Eden Games divestiture - UP: Eden Gone... no back ...mobile TEST DRIVE [was] in development? AAAAH!!

[Eudemon]

If you have been bothering to follow the recent news in regards to Atari's latest financial results, then you will know that Atari is currently in the process of divesting Eden Games. What this means is that Atari is basically putting a 'FOR SALE' sign in front of Eden and sticking the same label to it's staff and assets just like they did back in 2006 with the Driver developers Reflections who of course went on to become Ubisoft Reflections and produce the very good (but stupid story) Driver San Francisco. Eden has already been moved to a smaller premises which to be honest makes sense as their previous offices was way too much for the 20-30 staff that remained and Atari has assured that TDU2 will be supported (haha!) in the mean time but as you would expect with Atari when they have called sites reporting on the "closure" of Eden Games and such their contacts vary from simply reducing Eden in size to completely admitting that they are selling it off.

 

What does this mean for the TDU series? Well who knows, maybe after Ferrari Racing Legends comes out Atari will hand TDU3 to SMS or maybe the next TDU will only be found on Facebook or iPad/iPhone. :eek:

 

Either way we've had the good: TDU. The bad: TDU2. Let's hope that TDU3 isn't the ugly.

 

UPDATE: Studio is now CLOSED as of 1st March 2013

 

 

Test Drive Unlimited dev Eden Games closed, company in liquidation Eurogamer.net[/url]

[Ryzza5]

How much does Atari want for them? :lol:

 

If we can raise $100 for a Baldy on the loo photo and WMD members can raise over 1 million Euros for pCARS then anything is possible.

[Eudemon]

People want pCARS to be a success though, is there enough people who want to see what Eden could do with a TDU3? Perhaps if Atari are out of the picture things would get better but would it be "shame me once shame on you, shame me twice shame on me, shame me three times here just take my bank card".

[Guest MrLolololXD]

If we can raise $100 for a Baldy on the loo photo

 

Wut :eek:

[Ryzza5]

Oh yeah that was before your time, pic was on the TV banner image for about 2 weeks. I couldn't visit this place at work :p

If you search you may find the relevant thread but not the pic.

 

When you sign up Diablo you can read this thread regarding TDU3/SMS:

WMD Forum

pCARS members like the idea of SMS doing a TDU after pCARS, and Ian likes it too. That said one would think SMS have enough on their plate just at the moment, besides support TDFRL, pCARS, that free Porsche online game, etc, etc.

[iNotACactus]

Hopefully TDU3 comes s**n because TDU2 has already gotten beyond monotonous for me. :wait:

[Eudemon]

UPDATE:

 

Looks like this is complete and the studio is now closed for good as of the 1st March 2013.

 

[Camel]

:bye:

 

Thanks for ruining Test Drive!

[calster17]

Shame that TDU looks to be a dead name now. :ill:

 

I

[Eudemon]

I'm betting Atari see value in the name only as something to sell now, rather than something to develop another title upon. Who knows though, maybe they'll do the smart thing and put SlightlyMadStudios to work on TDU3.

 

...yeah I know I read it myself, sorry.

[randomsox10]

I'm betting Atari see value in the name only as something to sell now, rather than something to develop another title upon. Who knows though, maybe they'll do the smart thing and put SlightlyMadStudios to work on TDU3.

 

...yeah I know I read it myself, sorry.

 

Hopefully this is the case. It would be a shame to see a series with such potential be put in the back pages of video game history books.

[Djey]

Finally ! Agony was long, though (since 2008 ?) :hello:

[ScoobSTi]

Looks like modding it is. :)

[MadManCK]

maybe they'll do the smart thing

 

:eek:

 

Like they always do....:lol:

[Djey]

Looks like tdumodshop knew about the future...

Eden's director D. Nadal professionnaly reconverted ages ago !

 

See TDU PC mod "Patch'75'" for this easter egg :lol:

[Eudemon]

You have me intrigued Djey, someone do what he says.... QUICK!

[Djey]

One (virtual) cookie for first picture posted about it :D

[Guest MrLolololXD]

?

 

[Djey]

Nice one ! But I don't think what we are talking about is in this video .

 

 

Come on, do anybody even had a look at every traffic vehicle in Patch 75 ? :cheeky:

[TimBud]

no. :rolleyes:

[Eudemon]

Come on, do anybody even had a look at every traffic vehicle in Patch 75 ? :cheeky:

I'm working on it. :warnsaw:

[MadManCK]

Looks like tdumodshop knew about the future...

Eden's director D. Nadal professionnaly reconverted ages ago !

 

See TDU PC mod "Patch'75'" for this easter egg :lol:

 

The Beetle?

 

Nadal has been remarkably silent all this time, btw. :eek:

[Eudemon]

I should probably send him an email just saying 'Hey'. I wonder if he'll create a new studio.

[Djey]

The Beetle?

Nope, check one of the vans (same model as the brown, UPS one), which is white.

It appears less often than others.

 

:p

[MadManCK]

The white van? have to check that out...

 

I found some Q&A with Nadal on the IMDB site

 

Name: David Nadal

 

Title: Studio Manager

 

Company: Eden Games

 

First title worked on: "Asterix and Obelix" on Snes

 

Most recent title worked on: "Test Drive Unlimited 2"

 

What game has most influenced you, and why?

 

"Sega Rally" – 1st 3D racing game that was fun to drive and that has managed to reproduce the pleasure of drifting in "Rally."

 

Makes me wonder what happened to the drifting in TDU2, lol. If he likes that so much why the complete mess up? I know that game and it was indeed a very cool arcade racer for PC.

Some little bird once told me Nadal programmed the physics engine for Vrally himself. The same engine was used as a base for the physics of TDU1. Add to that the n00b comment from Atari on Diablos remarks regarding the handling and a picture starts to emerge that sheds some alternative light on the development of TDU2.

 

I don't think selling Eden to Atari turned out the way Nadal expected. It probably brought him some money, but if i'm right he was not in control of the TDU project anymore. At least it looks that way. The interference of some car companies in game dynamics and nerfing the physics are examples of it.

On the other hand, he is also known for bragging about not listening to feedback from the Testers and Focus groups, confirmed by at least 3 devs. Maybe he should have shown the same attitude towards Atari executives who forced him to dumb down the game and introduce dinky driving dynamics. Or did he sell his pride with the company?

 

Test Drive will continue. But Nadal will probably not be part of it anymore. Sad story. You need crazy people like him to pull a project like this off.

 

If SMS will continue the legacy with TDU3 it will for sure improve the driving dynamics, but i don't know about gameplay or the real TDU vibe.

 

:cool: