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According to Kotaku, Microsoft is close to buying Obsidian

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In what could be a blow to Linux gamers who are fans of Obsidian RPGs, Microsoft is apparently close to acquiring the studio.

Kotaku writes:

One person with knowledge of the deal told Kotaku they’d heard it was “90%” finished. Said a second person: “It’s a matter of when, not if.”

So that sounds basically certain, that Microsoft will soon own Obsidian. Both Microsoft and Obsidian declined to comment on the rumour of course, as companies usually do when deals aren't yet finished.

Naturally, this will be a worry to Linux gamers since this could mean future Obsidian titles may not arrive on Linux like they have before. Obsidian has given Linux fans Pillars of Eternity, Pillars of Eternity II and Tyranny recently so it would be a huge shame not to have their next story-driven RPG land on Linux.

Microsoft acquiring anyone always makes me feel quite uneasy, since they could end up requiring future games they publish to be exclusive to their own store therefore locking out Steam. At least if they stayed on Steam and didn't do a Linux version (for whatever reason) of their next set of games, we would have Steam Play's Proton so it wouldn't be such a major issue.

However, Microsoft seems to have done a good job at letting Mojang continue doing their thing with the Java edition of Minecraft so perhaps it will work out okay.

What are your thoughts?

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Tags: Misc, Speculation
19 Likes
About the author -
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I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly came back to check on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly. Find me on Mastodon.
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razing32 Oct 9, 2018
QuoteWhat are your thoughts?

x_wing Oct 9, 2018
Well, feels like Microsoft answer to Valve Linux embrace & improvement is to buy game studios and start to planning a revenue constriction.
Liam Dawe Oct 9, 2018
Quoting: x_wingWell, feels like Microsoft answer to Valve Linux embrace & improvement is to buy game studios and start to planning a revenue constriction.
I really do hope Valve have some serious other games lined up. They have some seriously good IP that need a refresh and continuation like Left 4 Dead 3, Team Fortress 3, Half-Life 3, Portal 3 and so on.

I could happily go for some L4D3.

They need more than Artifact (even though I've no doubt it will be a ridiculous hit) and In The Valley of Gods.
sprocket Oct 9, 2018
Embrace. Extend. Extinguish.

Some things never change.
Stupendous Man Oct 9, 2018
What horrible news! Pillars and Tyranny are some of my favourite games.
Exidan Oct 9, 2018
welp. RIP my favorite game developer
Cyril Oct 9, 2018
And I heard some keep saying that Microsoft love Linux now. Nope I don't believe that.
drmoth Oct 9, 2018
Noooooooooooooooooo!
x_wing Oct 9, 2018
Quoting: liamdawe
Quoting: x_wingWell, feels like Microsoft answer to Valve Linux embrace & improvement is to buy game studios and start to planning a revenue constriction.
I really do hope Valve have some serious other games lined up. They have some seriously good IP that need a refresh and continuation like Left 4 Dead 3, Team Fortress 3, Half-Life 3, Portal 3 and so on.

I could happily go for some L4D3.

They need more than Artifact (even though I've no doubt it will be a ridiculous hit) and In The Valley of Gods.

Well, I'm not so worry of this bought's so far, they're not loosing any of their top sellers fortunately... But I will get if other publishers starts making agreements with Microsoft to boycott steam store with other publishers (Fallout 76 is smelly...).

Microsoft is big, but not big enough to buy all the big fish out there. And if they keep focusing on trying to buy franchises but not to improve their desktop OS, they will end up losing the ball.
Beta Version Oct 9, 2018
I don't want my money to go to M$, so if they buy Obsidian, i will not buy any games from Obsidian anymore.

Quoting: GuestWhen they acquired Skype they did not terminate the Linux version. Well, it started to suck anyway but they did not terminate it.
They did not terminate the Linux version, so users even on Linux still could use Skype instead of alternatives. Yet they made it so terrible, that many user blamed Linux, thinking that its a Linux issue.


Last edited by Beta Version on 9 October 2018 at 9:00 pm UTC
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