Future KOA: Reckoning Patch Canned

Last week proved a tragic one for 38 Studios, Big Huge Games, and their legion of passionate followers. Despite having put together one of 2012’s better releases, the open-world action RPG Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, the company failed to make repayments to the state of Rhode Island, after it dished out $75m as part of an economic development drive.

In an address to the community before the weekend, lead game designer Ian Frazier left a parting message, honouring those who had become a part of the Reckoning experience. Frazier described the chances of any future support for the game as “highly unlikely,” an upcoming patch (with new features and bug fixes) having been dropped altogether.

It’s something we very much wanted to do, but various issues outside our control (which unfortunately I’m not at liberty to disclose) prevented us from doing so for a long time.

Established back in 2006, 38 Studios acquired former THQ developer, Big Huge Games (Rise of Nations) three years later. Enlisting the support of acclaimed novelist R.A Salvatore and talented comic artist Todd McFarlane, the firm spent over half a decade creating a rich fantasy universe that would prop up its stable of video games.

Reported to have sold roughly 1.3 million copies, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning also received a warm reception from critics, holding down an impressive Metacritic average of 81. You can catch our review here.

10 Comments

  1. And yet little 5 hour games, which wouldn’t know quality if it walked up and punched them in the face, continue to dominate the sales charts. F**k this gen.

  2. Ruddy heck! EA, help them out as they developed a decent game and helped to make you cash. 38 studios are doomed if they can’t get a publisher to buy them or find the cash to repay the debt soon.

    I think this is the first time that a patch has been canned. I wonder if the remaining developers will start up a new studio if 38 goes under?

    • They struggled to payback the loan and its why 38 Studios are the latest to go, $75 million is a crazy amount to me though how the heck can they pay that back?

      • Also its a harsh lesson from Theme Park and Simcity, never take a loan unless you can get into green… Cruel times too.

  3. Patches get canned all the time, even from devs that don’t go bust.

  4. Shame they went tits up.
    KoA was a great game imo, if a little repetitive.

  5. Does this mean they wont be manufacturing this game anymore aswell? If so I better go pick up a copy as its on my ‘must play list’

  6. It’s £15 at Zavvi mine just shipped :)

    £15 for over 50 hours is bargain bucket.

    • I ended up with roughly 80 hours of gameplay and at some point I had to stop doing all the sidequests so I would finish the game within this decade. It’s well worth the price!

Comments are now closed for this post.