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Ready at Dawn (TO 1886) self-publishing its games, hires Paul Sams (Blizzard) as CEO

S

shinobi602

Member
Ready At Dawn has named Paul Sams as its new CEO as it seeks to publish its own games.

The studio, best known this year for PS4 exclusive The Order: 1886, wants to create its own ‘transmedia IP’ and is on the hunt for investors.

Ready At Dawn’s co-Founder and current CEO Ru Weerasuriya will now take on the role of president and chief creative officer.

“Words can’t describe how excited our team and I are to have Paul join the Ready At Dawn family,” said Weerasuriya in a press statement.

“He is not only one of the most accomplished, respected and experienced leaders in our industry, I am also fortunate to count him as a close friend. It is never easy finding someone to take over the reins of a company after this many years but I cannot think of anyone better suited to guide the team as we look to the future.

"In addition, this opportunity further fulfills a goal we had long sought. With Paul’s arrival, the entire team at our studio in Irvine will turn its attention solely on creative and game development, while Austin will become the focus of our business endeavours. Paul’s expertise will be essential in achieving some of our goals, including our desire to seek a strategic partner in helping us create and retain ownership of our own transmedia IPs.”
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http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/blizzard-exec-paul-sams-joins-ready-at-dawn-as-ceo/0150648

Gameinformer did an interview with them about this

sweenster said:
Gameinformer did an interview with them about this

One interesting tidbit from Paul Sams:
What we did on the PS4 for The Order: 1886, we can also do today on Xbox One, PC, and on an additional unannounced platform.
Click to expand...

EDIT: Here's another one, also from Sams:
We have two original IPs currently under development that we own. However, we are not at a point in the development process that we can discuss them. Stay tuned...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
C

Com_Raven

Member
That is an... unexpected development. I hope they find success, the world of The Order certainly showed potential for a transmedia world.
 
mrqs

mrqs

Member
This means that The Order will not get a sequel? I thought it was an long-time investment for Sony.
 
S

StealthGoblin

Banned
The director of The Order wants to be a film-maker. Lots of his interviews allude to that.

The Order is evidence enough of that. Very filmic.

I'm not surprised Sony cut them loose (if they have), The Order looks like a giant waste of time and money. You could liken it to Heavenly Sword in lots of ways.
 
D

Dirtyshubb

Member
That’s a shame to see it seems we wont be getting a sequel to The Order, I actually enjoyed it and would welcome a new installment that built on the work done with the first one.
 
K

KingSnake

The Birthday Skeleton
That's an interesting development. Let's see what kind of games they will make.

For the sanity of this forum I hope the investors won't be Microsoft or Nintendo.
 
S

SpokkX

Member
Ouch..

This means Sony cancelled the, almost certainly planned, sequel

Just as well really, the order was a bad game. Period.
 
S

sturgboski

Member
Acquiescence said:
That's The Order as a franchise killed dead in its tracks then.
Click to expand...

Yeah, damn. I'm also guessing if they are seeking funding for a new transmedia IP (which I thought the order was going to be), Sony might be stepping away from them. All the coy remarks I expected a buyout but I guess the order did that poorly.
 
N

Nirolak

Mrgrgr
I'm surprised they managed to get Paul Sams.

I realize they have some Blizzard vets there, but still, he was COO at a very large company.

Probably wanted a change of pace.
 
A

Alienous

Member
There are other studios that warrant Sony's backing, so this isn't a great loss.

Hopefully this means Guerilla Cambridge get their shot at the big time. What a talented team.

The Red Wiper said:
Sony hopefully acquired the engine/tech RaD made for The Order.
Click to expand...

Didn't Sony Santa Monica help out? They must have secured the technology.
 
N

Nightengale

Member
Unfortunate that Sony looks to be cutting them off, but it's great that instead of going through the fate that Lightbox, etc went through, they're able to bounce back in a different direction while expanding.

It's never a bad thing that there are more ambitious studios that want to compete in the AAA space.
 
C

coolasj19

Why are you reading my tag instead of the title of my post?
MarquesZero said:
This means that The Order will not get a sequel? I thought it was an long-time investment for Sony.
Click to expand...
We don't have any idea how their contract was set. I assume it allowed Sony to cut off with minimal difficulty. I guess if they aren't lined up for The Order 2, Sony is done funding it =/. Especially so since it's a safe assumption that Sony owns The Order IP. This generations... Lair? Haze? Folklore? Heavenly Sword, more like, really.

Best of luck, RAD. One bad game kills independent developers these days.
 
R

Relique

Member
MarquesZero said:
This means that The Order will not get a sequel? I thought it was an long-time investment for Sony.
Click to expand...

Plans change? A year ago everyone at Sony were saying how committed they were to the Vita. Now it is being called a "Legacy" platform and has been pretty much abandoned by their western studios. The games simply didn't sell.

They gave The Order 1886 a fair shot. Good budget, dev time, and decent marketing. People didn't buy it so you can't expect Sony to just keep sinking money into it.
 
K

kiguel182

Member
So, did Sony dumped them or the other way around?

They have had such a long relationship that it's weird for them to part ways now, specially after a game that did not seem like a success.

Well, wish them the best of course and that they can make the games they want.
 
J

John Bender

Banned
Alienous said:
There are other studios that warrant Sony's backing, so this isn't a great loss.

Hopefully this means Guerilla Cambridge get their shot at the big time. What a talented team.
Click to expand...
This isssue is, that Guerrilla Cambridge (which is an amazing team) seems to be the new Killzone studio. Which is a shame. Awesome team, amazing talent, shitty IP/franchise.
 
E

ezekial45

Banned
What was the latest sales figure for The Order? I know the review were middling, but I'm curious how it sold with those in mind.
 
M

Mpl90

Two copies sold? That's not a bomb guys, stop trolling!!!
It seems perfect for The Order brand to not last that long.
 
A

Auctopus

Member
Does this mean The Order can go multiplat to make extra sales? Also, do you think Sony were pretty unbothered by this?
 
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