Is it safe to say Disney should not be considered an option anymore?

[Waffles]

Since they basically put LucasArts in a very similar situation as Paragon (closed it, Cancelling first assault, 1313, and battlefront 3 in the process), Granted our situation is worse, but still. Could we trust them, even if they got our game?

[SeaLily]

They also shut down Junction Point, which was Warren Spector's studio and the guys that made both Epic Mickey games.  Disney's looking to outsource all their game development right now, so yeah, they're not really a good option now.

In my opinion, they never really were, but I could see how some people would think looking to them might be a good idea I guess.

[HEATSTROKE]

 I dont think one thing has a thing to do with another in all honesty.. but Disney was a long shot to begin with and we all knew that.

[therain93]

*sigh* This is actually the first that I'm hearing that Lucasarts was closed down.  Such an amazing number of games they released over the past 2+ decades.  It's very depressing, although I can only hope they'll license out their old games (like Outlaws) to someone like valve to put them on Steam.  Best of luck to those people laid off.

[The White Rager]

Since they basically put LucasArts in a very similar situation as Paragon (closed it, Cancelling first assault, 1313, and battlefront 3 in the process),

That's actually wrong. They are not cancelling those games. They will see them produced. Disney has assured everyone of this. So, basically, they've got transparent business reasons for closing and they are doing it responsibly. But, yes, that still makes them unlikely to pick us up. They just don't want that kind of investment in the business anymore.

[Mister Bison]

That's actually wrong. They are not cancelling those games. They will see them produced. Disney has assured everyone of this. So, basically, they've got transparent business reasons for closing and they are doing it responsibly. But, yes, that still makes them unlikely to pick us up. They just don't want that kind of investment in the business anymore.

on the contrary. Disney is more likely to buy the city of heroes IP since Paragon Studios is not tied to it anymore. They can buy the IP and contract a studio into maintaining it, or developing it. What they don't want is owning a studio and developing.

I didn't know that they restarted the development of the stopped star wars games though. Good news.

[MaidMercury]

Microsoft allowed it's old MMO games like 'Crimson Skies' to be run on private servers by Fans of the game when they ended promoting it........I'd feel more comfortable having them buy CoH.

[CrimsonCapacitor]

Perhaps Disney isn't out of the running yet...

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/09/17/why-disney-buys-all-the-premium-character-collecti.aspx

[JaguarX]

yep who knows. But then even if thye did pick up the COX stuff, where would it go? They probably dont want it to compete with Marvel stuff, but they probably will want to make at least Marvel type money. And while most of the stuff DIsney picked up that are considered Niche, most are huge names. Like hundreds of millions to 1 billion niche big.

But who knows, the Mouse may find something interesting in it and I'm sure one of the TFHM just so happen to know a guy that knows a guy that used to wear the mickey mouse suit that knows this guy that knows this guy that work in the Disney resort office that knows this guy that recieved an email from the VP secretary once. AKA-the inside man. BUT of course, they cant tell us anything because they wasnt suppose to tell them and they dont want to get sued and even if they buy it will be another 5 years before word gets out. Forget about the expense report!  Soooo no news means a victory. :p

[CrimsonCapacitor]

Perhaps you're thinking of it too narrowly.  These are competitors to Marvel, they could easily be ADDITIONS to.  Statesman fighting alongside Captain America?  Wolverine and Manti going toe to toe?  Thor versus Infernal? 

They could so easily become part of the Marvel-verse.

[JaguarX]

Perhaps you're thinking of it too narrowly.  These are competitors to Marvel, they could easily be ADDITIONS to.  Statesman fighting alongside Captain America?  Wolverine and Manti going toe to toe?  Thor versus Infernal? 

They could so easily become part of the Marvel-verse.

yup. didn't think of it in that way.

And now to think of it I can see how those characters you mentioned fit. Thor vs Infernal. In Thor lore alone there are worlds that humans don't know exist with battles raging. And Infernal could possible be from and or draw power from one of these worlds that have been upsetting the balance from him catching too many demons, the inhabitants of a realm in Thor world.

Or Statesman, who was also around the WW2 time period. How cool would it be if Capt. found another hero vet from that time period and teamed up with. Or I could see them butting heads at first. States-the pompous all powerful prick vs the all American family values kiss the babies Capt A. Of course I'm sure the Mouse will find a way and probably do a good job to not make it look like States is another Superman rip off.

Hell yeah. 

