In what has to be the meatiest article so far, VG24/7 has posted a nicely detailed report on the conference where the game was announced earlier today:
"One of our big questions marks was that we didn't want to just make a game out of a film license – you know, just deliver the film and that's about it. We're aiming for the Red Dead Redemptions, the Arkham Asylums; that's absolutely where we want to be. We want to make a 90 percent game that's easily communicable to people simply because it's in that Alien world."
And there’s loads more. Make sure you read it all.
Quote"When we were talking about what the console team should do next though, we knew that Sega had the Alien license around and so we decided to put together a demo in about six weeks.
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on May 12, 2011, 01:17:20 PM
I have to say I'm pretty excited.
Quote from: Shadestep80 on May 13, 2011, 03:36:11 PM
C´mon Sega, you have more than only the Alien franchise. Please announce a new Predator only game. Something like Concrete Jungle.
Quote from: Brother on May 13, 2011, 05:37:28 PMAliens only is the right move.;D True fan! I like Aliens games more as well, but I'm sure they could make a great Predator-only game as well. Something along Predator 1 would be just great!
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We pitched it to SEGA, and they, right across Europe, America and Japan said "wow, we get this. this is really exciting." We went through some other machinations along the way, but we've really been developing bespoke technology, for this game, for the genre of the game. I think we're feeling very confident and are really focused on what we're going to deliver now.
As you mentioned briefly, SEGA have been making games with the Alien license - the last one was of course Alien vs. Predator. Have you taken any specific inspiration or lessons from that game?
Tim Heaton: I think we took one particular lesson which was, at the quality AvP was delivered, it sold fantastically well. There was a real kind of passion from the player for that kind of content. I think we learned that.
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We knew the Alien license was part of SEGA's portfolio, so we showed them the demo and that was when everything changed. They got it, and it all became very clear that there was an opportunity there. The team were absolutely obsessed with it - it is the perfect videogame content, is not? It's fantastic and the legacy..
Equally, we are really commercially-minded, and we are that both in the studio and when we talk to SEGA. We only want to do something that's going to be massively successful, so we understand the quality levels that we need to hit in order to sell an awful lot of this game. So we want to make something that's quite different - we're not just wanting to take the license and knock out a licensed game, we want to make something really special out of it.
You've only described it so far as 'a console game' - does that lock you into this generation of hardware, given we're hearing all kinds of stuff about new systems impending?
Tim Heaton: We're pragmatic about what those platforms are going to be, given the timing and stuff. Can't say any more than that.
In terms of the license, how much scope and freedom does SEGA have with it - years, platforms and artistic license?
Mike Hayes: Well, a lot of that is confidential, but in terms of what we can do in the world of Aliens we do have an excellent relationship with Fox. And they understand games - it's incredible how they understand the business. So the creative scope that we have is actually very good. There's always going to be limitations because it's an IP, but from a gaming point of view I think they're a great partner to work with, because they are giving us a lot of freedom to develop that IP in a positive way for gaming. As Tim said earlier, we are trying to create a brilliant game, so we need to be able to do that first and foremost within the world of the IP, rather than "here's the script, go make the script". That, I think, is very important for us on this project. With Aliens vs Predator we had such a big success with that project, so we think if we create interesting and high quality variations upon that world, then I think commercially it could run and run. It's such a powerful license, quite a unique one in that respect.