In the span of a decade, System Shock has gone from being an inaccessible cult classic to another instance of p🎃otential vaporware. A long-gestating remake has yet to surface, and Kickstarter backers have yet tꦜo see their money translate into an actual game. The project is officially on hold, despite developer promises to finish the game eventually.
Today, then, brings a true monkey's paw scenario. Prolific corporate giant Tencent has acquired the rights to the System Shock franchise in its entirety. The news comes via .
"We are happy to announce that Tencent will be taking the System Shock franchise forward," states OtherSide. "As a smaller indie studio, it had been challenging for us to carry the project on our own. We believe Tencent's deep capabilities and expertise as a le𓆉ading game company will bring the franchise to new heights."
There are two ways to take this news. On the one hand, it's great to see the series getting a corporate backer. They're ambitious games, so the added cushion of mega-corporation cash will hopefully get both the remake and System Shock 3 closer to completion.
On the other hand, Tencent has a long track record of practices that might make some bristle. From accusations of copycat software to controlꩵling the flow of information in their chat apps, the company isn't exactly on many people's good list. This news will probably bring out the usual bandwagons and boycotts of a certa🌼in set.
All this being said, we still don't know much about the future of System Shock. Is that new game ever coming out? Will the remake ever see the 𝔉light of day? We don't have any clear idea right now. This news, ultimately, raises more questions than it answers.