Activision is reviving the Sierra label and is set to kick off the new regime with new games in the King's Quest and Geometry Wars series, the company announced today.
The revived Sierra — teased last week by Activision — will re-release old studio classics as well as collaborate with indie studios to create new "innovative, edgy and graphically unique" projects. According to a statement from the company, Sierra will focus on publishing downloadable games through PlayStation Network, Steam for PC and Xbox Live.
Kicking off the revival will be Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions from Lucid Games, a studio founded by former Geometry Wars developers Bizarre Creations. Dimensions will include a single-player mode with 50 challenges and 10 battle modes. The game is due out this holiday on "on more platforms than ever before," according to studio head Pete Wallace.
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A new King's Quest is also on the way from developer The Odd Gentlemen, a "reimagined" take on the franchise that will include the same classic puzzle challenges and narrative focus as the original games. The story will follow the adventures of King Graham and his granddaughter Gwendolyn on their travels, as the young Gwendolyn "discovers the true greatness" of her relative. This new King's Quest will launch in 2015.
"We're very proud of what we created all those years ago with Sierra Online, and today's news about carrying Sierra forward as an indie-specific brand is very encouraging," said Sierra founder Ken Williams in a press statement.
"Sierra's goal is to find and work with gifted up-and-coming indie developers working on their own amazing projects or who are passionate about working on great Sierra IP," added Sierra director of external development Bob Loya. "We're in talks with a large number of other indie devs, and we can't wait to share more details with fans in the near future."
Comments
geometry wars… the eternal nemesis of my sane sleep schedule. I thought I was safe from its evil, slimy tendrils when i hid away my 360, but now the beast returns to dominate me once again.
By Mega Manchego on 08.12.14 11:52am
Ditto my friend. Also, Pacman Championship Edition. At one point I reached #84 on the leaderboards, and I kept going back for more.
By BuckThunder on 08.12.14 1:24pm
I went through that recently with Galaga Legions, too. Never got quite that high on the leaderboards, but I was happy to get top 20% on a few levels.
By Mega Manchego on 08.12.14 3:09pm
While you’re at it Sierra, please bring back the wonderful Impressions city building games you published like Caesar 3, Zeus and Pharaoh.
By Igor B on 08.12.14 11:54am
I will buy Kings Quest on nostalgia alone. I hope it also turns out to be good so my purchase doesn’t shame me.
By mrthewhite on 08.12.14 12:06pm
GEOMETRY WARS.
THE BEST NEWS.
By Jer'Maine Montiel on 08.12.14 12:12pm
Lord of the Realms please! Many fond memories with 2.
By raccoozie on 08.12.14 12:15pm
Just thinking about seeing that logo come up on the screen when playing so many of their games brings back so many great memories…
By TK-421 on 08.12.14 12:18pm
What’s the difference? This isn’t going to trick me into believing that any of the games made under this label aren’t actually still made by Activision.
By Polygon_sucks on 08.12.14 12:19pm
“A new King’s Quest is also on the way from developer The Odd Gentlemen, a “reimagined” take on the franchise that will include the same classic puzzle challenges and narrative focus as the original games."
It’s not made by Activision…
By TK-421 on 08.12.14 12:21pm
If it’s published by Activision there’s no doubt they will have their paws in it and influence it (most likely for the worst).
By B4ttleCat on 08.12.14 7:43pm
It helps to foster brand loyalty, and helps to change expectations of a given product. Movie studios setup different smaller banners to appeal to different audiences. The biggest example would be Disney creating Buena Vista back in the 80s so they could release films that were not aimed at families. only
By spid on 08.12.14 12:26pm
That’s a slightly different scenario in my mind. You’re saying that Disney created something new to target a different audience, I’m saying Activision is reincarnating a name they acquired in an attempt to monetize our nostalgia.
By Polygon_sucks on 08.12.14 12:30pm
You paint it is a negative, but setting people’s expectations to what they might receive is important. Activision is associated with really big franchises now. I do not see anything wrong with them trying to working on smaller projects under a different banner.
By spid on 08.12.14 12:53pm
If the different banner was actually something new I probably wouldn’t care, but to start reusing an old brand name like that just reeks of a cash grab to me. If the games end up being good, then that’s great. But I won’t exactly be waiting around for any of these games.
By Polygon_sucks on 08.12.14 12:57pm
Activision owns all these IPs, including the rights to Sierra itself. The fact that Activision is outsourcing it does nothing to remove my skepticism.
By Polygon_sucks on 08.12.14 12:24pm
“Geometry Wars 3”
EXPLODES
By Corduroy Turtle on 08.12.14 12:29pm
Kings Quest, Space Quest, and The Incredible Machine were such an integral part of my gaming childhood. I really hope this leads to more relaunches of Sierra’s classic titles.
By Quint126 on 08.12.14 12:41pm
I hope KQ is good, I’ll buy it to show them that I want more of this; more SQ more QFG, PQ all the quests. Bring back some Dynamix IP as well man. I want it all. Bring back Roberta Williams, Mark Crowe, Scotty Murphy, Al Lowe, Jim Walls, Cory & Lori Ann Cole. Hell I want ImagiNation Network back as well damn it. Remaster the old games in HD.
I’m totally being crazy selfish, and I don’t care.
By LordTwinkie on 08.12.14 12:59pm
Re-release Outpost! Please! Pretty Please? Pretty Please with terraforming on top?
By raquor on 08.12.14 1:07pm
SWAT, please.
By Spearin on 08.12.14 1:15pm
Yay Geometry wars! Such a great series!
By Ryu Niiyama on 08.12.14 1:19pm
They need to remake Manhunter New York and San Francisco. Then they need to finish the series off with the never completed Manhunter London. For a grand finale they can give us Space Quest back
By zkantola on 08.12.14 1:29pm
I really hope that they do this right, it would be an absolute shame if King’s Quest was soiled by a crappy revival.
By gr8-----spirits on 08.12.14 3:15pm
Kings Quest was spoiled by Mask Of Eternity. I’ll need to be won back, personally.
By zkantola on 08.12.14 4:19pm