Ubi Yanks 'I Am Alive' From Darkworks

DoctorFinger · 03-06-2009, 08:20 AM

In what has become a disturbing trend in the gaming industry, yet another fairly high profile title has been pulled from it's original developer. This time the players are publisher Ubisoft, Paris based studio Darkworks, and the upcoming disaster game I Am Alive.

Announced at E3 2008, the game put you in the shoes of Adam Collins, one of the survivors of a megaquake which devastates Chicago. The game centered around extremely sparse resources and ammo while forcing you to make tough decisions about when to fight and when to run. The game had been slated for release late this year, but a quarterly report from earlier this year had revealed a new release window of early 2010. Development of the game now shifts to Ubisoft Shanghai, best known for Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow and Tom Clancy's EndWar.

Ubisoft says the move is amicable on the parts of both parties, and that Darkworks is hard at work on another project.

Source - Gamesindustry.

total · 03-06-2009, 08:46 AM

If Shanghai can do a better job than Darkworks could I am all for it. The screenshots I've seen for this game looked really neat. I thought the idea was pretty original too.

Antipode · 03-06-2009, 08:54 AM

This sounds much more pleasant and respectful than Namco's shenanigans.

Quote:

"For Ubisoft, for original IP it is very aggressive. They are quite willing to take risks and they deserve some applause for that. They have as much original IP as they do sequels but I think that's fair."

Having just finished Assassin's Creed, I'd say it pays off. I'm looking forward to this game as well.

JayVe · 03-06-2009, 09:31 AM

At least they pulled the project from Darkworks, and gave them something else to work on instead of simply closing up shop. For all we know, I Am Alive may be at a point in development where the fundamentals are in place, and the rest is asset creation / tweaking.

Tayaya · 03-06-2009, 09:32 AM

Yeah.... this is better than having it get shitcanned. I'm really looking forward to this game.

Smoof · 03-06-2009, 11:33 AM

Except Ubisoft Shanghai sucks balls.

Kielaran · 03-06-2009, 12:33 PM

It was good to see this was far more diplomatic than the Namco incident. Both sides seemed very kind about the whole ordeal.

Sl1pstream · 03-06-2009, 04:28 PM

I really didn't like Ubi Shangai's attempts at making a Splinter Cell title. I hope this turns out better as I was actually looking forward to this.

Xerxes · 03-06-2009, 04:55 PM

Meh...

Darkworks made Cold Fear. I actually liked what I played of it.
Shanghai made the Shabby Splinter Cell games. Yeah those guys.

I haven't even tried EndWar yet but I heard it has a very simple paper-scissors-rock system. I'm not expecting anything amazing.

Virtual Machine · 03-06-2009, 06:40 PM

Cold Fear is one of my favorite games of the PS2/Xbox generation - I hope Darkworks' influence is felt at the very least.

H.Bogard · 03-06-2009, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smoof

Except Ubisoft Shanghai sucks balls.

This.

Darkworks is a very talented studio with no big hits on their name. They deserved this more.

MagGnome · 03-07-2009, 10:16 PM

Hopefully Darkworks comes out of this well. I know the split was "amicable", but we have no idea what went on behind the scenes. "Yanking" a project away from a developer is always cause for raised eyebrows.

Xerxes · 03-07-2009, 11:52 PM

Cold Fear 2 for ALL!!!

JayVe · 03-14-2009, 09:16 AM

Every time I come across this title, i think it is about some American division of Ubisoft... Ubi Yanks.

Xerxes · 03-14-2009, 06:08 PM

Does Ubi even have an American dev house?

mister slim · 03-14-2009, 06:47 PM

Gameloft and Red Storm, at the least.

03-06-2009, 08:20 AM	#1
DoctorFinger Senior News Editor Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: New York City Posts: 5,570 Blog Entries: 10	Ubi Yanks 'I Am Alive' From Darkworks In what has become a disturbing trend in the gaming industry, yet another fairly high profile title has been pulled from it's original developer. This time the players are publisher Ubisoft, Paris based studio Darkworks, and the upcoming disaster game I Am Alive. Announced at E3 2008, the game put you in the shoes of Adam Collins, one of the survivors of a megaquake which devastates Chicago. The game centered around extremely sparse resources and ammo while forcing you to make tough decisions about when to fight and when to run. The game had been slated for release late this year, but a quarterly report from earlier this year had revealed a new release window of early 2010. Development of the game now shifts to Ubisoft Shanghai, best known for Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow and Tom Clancy's EndWar. Ubisoft says the move is amicable on the parts of both parties, and that Darkworks is hard at work on another project. Source - Gamesindustry.

