You know it is things like this that makes me wish that MMO developers would release some sort of 3rd party server patch for their games when they shut down their servers, that way people that still enjoy the games can either buy dedicated servers so that they can still play with some of the friends or even set it up on their own PC and solo the game.

"Looking forward, Funcom said it will direct its resources toward "smaller, more focused online games."

Here is an idea, how about focusing on a 3rd Longest Journey game and tying up the series before making more MMOs?

We are missing one of the key pieces of information here, who bought them.

@Uesugi-dono

If you play on the PC this isn't an issue, if it really bothers you that someone you like/need is killed then just open the console and resurrect them.

What's up with charging us? The people that play multiplayer get all of this free love while single player gamers are asked to open their wallets? Thanks Bioware.

Sucks about Spec Ops, sure the combat was, with a few exceptions, a straight rip-off of Gears of War but the story was clever, really clever.

@PurpleRose

I don't think that is how it works, in fact I am pretty sure that non of the people that worked on The Old Republic own any part of the IP, the IP would be owned by the company, or companies in this instance since Star Wars isn't Biowares.

@DukeMagnum

True and now that I think of it, the temporary insanity that gripped the company during the whole 'Let's buy Yahoo! for $30+ billion' has pretty well gone away.

@ColdfireTrilogy

True but if Microsoft owns the what, 61% of the company that Vivendi currently has, they might not have a choice in the matter. Even if the other 39% get Microsoft to release them on other systems the Xbox would probably be the exclusive home to them for a long while. Also I don't think that Microsoft would mind, since they would be making money off of software sales to their competitors, tt wouldn't even be unprecedented for Microsoft either, they let Rare make games for the DS and that is a company Microsoft owns outright.

I think that Microsoft is a little more interested then they are letting on, I can't see them that easily passing on acquiring a couple of the biggest franchises in gaming at the moment. If anything they are probably just biding their time to see if they can force Vivendi to lower the asking price or they are going to try and snap them up when the shares hit the public market.