Amazon just bought Double Helix Games, Microsoft to announce new dev. partner soon

[EGGXI]

*headdesk*

the amount of comments on other sites thinking KI is no longer exclusive...

 

[Braindead]

So yep. New developer.

NRS confirmed?

 

[Minh Giang]

NRS confirmed?

NRS making KI? Probaly another shitty casual FG with 1000 patches/week. #Kappa

 

[Braindead]

NRS making KI? Probaly another shitty casual FG with 1000 patches/week. #Kappa

First step would be removing all the texture details from the faces of female characters and/or cover them with masks.

 

[rolz420zx]

After finding out that Double Helix had been purchased by Amazon, I couldn't be more bummed out!! I mean, I basically bought my Xbox 1 pretty much just for KI. I absolutely love KI, even in it's incomplete state (unfinished roster, no story mode.....). Also, the thought of where DH was going to take KI in the next couple months/year had me extremely hype!! Now, I am confused and have no idea where this game is going to go. The Killer Instinct title is owned by Microsoft and DH was contracted to design the game. So, will Amazon allow DH to continue to develop for a MS owned title?? If DH was already under contract to develop season 2 and other KI content then we might see it. However, if there was no contract prior to the Amazon purchase of DH, do we really think that Amazon will allow DH to create more KI content on their dime....in my opinion, probably not. I posted the link below from TechCrunch where I first found out about this and I would really like to hear everyone's opinion.

http://techcrunch.com/2014/02/05/amazon-acquires-video-gaming-studio-double-helix-games/

While writing this I found this article on theverge.com and has a quote from MS about future development. I guess now my question is why wouldn't MS just buy DH. I mean DH had to be up for sale if Amazon came in and bought them out, right?? If DH did such an amazing job on MS's launch title why wouldn't they acquire the studio who created the game?

Update: Microsoft has confirmed to Polygon that it will continue work on Killer Instinct with a new development partner. "We want all of our loyal fans to know that the Killer Instinct team at Microsoft is not changing and that the franchise will remain with Microsoft Studios," a spokesperson said. "We remain dedicated to delivering a great experience and plan to announce our new development partner soon."

If this is going to be an American based, fighting game partner it better be NeatherRealm!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[RiBBz22]

Wow, I can see how this would end up terrible for KI players. The game looks cool, but it is fighting so many issues IMO with it being an unfinished product that was obviously rushed to launch... Now you have to fight the developer being purchased by another company. Seems like a lot of odds to overcome.

 

[Compbros]

Update: In a statement, a Microsoft spokesperson told Polygon that it will be working with a "new development partner" on Killer Instinct for Xbox One.

"We have thoroughly enjoyed working with Double Helix and wish them success in their next endeavor. We want all of our loyal fans to know that the Killer Instinct team at Microsoft is not changing and that the franchise will remain with Microsoft Studios. We remain dedicated to delivering a great experience and plan to announce our new development partner soon. We're excited about the future of this popular franchise."

http://www.polygon.com/2014/2/5/5384672/report-double-helix-games-acquired-by-amazon

 

[shaowebb]

I am not certain what this means for KI. Without Double Helix its a crapshoot to balance and develop new cast for this title. They had a VERY tight vision for the project and a very unique combat system for it. Plus the storyline, fatalities, stage stuff...all that is also in limbo given this revelation. Along with season 2...

You're free to hope for NRS getting involved as it'd be a great fit and very beneficial to the future of MK to learn and pull knowledge from working on KI, but as is I have no clues as to who will continue this project. After all Double Helix was grabbed for KI and no one had seen a fighting game from them before. For all we know Microsoft may pull in some other untested studio once more for better or worse.

It puts a longterm project that was still a WIP that was receiving patches and balance and such in jeopardy is all it means. Whether it will work itself out or fall apart from here is completely left to be seen. As is the odds point to the latter until new info is found on it. All I can hope for is that if NRS does get involved they start to learn how to make fighters without resorting to string based combat. I'd like to see them expand and end up with new types of combat in new games. Not saying replace MK outright but having KI or some new project that functions based on the KI knowledge instead of strings would be good for them.

 

[Onilordasmodeus]

I'm scared.

 

[RiBBz22]

Merged duplicate threads. Continue discusssssssssssssssssssssssssioooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

 

[REDRUM]

this is a "Big Deal" in the sense that Microsfoft is confirming their financial commitment to the KI and now Amazon is also financially backing DH to do other projects most likely for their new console.

It seems as if KI the game is going to be fine.

 

[Mikemetroid]

Maybe content will come out faster with this new crew?

