October 26th, 2008

Legendary Pictures – Epic’s Assassin?!

Just two games - Unreal Tournament III and Gears of War, just two games are enough to say about Epic they really know what they're doing. If you add that whole library of games developed using the latest Unreal Engine, such as Blacksite: Area 51, as well as those currently under development, you get the picture of a pretty successful company. Everything looks fine so far, only that Epic Games(Epic Games), as we know it, may soon cease to exist...

I have nothing against the movie industry, but if what I just heard about Legendary Pictures and Epic happens, this could only mean the beginning of the end for the gaming industry, as we know it. The equation is very simple - since the movie industry makes a lot of money, way beyond what virtually any games company could ever dream of

(just for the record, I don't consider Microsoft Games a "real" games company), they may simply engulf the gaming industry, and then change everything. It may sound a bit paranoid, but don't tell me this is not possible!

Anyway, the story goes like this - according to a bunch of anonymous sources, cited by Variety, the movie company I mentioned above is currently "in negotiations to acquire Epic Games, the North Carolina-based developer of videogames including Gears of War."

I don't know what else should I add, especially since this story seems surrounded by a thick fog. Nobody made any official statement, except Epic Games vice president Mark Rein, who said "What I told Variety was that 'We're not going to comment on the rumor' and that 'We have already publicly announced that we're working with Legendary pictures on the Gears of War movie and that we have the utmost respect for Thomas Tull and his organization."

If you ask me, I would really like to see Epic remaining the way it is. Why? The answer may be found as soon as they start releasing new titles, after being purchased, if that will ever happen...