KSP Acquired by Take-Two Interactive

[klesh]

Boy, you gotta admit the timing of this announcement for KSP and TakeTwo turning nearly the entire videogaming community against them couldn't have been worse.

[Jarin]

On 6/22/2017 at 1:39 AM, TotallyNotHuman_ said:

I don't really think that's going to happen. The case would get laughed out of any court with even a mediocre judge and jury.

Missing the point that filing a lawsuit is too expensive for most of the victims in these cases, so they (like the GTA modders) basically have to give in, even if their legal rights are probably being violated.

[gsc]

On 22.6.2017 at 6:21 PM, TheRagingIrishman said:

Rockstar literally has nothing to do related to KSP. Take Two bought the intellectual property of KSP and contracted Squad to continue development. Rockstar is the developer group that makes GTA, which is also owned by Take Two.

Missing the point here...

[Cpt Kerbalkrunch]

Looks like Take Two backed off a bit on their modding stance. Stuck at work, as usual, and my phone's a piece of crap, so I can't provide a link, but I just read a release that said, in essence, that single-player games won't be affected. You know everything's on a case by case basis, but they basically said any mods operating within basic code-protection guidelines would be left alone. I don't use mods myself, so this doesn't really impact me personally, but I know how important modding is to this game and this community, so anything that impacts it negatively definitely matters to me. Hopefully now everyone can breathe a little easier.

[scottadges]

My $.02 here regarding TT and their mods stance, if you look at a game like GTA which is very specific gameplay vs. something like KSP which is an open sandbox, it's comparing apples to oranges.

KSP benefits from mods by users enhancing what you can do on your own (i.e. single player) whereas GTA mods impact gameplay experiences vs other players, which let's be honest in that game is all about pwning other players. 

Edited June 24, 2017 by scottadges

[AverageJoeGuy]

2 hours ago, Cpt Kerbalkrunch said:

Looks like Take Two backed off a bit on their modding stance. Stuck at work, as usual, and my phone's a piece of crap, so I can't provide a link, but I just read a release that said, in essence, that single-player games won't be affected. You know everything's on a case by case basis, but they basically said any mods operating within basic code-protection guidelines would be left alone. I don't use mods myself, so this doesn't really impact me personally, but I know how important modding is to this game and this community, so anything that impacts it negatively definitely matters to me. Hopefully now everyone can breathe a little easier.

The pressure worked. Hopefully when it comes to KSP, they will remember.

[TotallyNotHuman]

Apparently Rockstar has stepped in and OpenIV is back online. Not that it's directly relevant to the current discussion, but maybe T2 got a stern talking-to by Rockstar (not sure how that'd work), and is holding back the horde of lawyers...for now.

Phew. I know that I can breathe easier now. 

[Kerbart]

On 6/21/2017 at 9:29 PM, TwinKerbal said:

But (as T2 may see it) all the moneys from multiplayer!  I'd think that T2 wants to expand the game audience.  So they're probably going to do so by making it more like a space war game, which would include multiplayer for sure.  

Unlikely, the amount of work it takes to morph KSP into a multiplayer wargame... Not to mention the risk T2 would take with alienating the proven audience of a succesful game. Succes in videogamrs is hard to predict, a d I doubt they are willing to jeapordize that.

Now, what they can do, as they own the IP rights of everything Kerbal, is come up with a new game, “Kerbal Space Wars,” that does such a thing. It would hardly be more work then rewriting KSP into such a game, it wouldn't estrange the KSP fanbase (as KSP continues to exist) and open up a new revenue stream, free from critique about their revenue model (if you don't like it, don't buy it). And maybe they will do just that.

[cantab]

On 22/06/2017 at 9:39 AM, TotallyNotHuman_ said:

But on what grounds would they call for a cease-and-desist? Because Take Two can't stand any competition? Because they want to make money off the player base while strangling the modding community to death?

By claiming that the mod violated the EULA all along, perhaps. Which arguably it did.

In any case, as the GTA situation showed, a big corporation can simply make legal threats backed up with their wallet. No real merit is required to simply intimidate their opponents into giving up.

[Cpt Kerbalkrunch]

2 hours ago, AverageJoeGuy said:

The pressure worked. Hopefully when it comes to KSP, they will remember.

It's true. The release said they received 77,000 signatures. With threats of boycotts of other T2 games (whether upheld or not), this apparently had an effect. That's a lot of money on the line.

