PB and JoWooD "divorce", but Gothic 4 underway

[Hellion]

Spotted at RPG Watch

After the final termination of negotiations over a continuation of the Gothic series, Piranha Bytes are forced to move in other directions. Which titles are to be published under the Gothic brand in the nearer future is totally unclear at this point in time.

The negotiations which were held since November 2006 did not lead to an acceptable result for any of the parties involved.

Piranha Bytes can not meet the demands of the community by releasing a major patch with content-related changes. The original idea was to develop this patch as a side-project along with an add-on or a further title (and to provide the patch as a free download as well as to include it with the boxes of said products)

However...

JoWooD Productions has talked to possible developing studios for Gothic 4 on PC & conloses for many weeks now. The focus on picking a developing studio is high quality standard and bugfree coding...JoWood ist focussing on the console market...

So, who's to blame for G3's bugfest: JoWood for rushing production, or Piranha Bytes? And, more importantly, can the Gothic series keep on, or are they essentially dead?

 

[Brother None]

Yes.

Gothic 4.

For Conloses.

The franchise is dead. Died with G3, more or less, since that release was an insult.

 

[Tannhauser]

That is a real shame, hope the Piranha Bytes fellows can pull through to develop other games.

Looks really bad for the planned uber-patch, as well the Gothic franchise.

 

[Tagaziel]

The franchise is dead. Died with G3, more or less, since that release was an insult.

I have to disagree, Gothic 3 is one of my favourite games and it DID do justice to the previous games. However, it was too radical change of gameplay for some.

 

[slamelov]

Bye bye Gothic, now the saga is over. For me.

 

[Tannhauser]

In my mind, Gothic isn't all that special or creative of a setting, it is what Piranha Bytes was able to do with it that makes it highly regarded. In addition, the Piranha Bytes developers seem willing to admit and learn from their mistakes. It is why I have high hopes for their future games, even though Gothic III was so rushed (though I was hoping for the possible uberpatch that would improve things).

I don't care all that much about the future of the Gothic series, it is what happens to Piranha Bytes which I am interested in.