American McGee asks fans to "respect his decision to move on" after EA "killed" a third Alice game
"We are not 'giving up' any more than a person hit by a bus is 'giving up'".
American McGee has asked people to "stop asking questions about Alice" following confirmation that EA would not let him continue the macabre cult series.
In a follow-up Q&A posted to his Patreon page, McGee admitted that he was "feeling the same pain and anger as many of you" but said it was time for he and his fans "to move on".
In a public statement posted to McGee's Patreon last week, the developer said he had "exhausted every option for getting a new Alice game made" after IP holder Electronic Arts reportedly "decided to pass on the project based on an internal analysis of the IP, market conditions, and details of the production proposal" whilst simultaneously refusing to part with the license, either.
"The rights are very simple - EA owns Alice and they control it," McGee explains in the follow-up Q&A after receiving numerous messages from fans seeking his permission to create "fan-based creations".
"If you want to do something with the IP, you are free to do that - just like you are with all other IPs - but you get into trouble when you start trying to sell the stuff you create. Additional questions on this stuff should be directed at EA. I really want some space from Alice and questions related to it."
"I appreciate the concern and the offer to help," he adds. "But I've been mentally preparing for this moment for a long time. Because I've known for a very long time that Alice isn't mine. As attached as I am to the property, I've learned to keep my distance emotionally.
"I just want to restate that I understand how difficult this is for many of you. I am feeling the same pain and anger as many of you. And I understand that in situations like these, we often ask ourselves 'what can we do' or 'what could we have done differently' in order to change the outcome. It's tough to admit right now but ultimately, we're going to need to accept that this decision and the situation, in general, is out of our control.
"We are not 'giving up' any more than a person who is hit by a bus is 'giving up'", he concludes. "We did everything we could as a team and a group of fans to convince EA to let this next chapter happen. EA decided to kill the project and the possibility of any future for Alice. That decision is on them.
"But we can make a decision of our own - and it's a strong decision to make - to move on. That is what we do have in our power. And it's often one of the most difficult decisions to be made in situations like this. But it's what we must do. So, I would ask that you join me in moving on. If you decide to stay back and continue fighting... that's fine. That is your decision to make. I respect that. And I ask that you also respect my decision to move on. Thank you."
American McGee unveiled the full story of Alice: Asylum, the third instalment of Mysterious Studios' fantastically grim take on Alice in Wonderland, back in August 2021. Succeeding 2011's Alice: Madness Returns, Alice: Asylum was part of McGee's unique "crowd design process" and had been drawn up in consultation with his 3000+ Patreon backers.