In a strange but welcome twist, Epic Games (Gears of War et al) has announced they will take on a number of ex-BHGers to start a new studio, temporarily titled Epic Baltimore:

Our heart goes out to the people affected by the unfortunate events surrounding 38 Studios and its subsidiary in Baltimore, Big Huge Games.  Through it all, the team stayed together in a way that’s been really heartwarming to see.  The team kept working, hoping that there’d be a way to secure last-minute funding and save the company.  People brought extra food into the office to help those unable to pay their bills.  And last week, in bittersweet irony, Big Huge Games was named to Game Developer’s Top 30 studios in the world list.

You may be wondering why I’m writing all this – and it’s because Epic is going to do something to help them, and we want people to understand why we think it’s the right thing to do.

On Wednesday, the ex-BHG leadership team contacted us.  They wanted to start a new company and keep together some of the key talent displaced by the layoff, and hoped that they could use an Epic IP as a starting point for a new game.  We loved that they all wanted to keep working together, but it was pretty clear they’d have trouble building a demo and securing funding before their personal savings ran out.

In one of life’s coincidences, Epic’s directors had spent the morning discussing how we’d love to build even more successful projects with our growing team, but that we’d need a dramatic infusion of top talent to do so.  Which, we all knew, was impossible.

So now we’re planning to start an impossible studio in Baltimore. 

It’ll take a while to find space, set up desks and PCs, purchase sufficient Nerf weaponry and Dr. Pepper, etc.  But some of these folks have been going too long without a paycheck to wait for that.  So, as soon as we can, we’re going to try to get people working down here at Epic headquarters in Cary, NC as contractors.

There’s a million things to work out.  How many of the team can we hire?  What will it be called?  What will they be working on?  We don’t know all the answers yet.  Please give us some time to figure it out; we hope to have more to share soon.

The way we see it, there’s been a big storm in Baltimore, and we’re taking in a few of the refugees — as are the awesome folks at Zynga East, Zenimax Online, and other southeastern studios.  Epic’s in a situation where we can do this, and it very clearly fits with our company values, so we’re going to give it a whirl.

Dr. Michael Capps

President, Epic Games

VG247 reports that Ken Rolstan's RPG will be unveiled at Comic-Con:

The panel discussion takes place on July 22 and features studio founder Curt Schilling, art director Todd McFarlane, author R. A. Salvatore and the game’s designer Ken Rolston revealing the actual game title along with the first trailer for it.

Gamasutra caught up with fantasy author R.A. Salvatore to discuss his role in the development of Project Copernicus and Project Mercury for 38 Studios.  As a reminder, 38 Studios is the company founded by baseballer Curt Schilling to make an MMO, who then bought Big Huge Games with their Ken Rolston RPG:

So, what is your role on the Copernicus and Mercury  projects? Are you world-building? Are you getting down into the nitty-gritty of actually writing the script?

R. A. Salvatore: At this point I'm world-building. When I came in, I took the basic idea that Curt and his gang wanted to do an MMO, and I turned it into an MMO for them. I created a very detailed history of the world and created all the different regions with a team.

And then of course we hired in a bunch of people: Steve Danuser (EverQuest II), Ryan Shwayder (EverQuest II), and Mike Woods were the first three to come. And we built this world, race by race, and made everything make sense in the world.

My actual title was Creator of Worlds, which I thought was pretty cool. I was a COW. So, when Big Huge Games came along, my job, along with some of the other guys, was to show them what we were doing and give them a ton of information. Then Ken Rolston (The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion) and Mark Nelson (The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind) created a story that would fit within that world.

I went down and worked with them a little bit on the story but my job, right now, more than anything else, is making sure the world smells the same no matter which part of the world you're in, whether you're talking about the art, the music, whatever.

When they show me what they're doing, I always say, "Does this fit? Where does this fit? How does this fit?" Right now, I'm like a kind of den mother to all these creative people more than anything else.

Curt Schilling, R. A. Salvatore and Steve Danuser have been interviewed about their games at Zam.  As we know, they are developing an MMO codenamed Copernicus and a single-player RPG codenamed Project Mercury, which came via their acquisition of Big Huge Games. Nothing really new is revealed but there is some background stuff that might be of interest:

ZAM: Obviously the big news that you released just prior to the Game Developers Conference was the fact that you have a single player RPG in the works with the Big Huge Games and that that game will be set in the world you’ve created for Copernicus. Were you planning to release the RPG first ever since you acquired Big Huge Games; or was this something that just made sense from a technological and product development standpoint?

