Vivendi publishing next Double Fine game?

SEC filings indicate that Sierra Online will put out new Crash, Red Baron, and Battlestar Galactica games on Xbox Live Arcade, PC.

After a disappointing retail performance of 2004's Majesco-published Psychonauts, development house Double Fine Productions has found a new publisher for at least one of its future games.

A filing on the Securities and Exchange Commission's Web site gives an investor overview of Vivendi Games' operation dated June 2006, and it has the Psychonauts studio headlining its "all-star team of external developers." No details were given about what game the developer is working on or when it will be released, but it does list Double Fine's specialty genre as "action-adventure."

The presentation also goes on to let a few more cats out of the publisher's bag. Under its release list for the rest of the year, it mentions a multiplatform title called Crash Festival, and features a logo for M.A.C.H., which is apparently short for "Modified Air Combat Heroes." M.A.C.H. for the PlayStation Portable was spotted on the Retail Radar earlier this month, and is currently being offered at the publisher's online store with a December 19 shipping date.

A good portion of the filing is devoted to Sierra Online and the company's efforts to have that brand make a killing in short- and medium-length online gaming sessions the way Blizzard has grown successful with its time-intensive massively multiplayer online hit, World of Warcraft. While Vivendi hopes the previously announced Korean basketball MMO game FreeStyle will take flight as a midsession game in the West, it's banking on the unannounced Crash Online to do the same in China.

For quick bursts of online fun, the company is readying a slew of titles for Xbox Live Arcade and PC. The filing lists Megaforce and 3D Ultra MiniGolf as short-session titles set for release on Xbox Live Arcade and PC in 2006, with a trio of familiar faces following in 2007. Sporting various degrees of retro appeal, the company will offer Battlestar Galactica, Red Baron, and The Incredible Machine for Microsoft's online service and PCs next year. They will eventually be joined by seven more unnamed short-session games by year's end.

The quickly digestible online game appears to be a business model the company is banking on, as the company expects to release a dozen more short-session games in 2008, and 15 in 2009. They might not be released for more than just the Xbox 360 and PC, however; the filing lists Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as growth drivers in the field because of their online features.

When asked about the accuracy of the filing, a Vivendi representative would only say "no comment."

42 Comments

  • Poshkidney

    Posted Sep 17, 2006 8:02 am PT

    when double fine tell us about what they are coming out with i'm putting that on my tracked list

  • DoctorFu

    Posted Sep 10, 2006 2:54 pm PT

    Nappan's right, I will play anything Doublefine makes. I might even buy two copies just for a gamer on my holiday buying list.

  • nappan

    Posted Sep 5, 2006 8:03 am PT

    I can't wait. Despite being totally underappreciated by so many, Psychonauts was one of the best games I've ever played. In a day and age where I often play a game with "dialogue" while listening to music or an audiobook, I was 100% tuned in to Psychonauts. The level of the artwook, sound, dialogue and pure creativity that WORKED blew me away. I will play any game by Double Fine unless they lose their touch (doubtful), whether it's a psychonaut sequel, or something else. I'm thrilled that they can get published.

  • Murpheus007

    Posted Sep 5, 2006 2:45 am PT

    I never understood why Psychonauts was so overlooked. I heard a ton about the game, then I went out and rented it I loved it, and I told my friends about it. It got a lot of good reviews from critics, and I even saw a special on G4 about the game. I don't get why it wasn't a commercial success, because the game is just plain fun. Good gameplay, excellent characters... just fun.

  • Curly21029

    Posted Sep 4, 2006 11:10 am PT

    Psychonauts: the best 3D platformer I've ever played. I'll pay attention to anything Double Fine puts on the shelves. (not to discredit Schafer's previous work, mind you )

  • NeleNel

    Posted Sep 4, 2006 8:56 am PT

    Psychonauts was easily one of the best missed games of 2005. A next gen version of it would be awesome to see.

  • princeofgames90

    Posted Sep 4, 2006 6:40 am PT

    Psychonauts was cool i am looking forword for the second part

  • merk6801

    Posted Sep 4, 2006 6:19 am PT

    Psychonauts 2 let's do this. It would be great to see this on the 360!

  • _Sam_

    Posted Sep 3, 2006 1:46 pm PT

    nice games

  • chaosmunkee

    Posted Sep 2, 2006 8:28 pm PT

    A new Psychonauts game would be good, but I'll be fine with whatever Schafer has in store, he hasn't worked on a bad game yet.

