Shadowbane 2. Rumor, or hidden fact?

Aldaron

I've gotten to playing Shadowbane again after it went free. The game is buggy, the controls to put it blunt, suck ass, and the graphics are horrific.

But for some reason, I can't help but have this strange attraction to the game. Why? The idea behind it. The whole idea of resource control, kingdom sieges, domination of other nations. PvE being the short road to get to the goal of the game. All of this intrigues me. All of it for intent and purpose is fresh air in the MMOG's market. You have games saturated with EQ clones, or what will in the future be stated as, "WoW clones". Which is code for a blase, cookie-cutter, unoriginal game.

I think of how much potential this game has. And how much a second one could really fulfill the dream. It's said that Shadowbane started out in the basement of some guys basement. Being done by developers who weren't paid, and in fact didn't really get the oompfh behind them that was needed until the game was "complete", and ready to release. That oompfh being ubisoft. So you can't particularly blame them considering the limited resources. In fact they did admirably considering the amount of resources they had.

For quite some time rumors of a Shadowbane 2 have been whispered. Quite awhile back it was stated that Shadowbane was an experiment, and that something better would come along. New messages have been stated of "developments in the work", pertaining to Shadowbane. Hearing word from clanmates that know someone part of the WP claiming that SB2 is indeed in the works.

And now the game being free. The game didn't go free because of the words of WP, oh no. To my knowledge WP wasn't even aware, and ubi just made it free. Now it'd make more sense if WP had that brainstorm and did it. Because Shadowbane is their baby. But no, some large mega-corporation that for all intents and purposes just wants the money, makes the game free.

You got to think, why? What is the sense in that? I've almost reached level 60 in game, and I know clanmates who are almost level 70. No one has been prompted to pay for content. There is really no word that the game will suddenly require subscriptions. In fact it was stated that it would permanently be free. So what is the reason? No advertisements, no pay for extra content, no subscription on the horizon. An ace is up their sleeve, and that is the only answer.

In my humble opinion, the only logical reason is that Shadowbane 2 will come out, and this is to start hype for it. Alot of people play Shadowbane and think, "This game has alot of promise. But it's just too flawed". So how do you fix that? Make a Shadowbane 2. Make a game that has all the idea's of Shadowbane, without the crappy PNC movement, better graphics, even more content, and not as buggy as a maggot filled corpse.

-Zeno-

Many more will convert to playing a real rpg where the players make the content instead of the developers.

The Temple will rise up and destory the Church, and a new king will be born. Chaos and Oblivion will be defeated, and the sword of destiny will be in the hands of its rightful owner. Malorns will be done.

Kjarl

While I absolutely can not stand this game (Played through most of closed beta, all open beta, and several months into live play) for most of the reasons you mentioned.

I do see where you could be right about why it went free. Perhaps they hope against hope that the free game will pull in the dregs of gamers to give a false sense of population. Why? To try and sell the idea of Shadowbane 2 to a board of directors or investors.

The game had alot of promise but was just badly done, they WOULD NOT listen to us in closed beta, pretended we didnt exist in open beta, and launched a crap game that never really took off.