Interplay Going Under

[Atrocities]

Man this is some depressing news. If you have a moment to read the about this I would. http://www.gamespot.com/news/2004/06...0019.html]LINK

The labor officials' visitation was prompted by complaints by seven Interplay workers who claimed their wages had gone unpaid. Dean Fryer, spokesman for the California Labor Commissioner, told the Register, "An employer has responsibilities when they open a business. The responsibilities include proper and timely payment of wages. It includes providing workers compensation coverage in case there are injuries. If the employer cannot accommodate those basic issues of doing business, we cannot allow employees to work."

As a penalty for its infractions, Interplay was fined $1,000 for each employee on the payroll for a total of $79,000. This sum is in addition to the $179,000 it already owes the state in back taxes and the $432,000 in unpaid rent it owes its landlord, Arden Realty, who is reportedly on the verge of evicting the company. In addition, it is being sued for $156,000 in back Baldur's Gate royalties by BioWare. As of part of its mid-April financial statements, Interplay declared it only had $1.2 million in cash on hand.

Interplay has made some of the greatest games I have played and it hurts to see them going under like this. Well this Interplay is not the same interplay I knew, it still is Interplay.

[Gandalf Parker]

That is depressing news. I remember them fondly also.

But on the other hand.. I wonder what games they had that might fit into the Shrapnel catalog? Probably get outbid on the big-name ones but they may have some smaller or in-development ones that could be approachable.

THanks for bringing it up.

[Atrocities]

Good luck. I think Bioware will get most of them as well as Atari.

[Azselendor]

Some of the older titles may go back to the original authors and game designers, which might be good for shrapnel to pursue.

Hopefully some will strike out on thier own.

[Atrocities]

I enjoyed Decent tiltes, freespace titles, and SFC, as well as the boldergate.

I recall reading when Interplay was owned by its orginator how he placed the companies entire future on that game and the gamble semi paid off. The game was a success but he lost control of the company and was retired.

[StarTux]

Originally posted by Atrocities:
Good luck. I think Bioware will get most of them as well as Atari.

Bioware is primarily a developer at this time. Atari, yes they would snap up their share I'd imagine.

Interplay managed to lose Bioware's NeverWinter Nights, some disagreement over who knows what.

[Rasorow]

<sigh> Another great game company from the Good Ole Days goes out with a whimper.

I still have the 25th aniversary ed of Star Trek and many other of their older games....

<Salutes the old great Interplay: for gamers by gamers>

[DarkAnt]

good ol' fallout, that was a great game. This is indeed sad news.

[Gillissie]

I hate to say it, but I saw this coming about 10 years ago when you could no longer get ahold of tech support, and every game nagged you until you registered. The only thing registering got you was a telemarketing call trying to sell you some of their old games. Also, they entered the era of "release now, patch later" with some really bad releases.

Remember when their slogan was "By gamers for gamers."? Those were the good ol' days alright.

[ June 28, 2004, 06:07: Message edited by: Gillissie ]

[Atrocities]

I have to agree. They lost focus and went for the $$ and that ruined them. But still they did make some nice games. Freespace, Decent, Balders Gate, etc.