Obsidian doing Alien RPG

By Tom Bramwell Published 14 December, 2006

Confirmed. Gearbox for FPS?

SEGA has confirmed that Obsidian Entertainment will be developing its upcoming Alien RPG for next-generation systems.

The duo first announced that they were collaborating on an RPG back in March, specifying that it would appear on PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

The Alien RPG, as yet unnamed, aims to "build upon the distinctive look and feel of the original films".

SEGA of America boss Simon Jeffery reckons that Obsidian is "the only developer for us that could effectively combine the Alien mythology with compelling RPG gameplay to create the ultimate Alien experience".

Meanwhile, Obsidian CEO Feargus Urquhart said it was "a great honour" to work on the Alien series.

Obsidian has plenty of experience working with big licences too, having developed Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - Sith Lords for PC and Xbox.

The Obsidian announcement won't be the last SEGA Alien release, of course, with the identity of the developer behind the first-person shooter mentioned in Monday's licensing announcement still to be established.

At least in theory. However, a blip in the boilerplate on an early version of SEGA's Aliens website, which identified Obsidian prior to official confirmation, also named Gearbox Software - leading to speculation that the Brothers In Arms developer will be handling the FPS side of the licence.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (25) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • space_ace #1 5 years ago

    can't come soon enough...

  • Blerk #2 5 years ago

    Tried looking at porn?

  • Pike #3 5 years ago

    Sound very interesting. NWN 2 is superb, despite the technical problems.
    Edited by 1 at 14/12/06 @ 10:31

  • neuroniky #4 5 years ago

    I never thought another RPG could top Mass Effect in my whishlist... but this actually does. Let's just hope nobody messes up the ending this time...

  • kingmob #5 5 years ago

    "Sound very interesting. NWN 2 issuperb, despite the technical problems. "

    The lead designer from NWN2 is in charge of the Alien RPG as well. I have tentatively high hopes.

  • UncleLou #6 5 years ago

    Great stuff. Could hardly have gone to a better team.

  • Rich72 #7 5 years ago

    @ space ace and blerk


    ... . better than too early...... "sorry luv"

  • vegard #8 5 years ago

    Feargus Urquhart? NAME OF THE YEAR!

  • S.J.Rogers #9 5 years ago

    In space no one can hear you say Woo Hoo..!

  • space_ace #10 5 years ago

    to wiseguys: well it's a proof that games are unlike life ;)

  • groovychainsaw #11 5 years ago

    /am interested
    Seriously, if somebody actually gives obsidian enough time come up wit ha story set in the Aliens universe, this could be awesome. Whats the betting it:
    A) takes 5 years to get it right (preferable) or
    B) gets rushed out in two, leading to another flawed masaterpiece from obsidian....

  • kingmob #12 5 years ago

    "A) takes 5 years to get it right (preferable) or
    B) gets rushed out in two, leading to another flawed masaterpiece from obsidian.... "

    I've read that they're talking about a 2009 release date

  • Kostabi #13 5 years ago

    Sega in good choice shocker!

    Obsidian should deliver the goods providing they don't get sodomised Lucasarts style again.

  • spongebob #14 5 years ago

    Obsidian and Gearbox. Sounds like Aliens has a change this time around.

  • crazyhorse174 #15 5 years ago

    Please, please, please give them enough time to finish it properly!

  • SomaticSense #16 5 years ago

    Sorry, I'm a huge fan of the films (massive!!!) but I have no idea how an Alien RPG would work. I would've thought they would be one of the movie franchises which would least work in an RPG environment.

    Not liking the idea personally, as it has the potential to destroy the franchise that I love with a shitty story pandered to RPG fans.

  • butsomuch #17 5 years ago

    J.E. Sawyer, the lead designer on this project posted at SA forum.

    "I'm not sure how much Sega wants us to talk about what we're up to, but I would like to repeat something I posted at the OEI boards:

    I think the Alien films are as much about relationships between humans as conflicts between humans and aliens. Alien is a great horror film and Aliens a great action film, but I think their character interactions are more important to their success than the raw horror or action elements.

    For that reason, I think the potential to make a great Aliens RPG is pretty high."

    "I really view that as a blessing. We have enough canon material to have a solid foundation that fans can recognize, but plenty of room to expand various facets of the universe that have previously been unexplored."

  • kingmob #18 5 years ago

    Personally I think the Aliens universe would be great for an RPG. The movies have shown (but only slightly touched upon) a universe run by corporations with prison planets, space pirates, etc. I have faith in Obsidian to take the little hints of things we've seen in the movies and expand on them to fit the scope of their story.

    It's not like Star Wars where practically every facet of the universe has been explained in minute detail. In Aliens we've just had tantalising glimpses of the world Ripley lives in and I'm sure there's a ton of RPG potential there.

    I just hope it is a proper RPG where I can choose to be a corporate lackey trying to capture and harness the Alien and damn anyone who gets in the way. I DON'T want to be forced to be Hicks MK2
    Edited by 1 at 14/12/06 @ 14:00

  • mkreku #19 5 years ago

    I tried to tip Eurogamer about this news a few days ago. Or was it yesterday? Anyhow, I even sent them a link to a screenshot where Sega slipped up and revealed Obsidian and Gearbox as the developers in charge..

    Oh well, no harm done. By the way, feel free to join in the discussion about this potential masterpiece over at Obsidian's official forums :)

  • Mr_Brown #20 5 years ago

    I've been hoping somone somewhere would do something good with the Alien Series...and like buses two come at once. The RPG sounds awesome and I truely hope Gearbox are doing the FPS. Best decision ever!

  • Hunam85 #21 5 years ago

    Awesome news, Obsidian, i loves ya :)

  • JavaJawaUK #22 5 years ago

    Obsidian are one of my three fave RPG developers, second only to Bethesda at second and BioWare [whose franchises Obsidian seem to pick up and continue] at first place. Can only be good, will be interesting to see what they can do with Alien, especially in an RPG.

  • gnarl #23 5 years ago

    Like this idea. Could be good successor to System Shock 2.

  • NegativeZero #24 5 years ago

    Here's hoping that Sega aren't cunts to work with like Lucasarts are. KotOR II would have been absolutely fantastic had they been allowed to finish it. I hope Sega don't force Obsidian to push this one out before it's cooked too.

  • Gastrian #25 5 years ago

    As butsomuch said, this game doesn't have to focus on the Aliens for it to be part of the Aliens franchise. It can easily focus on the marines from Aliens or the explorers from Alien. KOTOR I & II didn't really have much in them that went with the movies, it bulked out the back story and the franchise and hopefully this new game will do the same for the Alien(s) franchise.