Schilling: From the outset of the company’s founding, this ‘ecosystem of product’ around the intellectual property was always a vision. Obviously the MMO was the baby; that was the big thing we were pouring our hearts and souls into. But we always had a vision of being platform neutral… whether you were holding your iPhone or your Nintendo… you’d be interacting with our IP. A single player RPG was a natural fit for that ecosystem, and something we’d always envisioned being there.

When we laid our roadmap out, initially in that first five year plan we had an MMO coming out and then the next step would be the RPG that would be a part of that world. We’d always talked about how that would happen. Fast forward to this time last year, and Jen walks in to let me know that Big Huge Games is for sale, and after a couple conversations with them realized that there was an opportunity there because of how advanced they were with their proprietary technology. With those technologies, we could turn our post-MMO roleplaying game into a pre-MMO RPG.

There was a lot to figure out with the deal, obviously, but we basically sent a packet of assets to their studio on a Tuesday, and by Thursday they were sitting in our offices with a working demo of their RPG with our assets in the game. We realized right away that their tech pipeline and assets were mature enough that this could be a seamless move for our company. The most important thing was that Copernicus wouldn’t feel a major impact on its development.

EA will publish BHG's single player RPG say Gamespot.

Code-named "Project Mercury," the single-player RPG is being developed by Rise of Nations studio Big Huge Games. (After then-owner THQ threatened to close the studio in 2009, 38 Studios stepped in and bought the Maryland-based developer.) It will be an all-new intellectual property co-created fantasy by comic-book artist Todd McFarlane (Spawn) and author R.A. Salvatore (The DemonWars Saga), who will provide art direction for the game. Both men helped Schilling found 38 Studios--then called Green Monster Games--in 2006, and respectively serve as art director and "executive creator of worlds" at the Maynard, Massachusetts studio. The game will not be based on any of Salvatore's or MacFarlane's previous work.

Though 38 Studios is a relatively new operation, Project Mercury has some veteran development talent behind it. Its project lead is Ken Rolston, who was lead designer on Bethesda Softworks' acclaimed high-fantasy RPGs The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Several other Bethesda vets are working on the project, as well as a senior designer from Lucasarts' the Force Unleashed. Veterans of Civilization and Civilization II are also on board.

According to EA Partners general manager David DeMartini, Rolston and his team will also be able to tap the minds of EA's own RPG powerhouse. "The guys at BioWare were actually involved in the early discussions with the folks at Big Huge," he told GameSpot. "They've had an opportunity to have some preliminary discussions and preliminary talks….So, I certainly think that you could expect strong collaboration that would include the BioWare team."

Blog site Superannuation has noticed a job ad for Big Huge Games, who were acquired by MMO developer 38 Studios, you may recall.  It's a bit of a stretch but based on the type of work - cinematics in particular - speculation is that this might not be for Copernicus, 38 Studios' MMO:

38 Studios, LLC is currently seeking a Narrative Designer to join our Narrative department at the Big Huge Games studio in Timonium, Maryland.…

* Create quest design and world design, from documentation to implementation
* Work in conjunction with the Art team to create a shared vision of the game world
* Design and script game encounters, scripted events, and cinematics

http://www.38studios.com/jobs/show/27

Gamasutra chats with Brett Close from 38 Studios about their acquisition of Big Huge Games.  Ken Rolston's Big Huge RPG gets a vague mention in passing:

On the technology side, part of that is Big Huge's proprietary Mercury Engine -- a console engine and toolset "really specific," according to close, to RPG gameplay -- "but it can also be used for other things," he says.

"It's actually cross-platform, so we acquired that -- as well as their back catalog of IP for things like Rise of Nations, Rise of Legends and the license for Catan -- and we are able to utilize that technology in a variety of ways that will support the world of Copernicus."

Seems Ken Rolston's new RPG may not be vapour just yet. Blue's News has the announcement.

“Big Huge Games and 38 Studios share a common vision – to deliver the most engaging, compelling, original experiences possible,” said Tim Train, CEO of Big Huge Games. “Joining the 38 Studios family allows us to continue translating our passions into great games.”

“It’s always about team,” said 38 Studios Founder and Chairman Curt Schilling. “The highly regarded developers at BHG, including leading role-playing and real-time strategy design teams led by Ken Rolston, are a perfect complement to 38 Studios’ staggering array of talent. Big Huge Games is a phenomenal team and, culturally, a natural fit.”

