Rumours have started that Microsoft is looking to aquire EA, http://www.gamepro.com/article/news/212227/rumor-microsoft-to-buy-ea/ , which would mean TOR would end up being published by Microsoft.  Microsoft is denying the rumours, http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE58N1EK20090924, but denied rumours sometimes end up becoming a reality (the existance of this forum is a good example...).  It's something to keep an eye on, though.

Whether this would be a good thing or not for TOR is debatable and will likely depend on your opinion of Microsoft but so far they don't have an overly good track record with MMO's - look what happened to Vanguard, for instance.  SOE had to step in and save the game from being scrapped before it even launched due to Microsoft ditching it.  Personally, I don't really blame MS for ditching Vanguard - based on the amount of work SOE had to do on the game to get it to a playable state it probably should have been left to die.

Originally posted by Obraik

Rumours have started that Microsoft is looking to aquire EA, http://www.gamepro.com/article/news/212227/rumor-microsoft-to-buy-ea/ , which would mean TOR would end up being published by Microsoft.  Microsoft is denying the rumours, http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE58N1EK20090924, but denied rumours sometimes end up becoming a reality (the existance of this forum is a good example...).  It's something to keep an eye on, though.

Whether this would be a good thing or not for TOR is debatable and will likely depend on your opinion of Microsoft but so far they don't have an overly good track record with MMO's - look what happened to Vanguard, for instance.  SOE had to step in and save the game from being scrapped before it even launched due to Microsoft ditching it.  Personally, I don't really blame MS for ditching Vanguard - based on the amount of work SOE had to do on the game to get it to a playable state it probably should have been left to die.

Rumours...

If you look at Microsofts trackrecord regarding Vanguard they have a near perfect trackrecord. Heck MS pulled out of Vanguard long before Beta when they saw where that piece of shit project was heading. Management and cost controll where all but absent at Sigil. So the numbercrunshers at MS did what they had to do. Leave the sinking ship early and cut their losses.

Originally posted by Hauken

If you look at Microsofts trackrecord regarding Vanguard they have a near perfect trackrecord. Heck MS pulled out of Vanguard long before Beta when they saw where that piece of shit project was heading. Management and cost controll where all but absent at Sigil. So the numbercrunshers at MS did what they had to do. Leave the sinking ship early and cut their losses.

 

Whereas they should have been keeping on eye on the project well before beta even started.  If I were funding something I would not do it without watching the progress.  This tells me Microsoft knew exactly what was going on just chose to turn a blind eye until it was too late and they had to bail.

Originally posted by Hauken

If you look at Microsofts trackrecord regarding Vanguard they have a near perfect trackrecord. Heck MS pulled out of Vanguard long before Beta when they saw where that piece of shit project was heading. Management and cost controll where all but absent at Sigil. So the numbercrunshers at MS did what they had to do. Leave the sinking ship early and cut their losses.

 

Good point...

I will hold my opinions on if this is good or not until I learn a little bit more about how MS runs games.  I can't recall them creating (other then VG)  any MMOs so I can't really give a good opinion.  I do like some of their games, but in this case they aren't creating a game, rather just buying a game company.

Good find though, thanks Obraik.

 Interesting read Obraik, thanks for posting it

Originally posted by m240gulf

Originally posted by Hauken

If you look at Microsofts trackrecord regarding Vanguard they have a near perfect trackrecord. Heck MS pulled out of Vanguard long before Beta when they saw where that piece of shit project was heading. Management and cost controll where all but absent at Sigil. So the numbercrunshers at MS did what they had to do. Leave the sinking ship early and cut their losses.

 

 

Good point...

 

I will hold my opinions on if this is good or not until I learn a little bit more about how MS runs games.  I can't recall them creating (other then VG)  any MMOs so I can't really give a good opinion.  I do like some of their games, but in this case they aren't creating a game, rather just buying a game company.

 

Good find though, thanks Obraik.

Other then Vanguard, they've had at least two other attempts at MMO's, both of which they pulled the plug on before they were released.  Marvel Universe online (what would have been a competitor to DC Universe) and True Fantasy Live Online.
 

It is surprising that MS still hasn't made a serious push at the MMO market, even for the Xbox considering they like to keep close to Sony.  Sony now has three MMO's on the way for the PS3 (DCU, The Agency and FreeRealms) whereas the Xbox has nothing on the way.  If Microsoft were to get involved and take over EA, I wouldn't be overly surprised if they made a push for TOR to be playable on the Xbox as well.

Didn't MS originally publish Asheron's Call or something? I seem to remember their name all over it.

There's actually quite a few Microsoft has been involved with and then pulled the plug on:

AC2, Mythica, True Fantasy Online, Vanguard, and Marvel Universe.

Check out this article at Gamasutra:  http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=18450

And Champions Online and Final Fantasy XIV are trying to get to Xbox:   http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3175808

Yes they were the original publishers for AC, and I think they had one other game in the works called Mythica

www.infoaddict.com/a-history-of-microsofts-canceled-mmo-games