Fan-Made King's Quest Sequel May Live On
"Given the overwhelming community support for the Silver Lining project," Activision told Kotaku, "Activision is in discussions with Phoenix Online Studios about allowing them to continue to finish the game and then release it to their fans."
The unofficial sequel to the long-dormant adventure series was initially halted in 2005 after Vivendi (then owner of the King's Quest property) issued a cease-and-desist letter to the team. The project was revived months later as "The Silver Lining" after Vivendi granted the team a non-commercial fan license to use the King's Quest setting.
Years later, ownership of the King's Quest franchise transferred to Activision during the Activision Blizzard merger, leading to another round of talks and negotiations that, according to Phoenix Online, concluded after Activision "reached the decision that they are not interested in granting a non-commercial license to The Silver Lining, and have asked that we cease production." Whatever happens next, we'll let you know.
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rick
replyI guess these big, greedy, money-hungry publishers wouldn't want a small developer to release a game, non-commercially, based on their IP because _______.
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Because just because you're not using something to make money doesn't mean that you let everyone do what they want with it. You either created the IP or you purchased the entity who made the IP and so you get to decide what to do with it.
I predict this project will be picked up again and finished but the message is clear - you don't get to make a game using someone else's property without their permission.-
Microsoft let MechWarrior 4 be released for free: http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/63431
I know, they're Microsoft, and they make billions by releasing boxes with "Halo" printed on them, but Activision makes billions off of World of Warcraft, and will make billions on StarCraft II and Diablo III. Taking a comparatively tiny financial hit to allow a fan-made project based on an old IP gets positive attention, and Activision needs plenty of positive attention among the non-dudebro community that's fuming at them for things like Kotick's remarks at Deutsche Bank last September, the decapitation of Infinity Ward, and the continued strong-arming and stone-squeezing of overannualized properties such as Call of Duty, Guitar Hero, and Tony Hawk. -
They got permission - Activision revoked the previously granted permission.
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