No revenue from Square Enix means thatOutriders It failed to achieve certain commercial goals, although Square Enix considered the game “On its way to becoming a major licenseIn the spring of 2021. Released on a Game Pass subscription, the action sci-fi action RPG has seen it pass 3.5 million people a month after its release, but the number of copies sold has yet to be revealed.
“People Can Fly has not received any royalties from the publisher for the period through December 31, 2021, which means that, as of the closing date, the net proceeds from the sale of Outriders were insufficient to recover the costs and expenses incurred by the publisher to develop, distribute and promote the title. This is confirmed by the fourth-quarter 2021 equity statement that People Can Fly received from the publisher‘Can we read?
Although a generous repayment period is expected to be extended on June 30, People Can Fly warns that there is no guarantee for that.Outriders become profitable one day. “There can be no guarantee that the net proceeds from the sale of Outriders in future periods will be sufficient to allow the publisher to recover costs incurred and pay royalties to People Can Fly.explains the report.
Project Gemini and Project Dagger: Two AAA Games of 2024
People Can Fly, who does not own any rights to the Outriders franchise, adds that it has the right to refuse to create new content and expansions, in which case Square Enix may choose another developer to replace it. This accuracy assigned to contributors does not mean that relations between the studio and the publisher have deteriorated, especially since the Polish studio is still working on a new AAA for Square Enix whose codename is Gemini Project. We also learn that the latter will be of a similar size to Outriders It aims to release in 2024.
Square Enix caused a surprise this week by announcing that it has separated all real estate it acquired in 2009 with the purchase of Eidos Interactive, in favor of the Embracer Group. This $300 million sale includes Crystal Dynamics Studios, Eidos Montreal, Square Enix Montreal, and approximately fifty games and licenses including Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, Thief, and Legacy of Kain. However, Square Enix has retained control of its games and licenses developed by third-party studios, such as Just Cause, Life is Strange, or Outriders.
In addition to Gemini Project With Square Enix, the studio is working with Take-Two Interactive dagger project, a big budget RPG (between 40 and 60 million euros) that its US-based teams have been commissioned to develop. The release of the game is also targeting 2024.
In 2021, for its first year as a listed company, People Can Fly generated sales of €38.3 million, up 74% and net profit of €13 million, up 150%. This increase is due in particular to funds received from Square Enix and Take-Two for two AAA machines in development.
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