New Bethesda Title Features Deus Ex Talent

[Krantos]

Bethesda Softworks has First-Party games?

News to me.

Reply to this. I dare you >

Well, first party in that BethSoft and Beth Game Studios are different branches of the same company. So while BethSoft themselves don't make games, the company's internal development studio does.

I suppose I may be using the terms incorrectly, but, to me, when a publisher... um, publishes a game made by another company, that's third-party. First-party publishing, by my definition, is when a game is developed and published by the same company.

I can see how that might confuse people who are used to the terms typically referring to console manufacturers making games for their own systems.

Not entirely sure why I felt to need to come up with other definitions for it, but it helps me classify such games.

 

[Niryain]

Arkane Studios did great with Arx Fatalis, so I trust they'll do the same with this. Looking forward to it.

 

[RealDarkelfguy]

Title is a little misleading. It's not a Bethesda title, so to speak. It's Arkane Studios's. Bethesda is just publishing it.

That being said, I have serious concerns about this one. I can't think of a single Third-party game BethSoft has published that was any good. Ironic when you consider how good their first-party games are.

You're right that "Dishonored" is being made by Arkane Studios, however you're wrong if you consider them to be a "Third-Party" company. If anything, Arkane Studios is an internal development studio since they're owned by Zenimax Media (i.e. Bethesda Softworks, since Zenimax was created for the sole purpose of housing Bethesda and bailing the company out of near-bankruptcy back in 1999-2000). A "Third-Party" development studio would be like Splash Damage or inXile Entertainment, companies which are independent of a publisher and only sign on to a particular publisher for one or two games.

I'd also disagree that Bethesda Softworks hasn't published any good "Third-Party" games, that's more a matter of your opinion than actual fact. For example, I liked Brink, it was (to me) a good game, and I still to this day cannot understand the negative criticism surrounding it. Perhaps it could be considered an average game, but a bad game? Certainly not! Then you must also consider Fallout: New Vegas, another "Third-Party" game which is pretty good, albeit with a fair few bugs, but it's also considered more faithful to the original Fallouts than Fallout 3 was, and many would even say F:NV is better than Fallout 3 (which I, for one, would agree with).

 

[Krantos]

If anything, Arkane Studios is an internal development studio since they're owned by Zenimax Media

Ah, I didn't know that.

I'd also disagree that Bethesda Softworks hasn't published any good "Third-Party" games, that's more a matter of your opinion than actual fact.

Frankly, I kind of thought it was assumed that any time someone says a game(s) is bad/good, it's a matter of opinion, so I didn't really see the need to tack on an "IMO".

I liked Brink, it was (to me) a good game, and I still to this day cannot understand the negative criticism surrounding it. Perhaps it could be considered an average game, but a bad game? Certainly not!

I can't speak for everyone, but for me there were two things that I really hated about Brink. One of the simple fact that it had so much potential, but was really poorly executed. It had the makings of a GOTY title, and ending making the bargain bin. Secondly, I don't think the game should be a full-priced title. With the entire game being a collection of 8 multiplayer maps, including the SP-campaign, I really think it would have done better as a downloadable $15 title off PSN, XBLA, and Steam.

Then you must also consider Fallout: New Vegas, another "Third-Party" game which is pretty good, albeit with a fair few bugs, but it's also considered more faithful to the original Fallouts than Fallout 3 was, and many would even say F:NV is better than Fallout 3 (which I, for one, would agree with).

There are a variety of issues I bring up against NV, but it really comes down to the fact that the game is little more than a Third-party expansion that was packaged as a full title. 90% of the game was lifted bodily from FO3, with some new models added in for buildings and items. Yes, a few things were definite improvements (companions and HC mode), but it doesn't change the fact that I've seen Indie mods made with just as much new content and systems. And those are free.


TL;DR. I find myself respectfully disagreeing with several of your points. And thanks for the heads up about Arkane being owned by Zeni, that's news to me.



As to Brink