Introversion and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Year

Depressing, but I'm glad they're still afloat

Just finished reading it.  Thanks for posting this, Ryan.  Here's hoping the find a publisher for Defcon DS.

It seems that they lost focus. I was very disappointed in Multiwinia. It's their most conventional title, and not all that great, though I'm not much of a RTS gamer. I loved Darwinia and DEFCON though. I hope DEFCON DS gets out the door and sells ok, but it's a very strange fit unless they manage to offer some kind of single player mode. I don't see a market for multiplayer only titles of this sort on the DS, but you never know. I hope Subversion helps them get their indie soul back, it's promising stuff. I'd love to see an Uplink sequel, all the other hacking "sims" don't do.

I love introversion. The guys seem like a great bunch of dudes. I hope they keep things together and keep developing awesome games.

Damn, that was a depressing read. But luckily they managed to pull through, and hopefully they'll be able to find a publisher for DEFCON DS.

Introversion will always have my heart (and money). 

I thought Defcom was sublime. One of the most atmospheric games I've ever played. Profoundly creepy.
That blog entry is really wonderful.....in the sad, depressing way. The most interesting insight Delay has. I thought, was that, in their drive to release a ton of interesting products, they became the lumbering, slow beasts of burden that had drove them into indie development in the first place, and they "should" have been part of the "indie game revolution" with Braid and World of Goo.

Let's hope that alot of people buy their old (and new!) games. I really dig their concepts and general style when it comes to games, fresh and different!

Introversion make great games, I can't wait until Darwinia comes to XBLA.  I'll have to give that article a read, I find that sort of stuff really interesting.

I thought the whole Darwinia thread of games were the most boring things Introversion ever put out. I just could not make myself care about that world or that gameplay. Compared to something truly off the wall and amazingly individual as Defcon or Uplink, you have to wonder what exactly was going on there. Defcon should see an XBLA release, not Darwinia. Uplink should see a multiplayer update, not Darwinia.

Sigh.

Introversion are among my heroes. They do sound, art and concept in ways that simply aren't challenged by any contenders these days. Every time they announce a new project (albeit rarely) i become a little happier being a PC gamer.

Multiwinia definately didn't seem like it was on par with their other releases. DEFCON was just... so good...

Ill give these guys as many chances as they need though. They've earned my money for years to come.

Wow, that was a really intense read. And I thought I had it bad last year... damn.

A bizarre reference, sir.

yay i love tha book

Very interesting read.  My take on it is that they need to realise cool gimmicks are only cool for so long.  My initial reaction to Darwinia was "Kwl! Retro!", as they intended and I bought it.  My reaction to Multiwinia was "I get it already."  I would no more buy Multiwinia than I would buy a multiplayer version of World of Goo in 12 months time.

If they are really pinning their hopes on Darwinia again, then I think they're done.  No amount of currying favour (geddit?!) with the UK print press is going to generate the momentum they need globally to make Darwinia sell on 360, especially so long after the PC release.

They should bite the bullet, lay off whoever they need to lay off and get one of their new projects out the door.

DefconDS is, was and always will be a terrible idea.

best insight into the trials and tribulations of game development i've read, hope they rise again, they've already made some really original games and subversion looks really interesting, thanks for the link ryan

These guys have some really great ideas, and I'd hate to see them close down. Here's hoping their Xbox and DS projects perform well.

Great read.  Love Defcon.

When did Introversion start to expand the same game with minor variations? My problem with Multiwinia was it was nothing like Darwinia personally. They did kinda have a no sequels policy. But even if it was so similar, it's only their second similar game and they didn't plan for more of it in the future. And when did Introversion spend millions in a game? It seems that you're saying it's a typical story for all the wrong reasons.

Great read.

I hope Defcon does come to the DS; I never got a chance to play it the first time around.

Introversion Software have to be my favourite games designer. I loved DEFCON and thought Darwinia was excellent. Multiwinia was rather lacklustre, but I'm sure it's a blip. A shame that Chronometer completely fell apart; I certainly hope they have better luck with Subversion.

You know, ElectricHaggis has a point.  DEFCON would make a stellar DS game.  I loved it on the PC and would definitely buy it for a portable system.

Introversion made a lot of really good games and I thought they sold decently well too, this is quite unexpected.

Perhaps Chris Delay should consider moving to Australia?

"I never got a chance to play it the first time around."

I bought Multiwinia but never got around to playing it...

yup.