Obsidian Entertainment - Leonard Boyarsky Joins

[Aubrielle]

Leonard Boyarsky, former lead world designer for Diablo III, joins Obsidian Entertainment.

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Former lead world designer of Diablo III, Leonard Boyarsky, left Blizzard earlier this week to join up with Obsidian Entertainment.

According to Boyarsky’s personal facebook page, he left Blizzard earlier last week. On April 11th, Boyarsky appeared in a photo on Facebook posted by fellow Obsidian developer Tim Cain, who jokingly hoped his new co-worker “doesn’t talk too much.”

This is a reunion between Boyarsky and Cain, who have worked together in the past on several major products prior to Obsidian Entertainment. Most notably, Boyarsky and Cain, along with developer Jason Anderson, were co-founders of Troika Games in 1998. Troika would develop three titles before their closure in 2005, which included the cult RPG’s Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura and Vampire: The Masquerade-Bloodlines.

Prior to forming Troika Games, Boyarsky worked at Interplay, starting there in 1992 doing freelance work before being officially hired in 1995. His first major title as an art director was the dungeon crawler Stonekeep, before working as the art director on the first Fallout game, designing the famous Vault Boy character and much of the “retro” 1950s art style. He would also work on Fallout 2 before parting ways with Interplay in 1998.

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[muhabor]

Old dogs reunited at last

 

[borcanu]

"finally, some action!"
Samuel Brooklyn

 

[Gokyabgu]

Maybe now we can see a sequel to Arcanum from Obsidian finally.

 

[lostforever]

Maybe now we can see a sequel to Arcanum from Obsidian finally.

That was a nice game. I wish they at least do an enhance edition or something now…

Also was this news posted few days ago here?

 

[Archangel]

Maybe now we can see a sequel to Arcanum from Obsidian finally.

Small chance of that. But he worked on another Troika game based on a universe that Paradox recently got their hands on

 

[Aubrielle]

That was a nice game. I wish they at least do an enhance edition or something now…

Also was this news posted few days ago here?

I looked back through the archives and couldn't find it.

 

[wolfgrimdark]

Obsidian is one of the two last remaining developers that I really like so this is good news.

Nice to see you back as well Aubrielle.

 

[Aubrielle]

Obsidian is one of the two last remaining developers that I really like so this is good news.

Nice to see you back as well Aubrielle.

Thank you. It's good to see you well, Wolfgrimdark. <3

 

[Pessimeister]

Also was this news posted few days ago here?

Aye, Drithius posted it in General.

http://www.rpgwatch.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33170

However, it is such good news for RPG fans that it simply bears repeating methinks.
Long live the Troika vision.

 

[domein]

Troika means trinity

 

[Saxon1974]

Seems like good news

 

[daveyd]

I guess Activision still owns the Arcanum IP?

Oh well, since Arcanum is something of an obscure / cult game it doesn't really make sense to pay for the IP anyway. But nothing would stop them from making a spiritual successor... I think it would do well on Kickstarter.

Barring that, maybe they could make a WoD game published by Paradox.

Just let them make something together... and actually get enough time / funding to finish it for once.

 

[Drithius]

I guess Activision still owns the Arcanum IP?

Oh well, since Arcanum is something of an obscure / cult game it doesn't really make sense to pay for the IP anyway.

Kind of like how Fallout was an obscure/niche game at one point in time…

Regardless, I doubt Activision would ever sell any property - it's not like they're hard up for cash with Blizzard under their thumb. At best, it would get licensed to Obsidian.

 

[joxer]

Obsidian is one of the two last remaining developers that I really like so this is good news.

The other being… Lemme guess. Cryptic Studios!

 

[wolfgrimdark]

The other being… Lemme guess. Cryptic Studios!

Well I did like City of Hero's and played it for a while but no. The other one is Bethesda (which I know is like a swear word to most around here).

 

[DarNoor]

Obsidian is one of my favorite devs, so this is great news.

 

[suibhne]

I'm a big Troika fan, but I'm cautious about my optimism re. this move. Boyarsky was originally advertised as basically running all the lore and world-building for Diablo 3, and that was downright bad - I didn't see a single Troika-like fingerprint anywhere on the entire project, including the lore, writing, etc.

I'm not judging him for working on what was probably a stable, high-profile gig, but it's hard to be overly excited about his reunion with Tim Cain based on that Blizzard output. I'm hoping the Blizzard period was an anomaly for him, and that Obsidian is more aligned with his creative ambitions.

 

[Asdraguuhl]

I remember reading a long time time ago that Tim Cain said about Vampire: The Masequerade - Bloodlines that it was Leonard Boyarsky's baby implying that he was the main man behind it.

Fallout and Bloodlines are among my all time favourite games so him being at Obsidian, one of my favourite developers together with CD Projekt Red, I can only see that as a positive thing .

 

[Couchpotato]

I'll just re-post my replies from the other thread.

Thanks for sharing the news Drithius. As for me I'm very surprised he finally decided to leave Blizzard after working on Diablo III for the last couple of years.

As said already I wonder what he is working on. Here are my guesses.

1. Pillars of Eternity II
2. New Fallout Spin-off
3. Pathfinder CRPG
4. Rumored new IP funded by Microsoft
5. Vampire Bloodlines Inspired RPG

Well all sound good so I cant wait for more information.

I'd much rather see a new VtM-Bloodlines, but only if they can get the rights to use the IP.

Paradox bought White Wolf so they own the IP, and mentioned a new Vampire Bloodlines Inspired RPG was possible. I remember sharing a video earlier this year.

Whitewolf Panel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlA6LKUNDWs

Press Release - http://www.rpgwatch.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31319

Also they seem to like working with Obsidian, and funded Tyranny.

I am hoping for POE II

Me to but no new information has been released yet by Obsidian.