The Big Huge Games team will be integrated into 38 Studios but will remain based in Timonium, Maryland.

Kotaku has details on the Big Huge RPG that Big Huge Games was working on.  Titled Ascendant, they have a bunch of concept art, screens and a rough-cut trailer showing a fantasy RPG with colourful Fable-inspired visuals.

According to the piece, both games they were working on are canceled but there are some potential buyers for the studio in the wind.

IGN reports on a GDC presentation from Big Huge Games' Ken Rolston and Mark Nelson on the dangers of not controlling scope and ambition when designing games.  Their own Big Huge RPG is the focus of the conversation and, frankly, it sounds a mess.  Here's a snip on streamlining:

"The real reason we didn't put factions in," said Rolston, "is that we made the decision that we wanted to have a streamlined RPG because we were trying to find a blue ocean strategy. We didn't actually want to copy the work that we'd done before, so we were trying to organize an experience around a very linear main narrative. And deliberately, to avoid complicating things, we stripped out factions. It turns out we were good at factions, we were expected to have them, so it sucked if we didn't do it."

Nelson dug into the issue of the drawbacks of trying to make a streamlined RPG. "I think we made a mistake trying to make RPG 'lite.' We had this idea that we could strip out all this stuff that isn't necessary for the player to see. He doesn't need to see all those numbers on the screen, he doesn't need to see every stack on his piece of armor, every stack on his weapon. We failed to remember that RPG players like that stuff. That's the stuff that makes RPGs kind of rich, kind of fun. I want to look at those stupid numbers. Yes, they clutter up the screen, and I know it offends the artists and it offends the UI guys, they say 'do we have to put so much information on there?' Yeah, we do."

Edge Online spoke to THQ about the situation with Big Huge Games and was told their Big Huge RPG failed a February assessment:

THQ investor relations director Julie MacMedan said in a phone interview that the publisher evaluated the progress of the RPG in February, and decided not to go forward with the project. THQ is in the midst of a 24 percent workforce cut in an effort to realize $220 million in cost reductions. Eliminating support for the RPG was part of the cost reduction initiative.

Remember Big Huge Games (Rise of Nations) and their Ken Rolston-lead RPG?  We haven't really seen anything from the ex-Bethsoft designer's project and it doesn't seem like we will, with Kotaku reporting THQ will shut the studio down in 60 days if they don't find a buyer.  Ironically, our last newsbit for this topic was THQ buying the studio.  A snip:

Sources close to the studio say that Big Huge Games, developer of the Rise of Nations series and Catan for Xbox Live Arcade, has been given notice by THQ, which has intentions to close the studio within 60 days. Official response from THQ is that the publisher informed the Timonium, Maryland-based Big Huge Games that it plans to close the studio if a buyer is not found "in the near future."

CrispyGamer says staff have been notified and they provide an official statement from THQ:

“As part of THQ’s previously announced business realignment and related headcount reduction plans that targeted cost reductions of $220 million, including a reduction in workforce of 600 people worldwide, THQ today notified the staff at two of its development studios that they will be spun out as independent companies: Heavy Iron in Los Angeles, CA, and Incinerator in Carlsbad, CA. In addition, THQ informed the staff at its Big Huge Games studio in Timonium, MD, that it plans to close the studio if a sale is not completed in the near future. These actions were unfortunate but were necessitated by the difficult economic environment.”

THQ has announced the acquisition of Big Huge Games, and of course, their Ken Rolston -lead big, huge RPG:

THQ has announced it will acquire Big Huge Games (Rise of Nations, Catan) for an undisclosed sum, making the Maryland-based studio a wholly-owned subsidiary.

In May of 2007, THQ and Big Huge Games announced a development agreement for an RPG led by Oblivion developer Ken Rolston, currently anticipated for a 2009 debut on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Gamers with Jobs' latest Conference Call podcast includes Brian Reynolds from Big Huge Games talking about current projects, presumably including their announced but untitled Ken Rolston RPG.

You probably recall the news a few weeks ago that verteran designer Ken Rolston (ex Bethsoft) who has retired after Oblivion ended up coming straight out of retirement and heading to strategy house Big Huge Games to make an unnamed RPG.  THQ has now been signed on and here's the press release:

THQ and Big Huge Games Announce Development Agreement

Famed Designer Ken Rolston to Lead Next-Generation Role-Playing Game Project

AGOURA HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 3, 2007--THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) today announced that it has entered into a development agreement with Big Huge Games for a brand new Role-Playing Game (RPG) scheduled for release on the Xbox 360(TM) video game and entertainment system, PLAYSTATION(R)3 computer entertainment system and Windows PC in 2009.