[MGCJerry]

How long till modding for KSP becomes illegal so they can milk this cash cow...? Who the heck does take-two think they are? EA?

 

</troll bait>

[_Augustus_]

On 6/22/2017 at 2:12 AM, Benjamin Kerman said:

How will modding be affected by this? I know there's the scare with GTA right now, but how will it work if TT decides to release a paid planet pack with another gas giant? Will OPM be sent a C&D letter? This is the most scary thing, to me, is that they might be able to destroy the modding community, not by shutting down mods, but by releasing DLCs that take the mod concepts  and then shutting down all those mods...

OPM is one of the best mods for KSP and I'm proud to be part of the reason why it exists (anyone remember my hacky RSS + half-finished Kopernicus mod?). I don't know what I'd do if TT decided to try and shut those guys down.

[noobsrtoast]

On 6/19/2017 at 3:04 AM, ARS said:

I'll just be honest with my feelings about this. I have a bad feelings, mainly about mods and TT potentially monetizing KSP. I love the game the way it is now, and I'm using a lot of mods (they expand the enjoyment of the game beyond the stock playing), so when I heard that KSP being acquired by TT, which has a problem in the past regarding mods, it surprised me (no, seriously. I just heard about this yesterday). Will this game still mod friendly after this? Like all this time? And about monetizing KSP, I do realize that TT is a company, and company want a profit, so it's logical to assume that they want a return investment from KSP. The question is, how? If they kill big name mods, or start to monetizing with paid DLC (which I assume ranges from new planets, star system or new parts that you can probably obtain for free from mod, over powered parts or something ridiculous like "your ship runs out of fuel on eelo orbit? Wanna pay 0.99$ for refilling your Lf/Ox?") and lock out certain parts, then I'm certainly goes mad. Yeah, I know, I look paranoid about this thing but I care a lot about this game, since this is what makes me interested in spaceflight since 3 years ago (and improve my physics knowledge, both in school and in rocketry) as well as this great and lovely community that always have a new and interesting things to discuss. I'm making a backup game folder now, just in case things go wrong. Just like an actual space program, "always assume for the worst, so when it actually goes smootly right, you can be pleasantly relieved"

I completely agree with what you're saying, this game is extremely important to me on a very personal level. I want it to continue being that one indie game that the developers pulled out all the stops on for the sake of making a good game, not making money. I'm extremely worried about what take 2 is about to do to the game especially after seeing them threaten multiple GTA mod makers with lawsuits and completely ban singleplayer mods on GTA 5 (or try to anyway, the community fixed that one lmao). GTA is a completely monetized game with paid microtransactions [snip] (it can cost 20 bucks for a god damn car Darn it, more than that for even higher end cars), they could turn around and do the same thing to ksp cause after all they want to turn a profit. paid DLC, threatening mod makers with lawsuits, officially removing support for mods, microtransactions, the simplifying of the game to appeal to a wider fanbase etc. I think it's repurposed bovine waste and I wish take two would back off cause from the eyes of the community at least in my opinion, it feels like a hostile takeover more than anything. take 2 has made it extremely apparent they dont care about their players and only money, squad cared about us, and cared about delivering an amazing game for us.

[sarbian]

3 minutes ago, noobsrtoast said:

I want it to continue being that one indie game that the developers pulled out all the stops on for the sake of making a good game, not making money.

It is so cute to think Squad did not go after the money.

[KSK]

1 hour ago, noobsrtoast said:

I want it to continue being that one indie game that the developers pulled out all the stops on for the sake of making a good game, not making money.

It's easy to be generous with other people's money and, more importantly, time. Art for art's sake is a noble sentiment but it doesn't help pay the rent.

1 hour ago, noobsrtoast said:

take 2 has made it extremely apparent they dont care about their players and only money, squad cared about us, and cared about delivering an amazing game for us.

And presumably cared enough about us to sell the rights in that game to Take 2?

Not that I have a problem with that decision personally - it was Squad's game to do with as they saw fit. I just don't quite follow your reasoning.

[Just Jim]

On 6/20/2017 at 11:56 AM, mystik said:

"That girl in the middle looks good".

I have to admit I thought the same thing.... then again, they all do.... 

 

Edited June 30, 2017 by Just Jim

[noobsrtoast]

1 hour ago, KSK said:

It's easy to be generous with other people's money and, more importantly, time. Art for art's sake is a noble sentiment but it doesn't help pay the rent.

