Just thought I´d throw that in here: http://grumpygamer.com/2304836

Yes, he´s leaving, apparently to work on some weird Iphone game. What a sad day. I wonder what this means for the Doublefine adventure? Was he ever truly involved in that one? I was really looking forward to this game due to Tim´s and Ron´s involvement..

Now I just don´t know anymore.

@superfriend: He seemed to give some input early on when they were starting, but I don't think he has really been involved in the actual Double Fine Adventure game. The Kickstarter never mentioned that he would be a real part of it. He was finishing up The Cave, and now that their collaboration is over, he's moving on. I don't think it was ever meant to be forever. Gilbert tends to leave after big projects, and I imagine that's just what he's doing now.

@truthtellah Well, the very first Kickstarter video made it sound like they were trying to get him on board, even if it was just for a bit of input.

This whole thing is even more tragic because I think the Cave was a gigantic waste of time and talent for everybody involved. They have Ron Gilbert on staff, they are working on an adventure. How can they not make him design a couple of puzzles? Instead we got the Cave. Well, fuck.

There are probably people out there who liked it, but I was seriously turned off by both demo and Quicklook of that game.

I have not been impressed with the humour or writing in any of his recent games. The old adventure games were gold but he has been trading on that reputation for too long.

@superfriend: Well, to be fair, The Cave project was a big part of Ron Gilbert's presence there. He came on at Double Fine in 2010 because he had the idea for The Cave and Double Fine said they would be willing to take on the project. So, they worked on the game and released it. Now that it's over, he's moving on. While Double Fine would probably love to work with him more, they never had any real plans to do so beyond that game, and his departure certainly won't impact the Double Fine Adventure. I just wish Gilbert well in his future endeavors and hope they turn out well.

The Cave didn't really impress me, maybe his best days are behind him.

I remember Tim Schafer mentioning either in one of the early Kickstarter videos or on the DF forums that Ron Gilbert will not be directly involved in the Kickstarter adventure game, so I don't think his leave will impact that project in any meaningful way. I think his involvement goes only as far as discussing with Tim Schafer about old adventure games and puzzle design on camera or something like that.

huh- well ain't that some shit. he's probably just eager to move on to a new space- the cave wasn't exactly a grand slam (but i'll still check it out at some point). he's been doing adventure games for awhile, he's probably quite ready to move on.

@nilazz said:

The Cave is a bad game. If that's representative of where his head is at these days, maybe trying his hand at something new is a good idea.

Maybe Ron Gilbert isn't the video games genius people claim he is.

All the best of wishes for him! Need to get around playing more of The Cave, got stuck on the carnival puzzles.

I think if you created Maniac Mansion and Monkey Island, the basic building blocks from which every other adventure game since has been made, you can be considered a genius.

Maybe his recent games haven't reached those lofty heights, but hey - Robert De Niro has been in nothing but shit for the last 10 years, and he's still one of the best actors to ever live.

Maybe he didn't create those games. Tun Tun Tun!

@winternet said:

Maybe you didn't post this post?

I got nothin'

Hey guys, DeathSpank wasn't all that funny or awesome to play either..

@officegamer: That said, it's been 20 years. He should have done something remarkable since. Maybe he was just the right man at the right time? And now he's not anymore? I don't know. He's very close to be a one-trick-pony kind of guy, though.

@winternet:He did do something remarkable. He made Putt Putt travels through time. Other than my rose-tinted memories of Humongous Entertainment though? I got nothing. Everything about DeathSpank seems really forced and bad.

I may have missed the games for children awesomeness, then.

@arbitrarywater: The HE games were genuinely awesome. Freddie Fish was my shit.

Yeah, the HE games (Putt Putt, etc.) were really well done kids' games. Deathspank and The Cave aren't quite as strong, unfortunately.