03-06-2009, 09:31 AM	#4
JayVe I am Pro-Noun Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Silver Spring, MD Posts: 3,432 Blog Entries: 1	At least they pulled the project from Darkworks, and gave them something else to work on instead of simply closing up shop. For all we know, I Am Alive may be at a point in development where the fundamentals are in place, and the rest is asset creation / tweaking. __________________ Xbox 360: JayVe My Flipnote Animations FriendoDEX - The Friend Code Rolodex

03-06-2009, 11:33 AM	#6
Smoof Colonist Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 863	Except Ubisoft Shanghai sucks balls. __________________ Steamid: Dassmoof Steam Name: Neville Von Bonermeister

03-06-2009, 12:33 PM	#7
Kielaran Stealth Boomer Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Washington, PA Posts: 1,405 Blog Entries: 55	It was good to see this was far more diplomatic than the Namco incident. Both sides seemed very kind about the whole ordeal. __________________ civil, civiled, civiling - verb: to rain bad cosplay pictures down from the sky upon

03-06-2009, 04:28 PM	#8
Sl1pstream [E] Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Brecht, Belgium Posts: 1,552	I really didn't like Ubi Shangai's attempts at making a Splinter Cell title. I hope this turns out better as I was actually looking forward to this. __________________ Gamertag \| Steam \| Twitter \| Facebook

03-06-2009, 09:32 AM	#5
Tayaya Beat Zico Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Bolingbrook, IL Posts: 1,025	Yeah.... this is better than having it get shitcanned. I'm really looking forward to this game.

03-06-2009, 04:55 PM	#9
Xerxes On Saccatical Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: HTX Posts: 7,595 Blog Entries: 8	Meh... Darkworks made Cold Fear. I actually liked what I played of it. Shanghai made the Shabby Splinter Cell games. Yeah those guys. I haven't even tried EndWar yet but I heard it has a very simple paper-scissors-rock system. I'm not expecting anything amazing. __________________ What Would Xerxes Do?! - Coming Soon. 360: Xerxes PSN: ArmoredXerxes Wii: "My life requires busting faggoty assed bitches like yourself in the fucking face." -Zeal the original Game Boy was the size of a VCR -pronounconnoun

03-06-2009, 06:40 PM	#10
Virtual Machine Wasteland Ronin Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Mount Pearl, Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 752	Cold Fear is one of my favorite games of the PS2/Xbox generation - I hope Darkworks' influence is felt at the very least. __________________ "WEAVE IT!" Gamertag: SocialistSteve PSN ID: Virtual_Machine

03-07-2009, 11:52 PM	#13
Xerxes On Saccatical Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: HTX Posts: 7,595 Blog Entries: 8	Cold Fear 2 for ALL!!! __________________ What Would Xerxes Do?! - Coming Soon. 360: Xerxes PSN: ArmoredXerxes Wii: "My life requires busting faggoty assed bitches like yourself in the fucking face." -Zeal the original Game Boy was the size of a VCR -pronounconnoun

03-14-2009, 09:16 AM	#14
JayVe I am Pro-Noun Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Silver Spring, MD Posts: 3,432 Blog Entries: 1	Every time I come across this title, i think it is about some American division of Ubisoft... Ubi Yanks. __________________ Xbox 360: JayVe My Flipnote Animations FriendoDEX - The Friend Code Rolodex

03-14-2009, 06:08 PM	#15
Xerxes On Saccatical Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: HTX Posts: 7,595 Blog Entries: 8	Does Ubi even have an American dev house? __________________ What Would Xerxes Do?! - Coming Soon. 360: Xerxes PSN: ArmoredXerxes Wii: "My life requires busting faggoty assed bitches like yourself in the fucking face." -Zeal the original Game Boy was the size of a VCR -pronounconnoun

03-14-2009, 06:47 PM	#16
mister slim Delinquent-class Poster Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 1,683	Gameloft and Red Storm, at the least. __________________ twitter/misterslim

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