  • SavoyPrime

    Posted Sep 2, 2006 6:57 pm PT

    Please let Double Fine be working on Psychonauts 2!!!

  • WithTheDawn

    Posted Sep 2, 2006 12:22 am PT

    Double Fine + Action/Adventure is good enough for me .

  • John_of_Fire

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 11:03 pm PT

    Interesting line up. Hopefully when some of these are 'announced' we get to see a quality product.

  • a0me

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 7:39 pm PT

    Nobody cares but "Crash Festival" is the Japanese title for the DS game "Crash Boom Bang"

  • wooooode

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 7:06 pm PT

    Well i hope they make good Action Adventure games because the Xbox is missing alot in that catagory.

  • jakeboudville

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 6:31 pm PT

    nice games

  • ZeTecThreaT

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 4:54 pm PT

    360 Psyconauts port please?

  • hemakm3

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 4:00 pm PT

    Good games.

  • Mohamadouf

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 3:19 pm PT

    Psychonauts was great hit, well, not on sales anyways.... but i guess now DFP is saved. though psychonauts isnt

  • franwex

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 3:13 pm PT

    Phsyconauts was a little lame-really! It was fun, but not THAT fun. I guess it's understandable why it didn't sell that much either. I see how they were trying to not be generic, but I feel that it fell flat.

  • urluckyday

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 2:54 pm PT

    It wouldn't matter if they got their games published by Majesco again...I'm gonna buy it!

  • rokkuman09

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 2:52 pm PT

    I need to play the first Psychonauts still (uh...oh don't hurt me please!)

  • Generic_Dude

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 2:09 pm PT

    I'm all about The Incredible Machine, but how about a little Police Quest? Space Quest? King's Quest?

  • spidey008

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 1:29 pm PT

    Sweet. XBL Arcade rocks.

  • ultrazone

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 1:17 pm PT

    man, more ARcade Goodness

  • XNbuck

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 1:15 pm PT

    sweet... i loved Red Barron and Incredible Machine ... now where's King's Quest 9????

  • basilfaulty

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 12:52 pm PT

    "After a disappointing retail performance of 2004's Majesco-published Psychonauts"

    Psychonauts was relased in 2005, not 2004 last time I checked...

  • funtownarcade

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 12:45 pm PT

    Keep the xbox live arcade games comming!

  • UltimaCloudX

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 12:40 pm PT

    Psychonauts. T.T

  • peeweeshift

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 12:38 pm PT

    this game sounds fine...doublefine

  • MoreCowbell6924

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 12:32 pm PT

    Xbox Live Arcade is getting more games, yes. The more the merrier

  • JeffPaine

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 12:29 pm PT

    Yay, 3D Ultra Minigolf is coming to the XBLA! I loved that game as a kid

  • blackIceJoe

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 12:28 pm PT

    I would love to see another Psychonauts game but seeing as the first one did not sell well it will never have another one. So that stinks but they make good games so this one should be good.

  • A7Xfan

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 12:23 pm PT

    I want to see two things. A PS3 and 360 Double Fine game but done it the spirit of Rayman, where they put it on the Wii first.

  • Digital-Devil

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 12:16 pm PT

    evangelion80 thank you
    And Unknown is right, i would like to see a next gen one

  • Unknown_Legend

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 12:13 pm PT

    More Psychonauts PLEASE.

  • Intrakitt

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 12:11 pm PT

    Yay Battlestar Galactica. The most nerdy crap ever.

  • RazMasters

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 12:09 pm PT

    Vivendi? Ugh. I love Double-Fine, and always will, but why they're letting a company like that publish their game... well, I guess I'll never know. They're as much of a mediocrity factory as Majesco was, but they, like Majesco, do actually have a few decent titles under their publishing belt (such as "Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay"). For the most part, however...

  • SyluxElite

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 12:05 pm PT

    Come on Psychonauts 2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    The End of the game left a beginning for a new title

    Hopefully with Raz in the outside world out of the camp

  • adolfogomez

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 12:04 pm PT

    crap no new HOMEWORLD... how about you make it and just call it battlestar -.-

  • evangelion80

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 12:01 pm PT

    love the avatar

  • Digital-Devil

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 11:49 am PT

    Never cared for Battlestar :/

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