And presumably cared enough about us to sell the rights in that game to Take 2?

Not that I have a problem with that decision personally - it was Squad's game to do with as they saw fit. I just don't quite follow your reasoning.

they probably had no choice, like i said this feels like a hostile takeover. they themselves appeared not to be able to continue making the game due to a lack of financial stability to due so, as much as you want to think they sold out like you said, they need to pay the bills still, all im saying is its gonna suck to see them gone and that i have a feeling take 2 will ruin the game, squad cared about us but they also need to survive

 

[technicalfool]

Things hidden. Do try to include some actual content with your posts.

[KSK]

5 hours ago, noobsrtoast said:

they probably had no choice, like i said this feels like a hostile takeover. they themselves appeared not to be able to continue making the game due to a lack of financial stability to due so, as much as you want to think they sold out like you said, they need to pay the bills still, all im saying is its gonna suck to see them gone and that i have a feeling take 2 will ruin the game, squad cared about us but they also need to survive

You might be right. I have no idea (and likely never will) about any of the background to the deal, so I wouldn't like to speculate. However if on the one hand you have this (emphasis added):

7 hours ago, noobsrtoast said:

I want it to continue being that one indie game that the developers pulled out all the stops on for the sake of making a good game, not making money.

and on the other hand you have this (emphasis added):

5 hours ago, noobsrtoast said:

they probably had no choice, like i said this feels like a hostile takeover. they themselves appeared not to be able to continue making the game due to a lack of financial stability

Then something's got to give somewhere. 

[sarbian]

5 hours ago, noobsrtoast said:

they probably had no choice, like i said this feels like a hostile takeover.

Do you have any idea of what an hostile takeover is and what it require to be done ? If you do would you be so kind as to link me Squad stock ?

[HebaruSan]

17 minutes ago, sarbian said:

Do you have any idea of what an hostile takeover is and what it require to be done ? If you do would you be so kind as to link me Squad stock ?

Even if there was such a thing, TTWO didn't take over SQUAD, just KSP. So the game itself would have to be independently publicly traded, in this scenario.

[AverageJoeGuy]

10 hours ago, noobsrtoast said:

hostile takeover

Do you even know what that means?

[StupidAndy]

On ‎6‎/‎29‎/‎2017 at 1:36 PM, sarbian said:

Do you have any idea of what an hostile takeover is and what it require to be done ? If you do would you be so kind as to link me Squad stock ?

does SQUAD even have stock?

[noobsrtoast]

On 29/06/2017 at 11:36 AM, sarbian said:

Do you have any idea of what an hostile takeover is and what it require to be done ? If you do would you be so kind as to link me Squad stock ?

i said it felt like it, not that it is, take two seems to like to gain the rights for games then basically give the middle finger to its players. you saw what happened with open 4 and gta 5 or all the community made multiplayer plugins for gta 5 that got shut down because take 2 likes to fire cease and desist's everywhere. when i say hostile takeover i mean of the ksp community and not the company of squad itself, were the ones that are going to suffer at take two's heel

[Moach]

so far nothing horrible seems to have happened - let us hope it stays that way...

 

I believe the community has very well voiced their concerns and very well founded opinions on the matter - any action to oppose them would be truly the work of a greedy, uncaring, undeserving, and inexcusably ignorant decision maker. 

 

I believe I speak with the voice of nearly every player on every platform when I say:  We do NOT like Freemium games, we never did. We would much rather buy our games normally like we did back in the days when they were good

may that simple, yet fundamental notion carry on, echoing loud and clear throughout the entire industry, an industry whose ultimate undoing hinges upon these simple, yet stern words of warning. that which is unwanted by the many will always fail, give it time.

much like the arguably ever enjoyed boybands of the corporate 90's, Freemium games will decline and ultimately vanish, replaced by both honest well built alternatives, and a new lot of greedy trendchasers who will invariantly lose billions in unconvincing attempts to push gimmicks in place of true value

alas, some of the greedy do succeed, as with enough millions to spend in advertising, one can forcibly wrest a return from even the most undeserving investment - and due to survivorship bias, only those stories become widely known, and the cycle continues.

 

however, only one in a thousand (and increasingly less) nugget-seekers in the modern gold rush that is the videogame industry will actually ever find anything. the rest is usually never heard from again. most likely eaten by a bear

Edited July 4, 2017 by Moach