Now the question is are they interested in it

[JRVthatsME]

I'm not a big fan of disney right now after they shut down Pixie Hollow, Pirates of the Caribbean and Toon Town on all those little kids. I've been looking through youtube vids the last few days seeing kids reactions and trying to post comments with messages of support and advice on how we managed to cope so far. However bad shutting down a game on a primarily mature player base like us (this next part also applies to the kids you lost CoH with us) doing it to little kids is so much worse I can't even put it into words. If disney get those game back up and running for those kids then they may earn back my respect, by right now all I'm concerned about is how much they have hurt so many children.

As far as disney buying CoH and outsourcing it to a game studio that they don't own, it would seem the only real option (if it can be done and hopefully without being viewed in a negative or insulting way) would be to outsource it back to Cryptic Studios. At least it looks that way to me.

[JaguarX]

I'm not a big fan of disney right now after they shut down Pixie Hollow, Pirates of the Caribbean and Toon Town on all those little kids. I've been looking through youtube vids the last few days seeing kids reactions and trying to post comments with messages of support and advice on how we managed to cope so far. However bad shutting down a game on a primarily mature player base like us (this next part also applies to the kids you lost CoH with us) doing it to little kids is so much worse I can't even put it into words. If disney get those game back up and running for those kids then they may earn back my respect, by right now all I'm concerned about is how much they have hurt so many children.

As far as disney buying CoH and outsourcing it to a game studio that they don't own, it would seem the only real option (if it can be done and hopefully without being viewed in a negative or insulting way) would be to outsource it back to Cryptic Studios. At least it looks that way to me.

If that outsourcing thing that would be one hell of a cool storybook full circle thing for real.

Alright Disney, now, if a person want to see how business oriented a company can get, Disney is the king in the entertainment world and do it while handing out candy and kid stories while underneath they are one of the most calculating cold businesses out there. And not talking about them shutting down those three game either. They been like that for a while.

But the upside is that when Disney put their mind/money to something, they tend to make it succeed, over all, usually and are far from dummies in making a product. Which is why I think on one hand Disney picking up COX IP would be good, but people looking for a warm and fuzzy, "hey how's it going, guys." corporation, Disney is further from it than NCSOFT and would highly be disappointed.

Disney buys sells hire and fire, people, departments and studios like it was playing a chess game and everyone is pawns being moved around on a board.  And of course, outsource or not The Mouse would get it's cut but at the same time probably give COX the marketing push that it needed.

Under the Mouse I think COX probably would have grown 5-10 fold from the peak that it had under NCSOFT, but the cost and expectations would be dear.   

[HarvesterOfEyes]

I believe you all would have been horrified with what Disney would have made of CoH.

I take it as a blessing that they weren't interested.

[JRVthatsME]

And it does seems that for reason incomprehensible ncsoft are unwilling to let go of the IP. Though if perhaps the situation were to come about that ncsoft outsource City of Heroes to Cryptic things could work out for everyone provided a fair deal can be made. I'm thinking a joint membership deal with Champions Online to remove competition between those games as a factor and ncsoft get a percentage of cash shop sales as royalties. (And yes I am aware of how twisted and messed up of a situations this is, but it should all both ncsoft and Cryptic to make a profit while ncsoft can both own CoH and have nothing to do with it at the same time which seems to be what they want)

[Kistulot]

And it does seems that for reason incomprehensible ncsoft are unwilling to let go of the IP.

It's more valuable to them as something they can hold in their wallet and claim its worth X moneys than as a one time burst of cashflow. Sadly.

[Stormsurge]

They should pick up COH and put Marvel adds into the game. Everyone is happy.

[AlphaFerret]

A premium add-on to enter a parallel Marvel Universe would be fabulous.

[JRVthatsME]

Actually yeah that would be great. Just imagine The Freedom Phalanx teaming up with The Avengers to try and stop some epic battle between Rularuu and Galactus causing devastating destruction across the multiverse. Well you know, for example lol :-)

[Mouse-Man]

Oh yeah, kind of like when Marvel bought the Ultraverse back in the 90's... Now we can see Prime, Nightman, Solitaire, and the Strangers teaming up with the X-men all the time!

Or when DC launched the Imapct line and brought all of those old Archie comics superheroes they licensed into a new era!
 
Disney has Marvel. They have one of the biggest two comic universes in existance. CoH's intellectual property mean nada to them. I'd hate to see a big company take CoH and systematically tear it down the same way Marvel and DC destroyed the Ultraverse and Impact Comics.

No good could have come out of this attempt.