 

[trufenix]

So, the DH that existed before KI (the one that made shitty movie ports) will ride KI and Strider into the wasteland of tablet gaming, and the other guys get SuperBot'd until KI wrings dry.

Its Clover Studio all over again. Y'all better buy the fuck out of Spinal and Fulgore if you expect Season 2 to happen.

 

[C-Sword]

Microsoft is going to announce that they're handling the development of the new contents themselves and make Kinect mandatory, you can now perform King combos by swinging your arms and punching the air.

 

[CrimsonShadow]

Not saying replace MK outright but having KI or some new project that functions based on the KI knowledge instead of strings would be good for them.

Argh man, no. They need to focus.. People keep trying to wish new things on them, but they already have two seperate FG franchises which is more than enough.

Rather than toss tons of new mechanics into the pot, it'd be great to see them refine and solidify what they have. I'd love to see them produce a game that is indisputably the best out there; squash the bugs and distill everything down to the best possible gameplay.

I think they're positioned well to do it now, but it wouldn't happen if they were trying to mash KI up with MK or IGAU.

 

[9.95]

this is a "Big Deal" in the sense that Microsfoft is confirming their financial commitment to the KI and now Amazon is also financially backing DH to do other projects most likely for their new console.

It seems as if KI the game is going to be fine.

Part of the reason I think that @AK Pig Of The Hut said this is a big deal is moreso because:

-New Developer may not be as receptive to FGC input as DH has been
-New Developer may not have a similar vision for KI that DH had, and the game could go in a very different direction
-New Developer didn't develop the game, and when they take over, they won't know KI as intimately as DH does at it's very core. This could cause coding issues with the game that only DH may be able to root out.

This is a big deal. Lets hope that whomever MS picks to develop the game from this point forward, that they are fully read into the game and hopefully understand it as intimately as DH does, and is as receptive to the FGC as DH is.

 

[Eddy Wang]

This is irrelevant, Microsoft owns the rights to KI.
KI won't be coming to any other platforms.

this is exactly how Dumb Arika killed the Street Fighter Ex Characters, for not selling the right to capcom, now we have a street fighter 4 without Doctrine Dark, Shadow Geist, Vulcano Rosso, Skullomania, Kairi, Hokuto and Garuda.
Characters that definitely in this system would be totally badass

sometimes japan really has to learn to say fuck to the Honor and lets make money, though DH KI future is only on microsoft...

 

[Rathalos]

Part of the reason I think that @AK Pig Of The Hut said this is a big deal is moreso because:

-New Developer may not be as receptive to FGC input as DH has been
-New Developer may not have a similar vision for KI that DH had, and the game could go in a very different direction
-New Developer didn't develop the game, and when they take over, they won't know KI as intimately as DH does at it's very core. This could cause coding issues with the game that only DH may be able to root out.

This is a big deal. Lets hope that whomever MS picks to develop the game from this point forward, that they are fully read into the game and hopefully understand it as intimately as DH does, and is as receptive to the FGC as DH is.

Speaking about the bolded, KI was developed on a internal engine created by DH, so who ever they hire will have to learn the inner workings of that engine.

 

[shaowebb]

Argh man, no. They need to focus.. People keep trying to wish new things on them, but they already have two seperate FG franchises which is more than enough.

Rather than toss tons of new mechanics into the pot, it'd be great to see them refine and solidify what they have. I'd love to see them produce a game that is indisputably the best out there; squash the bugs and distill everything down to the best possible gameplay.

I think they're positioned well to do it now, but it wouldn't happen if they were trying to mash KI up with MK or IGAU.

I like what I like. Strings are limiting IMO. MK and IGAU can stay the same but I think they should really study their competitor's stuff more. It can only help them to know more things.

 

[MILE_HIGH_CLUB]

So when I cut on my Xbox one will double helix trademark be bleeped out?

 

[Gesture Required Ahead]

Ed Boon: "I'm proud to announce that our next project will be KI v DC with Scorpion DLC"

 

[Eddy Wang]

question, how bad this is guys? how bad?

 

[MILE_HIGH_CLUB]

I believe Ed Boon team was hired to take over the KI franchise...troll face

 

[NRF CharlieMurphy]

Internal Team that was already working on KI with DH is in place....... I think the reading comprehension is just...... laughable.

 

[aldazo]

New developer means A LOT, I really doubt they release new chars after Fulgore, at least not in a short term, maybe a year from now? The thing is it all depends on how the sells are going, because if KI didn't bring enough profit then MS will avoid to dedicate more efforts ("more" because the new developer) to the franchise.