A sad day indeed.

Interestingly enough I read a while ago that MS will be/are making all *big* games for Xbox as to sell more xboxed and thuis dominate the console market.

In that case even if we got a Fl2, it would probably be for the X360 or something

I dunno about other places, but that would mean in SA 400rand for the game and 1400rand for the console

@sw - true, but the 360 will halve in price in 12 months, they always do.

half price is still three weeks pay for me on a good full week they can keep there consule and there worthless games to, M$ can go rot in the pits of h*** and take there overpriced crud with them for all i care i never saw what was so good about consules anyway or why ppl would camp out in front of a store for two weeks just to get the first ones and pay four times what there worth. i've got dime i'll spend on their box and a penny for the game thats what it's worth. not $400 for something that is completly useless with out a game disc. just sit there and buzz without a $40.00 game

"MS sucks...they're so eVil!"

You all are idiots. You were born idiots, you will apparently die idiots. Save the MS evil monopoly conglomeration conspiracy crap from somone who actually gives a damn. In case you numbnuts didn't know it, DA was completely owned by Microsoft studios. Do you understand that?! MS didn't buy and shut down an independent studio here, they chose to shut down one of their own branches, an UNPROFITABLE branch. Anyone here that thinks Bill Gates was involved in this situation is smoking more pot than they have a right to be. As much as I love DA let's look at the facts: DA produced a grand total 4 games in 6-7 years. It doesn't matter who you are that's only a good thing if those games were Halo, Halo 2, GTA and Madden 2005. The fact that the games they did produce didn't sell very well wasn't much of a positive either. Although I liked the games and so did most everyone else that did buy them. If a branch doesn't make good business sense then its completely unrealistic to expect a corporation to continue to devote an ever increasing budget of resources to maintain the status quo. Before you blame them remember they are a corporation in the business of making money. They are not greedy evil monoplists, they are doing their job. If you gave a $1,000 to a friend to invest for you and each year he kept losing your money, how long does that keep going on? It might not be his fault but you can't keep losing money...

If you hate Microsoft then at least have the sense to have a valid reason, all the above comments I've seen listed show the intellectual capability of a goat. You guys are lead to believe whatever the hell people tell you to believe. Grow some brains.


Edited by - Major Striker on 12/2/2005 11:53:06 AM

is this a surprise ? not at all. most of us knew this was gonna happen long ago (or was in processes of being done long ago)

Sad? yes, DA had great potential to produce some killer space sim games (IE: FL2 woulda been cool) but hope is not dead, like was mentioned the space sim arena wwill only die if we let it. Personally i love the space sim games (Freespace 1 & 2, Starlancer, Freelancer being my favs)

I know about the OpenLancer project, but truthfully that really isn't a FL2, it is more a project to make Freelancer what it was suppose to be.

If some of the great modders would get toggethor we could see a great FL2 game developed based on the FL engine. Albeit legal issues would need to be worked out , but with the great minds that hang around here (Argh, Chips, and many others come to mind) there could be done the best sequel ever.

I do thank MS for releasing FL, but i also hate the fact that they shut down DA.

Striker is right. The sad part is that most people who his comments are directed toward won't want to read it because it's too long.

But yes, Striker is completely right: this was a business maneuver. Business is like a war, and in war there are casualties. DA didn't pull its weight around MGS, and as such was shut down. Does that mean there won't be a Freelancer 2? Probably. Does that mean there won't be another Freelancer-like game that is similar? Not at all. Just because it may not carry the Freelancer name, just because it won't be produced by Digital Anvil doesn't mean it won't be like Freelancer. Each one of us who have played Freelancer know enough about the game and the genre to put together the basic design for a game. It's just a matter of getting someone to make it or just making it. Don't let this stop you from wanting an FL2, allow it to make you want it more. DA's demise just opens the space for someone else to stand up and deliver to us a new game, just like FL, but better. Something made by someone who has been in contact with the community. Something made for the gamer, not for the business. That's what DA did, FL could have been even better if it hadn't been rushed by business, but we've all learned the lesson here.

Time for a 21 coke salute. DA brought innovation and creativity to the PC gaming world, now it's someone else's turn. Bravo, Digital Anvil, we salute you!

why why why!!! now there is no hope for fl2!!!

I doubt a sequel will be made unless Microsoft sell the rights to someone else.

After all, can the space sim genre really haul in as much money as a bog standard FPS or RTS? Cause thats all Microsoft cares about

---

Cause thats all Microsoft cares about

---

someone else who didn't read Strikers post I believe

Like I said in my first comment. Business is business. It doesn't matter which company makes the decision or how large the company is...the whole point of being in business is to make money...and if there is no money in a product, they won't develop it. Simple economics.

I hate to be the one to shatter anyone's illusions, but the primary goal of businesses is to make money and *not* to cater for potential customers needs. Sorry guys, but thats capitalism.

Goodbye DA starlancer and freelancer Where Awesome..you will be missed

alas.........unless Gates sells the rights for the lancer series to someone else, no FL2.

Microsoft+Evil=Bill Gates

Doesn't sound as if (FL2) will ever be made now !!!!!! MS YOU!!!! @#$GF$T#V#!F#f

DAMN we can't F***ing have this!!!!
We need to go March right up to MS HQ in new york and give old bill a pieace of are minds!!!!!!

The future isn't what it used to be....

---- Rex the lazy lancer

Since when was DA not dead? DA was dead years ago. Now its official.

M$ was never going to make FL2 and now they still won't.