game and to take a more active role in managing APB's global distribution strategy.
"Owning the distribution rights to APB marks a major milestone in Realtime Worlds' evolution into a premier online entertainment company," said David Jones, founder and CEO, Realtime Worlds. "By controlling the rights to APB we can ensure that gamers around the globe experience the revolutionary gameplay we envisioned when we first began creating the property. We are excited about the prospect of having direct, personal relationships with our players, which is a dream come true for many development studios."
APB is an original MMOG for the PC platform featuring an immersive urban-based community where players choose between playing the criminals or those out to catch the criminals. Players will carry out or thwart opposed crimes and build up areas of the city they control, all with unprecedented levels of character and vehicle customization.
Realtime Worlds regained the global distribution rights to APB from leading Korean online entertainment company Webzen, Inc., which originally partnered with Realtime Worlds in 2005.
About Realtime Worlds
Founded in 2002 by CEO and Creative Director David Jones alongside gaming industry veterans Ian Hetherington and Tony Harman, Realtime Worlds is one of the largest and most successful independent game developers in the world. With an exceptionally talented staff of more than 200, the company's experienced teams have a tremendous history of creating some of the world's bestselling video games, including the global hit franchises "Lemmings" and "Grand Theft Auto."
In an exclusive partnership with Microsoft Game Studios, Realtime Worlds launched its first title, Crackdown, on Xbox 360 in early 2007. The debut game broke records for demo downloads, sold approximately 1.4 million copies, and won multiple awards including prestigious BAFTA and Develop Industry Excellence awards.
With corporate headquarters in Boulder, Colo. and a development studio in Dundee, Scotland, Realtime Worlds is currently working on All Points Bulletin, a massively multiplayer online game in the urban action genre.
For more information on Realtime Worlds, visit www.realtimeworlds.com
8:20 AM on Tue Apr 22 2008
by Michael McWhertor
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Im so stoked for APB...after GTA and Gears 2, this is next on my "Must-Play" list...
E-Grizzle
Controlling their own game, good for them.
I wonder what the specs for running this game on PC will be?
Will be following this story.
Evil Tortie's Mom
Huxley used to be a 360 launch title ;__;
Kamizzle
Im so very proud of Realtime. They spent the money they were handed to get their game BACK.
Mad props. This is a company others that deserves no small mote of respect.
Komrade_Kayce
Is that picture showing a cop & a crook pointing guns at each others private places?
Rebel Without Applause
Nevermind I didn't see the almost definite 360 bit.
'Realtime Worlds' Grand Theft Autoesque MMO APB (All Points Bulletin) has already been announced to be in development for both the Xbox 360 and PC.'
Eon.
Yeah I thought this was originally planned for the 360
Eon.
@bleeps: Thats because they are notoriously slow. I've been waiting for Huxley for about... forever. It was supposed to be released 2006... so yeah. Good thing the Crackdown devs took this.
H8ff0000
@B-Tizo: At first I was also all 'wtf', but then I looked it up. Apparently, they're trying to focus on the PC version and then if it pans out, port it over to the 360 and PS3.
Asshats.
Meuacan
When GameSpot reported this today, they said that Realtime was placing it's focus on the PC version, and said that the console versions were only a possibility -- not definite. Also, GameSpot was told that it was coming out in 2009, meaning it get delayed.
If this puppy doesn't come out for the 360 this year, I'm gonna be awfully frustrated.
AndrewMP
Isn't Huxley the other Webzen game? I have hope for that game, but I remember seeing gameplay and it just bored me with thoughts of UT.
I know I'm being a little closed-minded here, but from my experience I just don't like how asian shooters turn out. Gunz, Warrock(asian?), NCsoft's big mech shooter, etc. And there's a few for the console too.
I hope that APB keeps the art direction though, it was awesome.
tnx3
Interesting that they now have a really big name backing it. This is the first "MMO" that is sounding interesting to me due to the fact that it is not about grinding. Then again, from anything I have read, it sounds like is lacks the first M of MMO, but still interesting nonetheless. Hopefully there is a free play option.
Yuki
What the heck happened to Webzen? I was really looking forward to a few of their titles and then they stopped posting info.
bleeps
I thought this was also planned for the 360?
B-Tizo
Whew, so hopefully this means it won't be free-to-play/pay to actually get a chance to be competitive.
Guizzy
Who knows, maybe once EA buys GTA rights, rockstar staff might go work for real time, then APB will be the new GTA. (obviously cos EA will mess it up)
jigglypoofs
Maybe it's because GTA IV is going to offer something close to their gameplay online for free. Realtime knew webzen's pay for online wouldnt work anymore and decided to come up with their own. Who knows? Its just my guess...
Gunloc
@jigglypoofs: Remember, Realtime Worlds was started by one of the founders of DMA/Rockstar North. So, in effect, they still have a close relationship (I think he left on good terms...). So, expect RTW to be the next big thing if R* and T2 get eaten alive.
Paladin58
A cops and robbers MMO, eh? I call robbers!
Xiedo
Oh? APB was under Webzen's icy grip? So that's where it's been! If I had known it was being published by Webzen I would've just written it off as a lost cause long ago.
But the fact that Realtime has wrested it from Webzen's cold, dead hands is a definite sign of improvement.
Fun fact: Webzen does not exist. It is a pretend company that releases "game trailers" so that people will pay it unrequited revenue in anticipation of their "next" amazing game. ("Next" in quotes because you have to have a first release before you can have a next one.)
Comatose Turtle
@jigglypoofs: Go work for Real Time hahaa. Do you have any idea where Dundee is? Trust if your in like San Fran Or Paris Or London Dundee is not the best move to make. No offense to any Scots etc etc
Dappa
@tnx3: Yeah i know what you mean Huxley looked and sounded awesome until i saw all that fast twitch jumpy jumpy UT shooting poop!
APB will be next level fun people and its back in the hands of the UK, Woop!
Dappa