Thief And System shock creator Warren Spector reappeared from the shadows throw Thick as thievesa cooperative game with clear links to its previous immersive simulations. Even with the low price of entry, the game’s simpler approach failed to bring together the guild that Spector and OtherSide Entertainment were counting on. The game will now end support, with continued server access up in the air.
“My fellow thieves, I am here today to talk about the future,” writes director Jeff Hickman in the last update. “Working in the video game industry is sometimes enjoyable and sometimes heartbreaking. As many of you know, OtherSide Entertainment has lost most of its beloved members and only a very small team remains. This means that there will be no further content updates for Thick as Thieves. To be frank, this is not the outcome any of us want, but we are faced with the reality that the continued development of content, modes and systems additional is not a viable path.
Thick as thieves launched at the end of May. While sharing many similar elements with the highly acclaimed Spector Thief games, this co-op focused loot-em-up had a much cleaner design. Noise counters and stealth returned, but spacious maps and toothless enemies made the game much less intense. Combined with the low cost, Thick as thieves feels more suited to an intergenerational family experience, which Spector knows given his enthusiasm for working on the Epic Mickey series. It’s a good niche for a game in this ecosystembut it doesn’t seem like the editor managed to convey that message.
Developer Otherside Entertainment suffered major layoffs just a month after launchwith PC gamer reporting that the entire studio had been reduced to less than ten employees. The latest update indicates that this remaining team and publisher Megabit will look for a way to keep the servers alive, adapting the game to peer-to-peer fan servers if the official servers cease. The update highlights that single-player won’t be affected, even if the game isn’t designed around it.
Even with distinguished pedigrees, online and live gaming are facing a bloodbath. A cause celebre a decade ago, the deluge of high-profile multiplayer games came under intense scrutiny from gamers, especially after Sony’s costly launch. Concord debacle. A successful game can keep the lights on indefinitely, but it therefore raises the stakes as the number of immediate players makes or breaks these games. Thick as thieves» The range was much more modest, but it will nevertheless disappear in the night.