Ken Rolston, whose most recent design accolades include Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion(TM) and Elder Scrolls III; Morrowind(TM), is a 25-year RPG design veteran. He began his career with popular pen and paper RPG's Paranoia and Rune Quest and has gone on to create the highest rated, top selling RPG games across every relevant gaming platform. Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion topped the sales charts in North America, as well as every major European market following the franchise debut in March, 2006.

"THQ has built its business by identifying the right content to compete and win in the genres gamers are most passionate about," said Kelly Flock, executive vice president of worldwide publishing, THQ. "Partnering with Ken Rolston and the rest of the team at Big Huge Games is a major win for THQ and marks a bold, first move into the traditional Role-Playing Game space."

"We've wanted to do an RPG for years and I think we have a great direction that will knock everyone's socks off," said Tim Train, president and COO of Big Huge Games. "THQ's ability to create and grow new intellectual properties, and their reputation for fantastic developer support, made them the ideal partner to bring our dream game to market."

"I'm flabbergasted by the talent, craft and boundless energy of the Big Huge Games team," said Ken Rolston, lead designer, Big Huge Games. "In such splendid company, I'm privileged to embark on a bold pilgrimage to create a refreshingly original RPG experience. I know eager game fans will share our excitement as we reveal further details in the coming months."

In addition, GameDaily BIZ has a pretty gushing hype-heavy interview, although in a scene reminiscent of the early Flagship days, Ken can't actually say anything yet:

BIZ: Ken Rolston, you're a legend in the RPG field, both electronic and paper-and-pencil. Where would you like to take the genre next? What innovations can we expect?

 

Rolston: I'm actually a pretty conservative variety of visionary. In addition to our brilliant but secret central premise, and the addition of four or five original amazing major features and implementations we can't Wait to Reveal at a Later Date, I just want to make everything... story, characters, exploration, themes, setting, interactivity, entertainment, world class whacking and looting... just a little more perfect in every way.

FiringSquad has an update on Big Huge Games' RPG project with the summary of a 'phone conversation with boss Tim Train.  There's really no new information other than the project has been in production since last September, making it very early in development, and a PC version is definitely confirmed -- although one can't help but notice the reaffirmation that consoles are the "main platform".

Next Gen has been quick with their dialling finger, getting a short 'phone interview with Big Huge Games' Tim Train on their revelation of a "console RPG" with Ken Rolston.  It looks like a PC port is on the cards, atlhough the focus is clearly a large console audience:

“I think one thing that is really cool about RPGs is that the story aspect appeals to a broad player base,” Train said in a phone interview. “Obviously, there are a lot of people out there playing consoles. We think that the concepts and the story that we’ve come up with are really cool and we want to get them into the hands of every single person we can. That means putting it out on as many formats as the technical scope of the game can handle.”

Train confirmed that although the mystery RPG’s “native platform” will be consoles, a PC version is also on the cards. He couldn't delve into further details of the game at this point in development.

This one is a bit of a surprise...Big Huge Games - makers of strategy favourites Rise of Nations and Rise of Legends has announced Ken Rolston (Lead Designer on Bethsoft's Morrowind and Oblivion) has joined them for a new, unnamed RPG project:

Timonium, Maryland (February 13th, 2007) Ken Rolston, the Lead Designer of smash hits Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind™ and Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion™ has joined Big Huge Games to create a to-be-announced role-playing game (RPG). Rolston is a 25-year industry veteran, whose extensive game credits also include pen-and-paper RPGs such as Paranoia and RuneQuest.

“Ken’s addition marks a bold new direction for Big Huge Games,” said BHG President Tim Train. “We remain committed to creating real-time strategy games such as past hits Rise of Nations and Rise of Legends. At the same time, we’ve explored developing a role-playing game for several years now. Ken is a fantastic fit for us on every level, and gives us the leadership we need to be confident of success in our new venture.”

“A chance to work on a Big Huge Game with Big Huge Games? Who could resist?” said Rolston. “I had planned to retire and rest on my laurels after Oblivion, but Tim and his army of visionary charmers came along with a strikingly original and cunning concept for a console RPG…so now I’m back in the harness and chomping at the bit!”

You can grab Ken's bio from the BHG site here.  Thanks also to Asbjørn for a similar submission.