Jack Emmert Talks Acquisition on Ten Ton Hammer

[Quarion]

After yesterday's Atari acquisition announcement, Ten Ton Hammer's Cody Bye took the opportunity to interview Cryptic Studios’ Chief Creative Officer, Jack Emmert regarding the news.

Ten Ton Hammer: First off, how will being acquired by Atari change the studio and/or any of the games that are going to be developed by Cryptic? Jack Emmert: This will allow us to focus on our games and not focus so much on keeping the lights on. The job of an independent developer, especially the larger the studio gets, is as much about running the company as it is about developing the game. Those two roles are extremely hard to balance the larger and larger you get.

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[Captain Matthew Riker]

Well, from the sound of things it will be essentially business as usual for STO as well as Champions Online. That being said, any buyout, take over, or stock purchase involving a company in development usually sees hiccups here and there. So I figure people should be prepared for a delay in release more than a total revamp of the entire game or cancellation of it outright. Personally, I can handle a reasonable delay (no more than one year, but ideally less than six months). I just want to be sure we see a product, and that it isn't released before it is ready.

[Eidolonael]

So, Atari is a financial boost for STO and Cryptic much like Dell was as a Distribution Center for Alienware... Nothing was effected, it just got a reenforced foundation.

[Amosov]

Hey how about a Godzilla MMO, we all make our own Giant Monsters and trash the planet

[KirksOtherSon]

Most marriages start out well, and I wish the happy couple much luck, but the proof will come when things get tough.

If Atari stays the hell out of Cryptic's way, creatively-speaking, and lets them do what they do best, then it's all for the good.

The minute Atari starts pulling the Sony Online Entertainment shtik, where the accounting and the marketing departments start dictating content and/or release dates, citing the need to show "ever-increasing profits to reassure the stockholders" as paramount, then I know the corporate relationship has turned abusive, as it too often does when one business partner owns the metaphoric deed to the house and controls all the money.

I don't expect the worst, by any means, but I will keep a watchful eye out for it. Look at SOE's history; look at EA's. Will Infogrames/Atari be the good corporate partner? I do hope so.

When a black-eyed Jack Emmert starts claiming he only "walked into a door" at a corporate meeting, or Craig's goat suddenly goes missing and turns up as an "exotic entree" at an Atari corporate retreat dinner, then I'll know Cryptic's bought trouble here today.

Hoping for the best, but keeping an eye on the new guys,

KOS

[Trekkie]

This interview was definitely assuring, and it seems like the acquisition was a positive thing for the developers! I, too, just hope that the developers are allowed to continue with their vision without any interruption.

[mordaci]

Makes it sounds like they met on the street and offered a deal. Something smells. But I wish them all the luck and hopeing they give us a great game in the end.

[onesoul1982]

I do ask the Dev's who read these posts to continue giving us updates as usual.

I think once we see something as proof that it is "business as usual" , i.e. new screenshots or an updated time line, most of our fears will be set aside.

thanks

[Kuhr]

Ok..Im a little more calmer after reading this interview. Hopefully, if they start to "really" focus on the game, it shoud still come out late 2009. Anyways , I loved Atari when it first hit in the late 70s and early 80s, so I have faith in them that they wont screw this up but want to get back in the game big time. So Im cool with this because STO can be the biggest thing to hit MMO world with all its old and young fans alike and not even mentiioning the New movie comeing out in 09.

[Dominion1971]

Well, I certainly hope this remains a good thing.. Jack said it will allow them to focus solely on making the MMO's as the other things are taken care of by Atari.. This is good.. We can ONLY HOPE that this means that the production will RAMP UP and STO will get to us sooner rather then later *cough* 2010 *cough*

Here is to hoping that STO gets to us a lot sooner now!!