the Battlezone Franchise was sold to Rebellion Interactive

[Roscoe]

http://atariuser.com/portal/atari-to-se ... nanswered/

Might this bode well?

[Ded10c]

Just the two original vector games, Activision own these two

[Roscoe]

BAH.

[Nielk1]

Just the two original vector games, Activision own these two

Battlezone and Battlezone 2000. Everyone on the net seems to think it is BZ1 and BZ2, it isn't.

[MrTwosheds]

My understanding of this, is that it is none of those, it is the franchise, the right to produce new games using the Battlezone brand.
So http://www.rebellion.co.uk/ have just laid out $566,500 for a Brand name. It would be logical to assume that they intend to use it.

...http://www.rebellion.co.uk/jobs/...

[Red Devil]

Battlezone III:...Zombie Commander?

[Ded10c]

Battlezone III:...Zombie Commander?

Won't be anything related to the Activision IP (so not Battlezone III) and probably won't go beyond the arena-arcade shooter the other half-dozen or so Battlezone games have been (so not Commander).

[Axeminister]

Ahadley, think positive. You're supposed to give us actual players hope. Say stuff like, I can't wait for Battlezone: Bio-Metal Commander... or something.

[MrTwosheds]

They seem to have a fairly good reputation for producing quality products and focus on the sci fi side of things. Here's to hoping they're not just guys with overly fat wallets and no imagination looking for a bot deathmatch game to play on their phones. Spending half a million on the title could either be a sign of serious intent or corporate stupidity...
I don't suppose for a minute that they would care to listen to the opinions of the old BZ's community...I know I wouldn't
Oxford isn't so far from here...I could offer myself as "Zone Visionary" tester and fairly poor artist, if I wasn't such a burned out hopeless old loser.

[Ded10c]

Ahadley, think positive. You're supposed to give us actual players hope. Say stuff like, I can't wait for Battlezone: Bio-Metal Commander... or something.

I'm all for giving people hope, but that's not something I'm going to do if it isn't there. Rebellion won't make that game because they *can't*.

If anyone wants to try it though, I'll be damn quick to offer up as a writer.

[MrTwosheds]

Why can't they?

[Ded10c]

Rebellion own the rights to Battlezone and Battlezone 2000, both eesentially the same vector-based arcade tank shooter. Since they own the Atari rights, this may by inference include the PSP or XBLA titles. The rights to the Activision strategy series still belong to Activision, but with no name attached. Rebellion will not be making anything related to them. They are unlikely to make something greatly different from the established arena shooters because that's a) what the series has established itself as, and b) what sold. You don't do things that don't make money.

[MrTwosheds]

Well I'm no expert on such matters, but WTF would anyone spend half a million dollars on the "rights" to an old game that can be played by anyone for free in a web browser?
Franchise, says to me that Rebellion have bought exactly what Activision bought from Atari when they built BZ1 and 2.
It is not the "rights" to some old game nobody plays any more, it is probably just temporary permission to use the Brand name Battlezone.
Rebellion can build whatever sort of game they want to and slap the name on it.
Being pessimistic I also think they will probably make a lovely looking but essentially dull, clone, one player, shoot em up game, probably one that can be played on a phone. after all nobody is really going to notice how shallow and pointless it is until after they have parted with their money.
Optimistically I see that they are focusing on the Sci Fi Genre, so they might well be planning a more story based game type.

[Ded10c]

Now it is theirs, they can do whatever they want with it. Activision were just borrowing the name; Rebellion now own it. But don't expect innovation. Expect nothing and you can only be pleasantly surprised.

[MrTwosheds]

We have studios in Oxford and Liverpool (Runcorn), and also publish the legendary 2000AD comic featuring Judge Dredd, Rogue Trooper, Strontium Dog, ABC Warriors and many more characters.

This is actually quite cool, they have there a first class source of story lines and artistic inspiration to work with.

Oh I get it now, The have bought the franchise, so If anyone wants to make a Battlezone, it is now Rebellion that you need to waive lots of cash at.