inXile's big party-based RPG 'Wasteland 3' launching May 19 next year, now up for pre-order

Man, the DJ/narrator in that video has an incredible voice. Between Bastion, Transistor and Portal 2, I'm begining to realise that I'm an absolute sucker for really excellent voice acting. It's the make or break of good sound design. Plus Wasteland 2 was excellent. I have high hopes for this!

To all the people last year who immediately assumed inXile being acquired by Microsoft meant the end of their Linux ports, you should try to keep an open mind next time.

To all the people last year who immediately assumed inXile being acquired by Microsoft meant the end of their Linux ports, you should try to keep an open mind next time.

Huh, well considering they were already making Wasteland 3 for Linux when MS bought them, the fact they said they were still going to release Wasteland 3 for Linux, has ZERO effect on whether or not any future games they're going to work on after the acquisition is going to support Linux.

So, that possibility is still very strong. We knew this game was still coming out for us. Here's the problem, their last few games were all backed via kickstarter, when their fans could say they wanted Linux support. Look how long it still took BD4 to come out, and that's only because Brian is an upstanding developer! But now that MS is going to be funding the games, I'll still say I'll be shocked if we get support.

To all the people last year who immediately assumed inXile being acquired by Microsoft meant the end of their Linux ports, you should try to keep an open mind next time.

The game was crowd-funded with the promise of a Linux version, so I would say they had a prior obligation for this game. It's future games where the likelihood significantly decreases.

To all the people last year who immediately assumed inXile being acquired by Microsoft meant the end of their Linux ports, you should try to keep an open mind next time.

That would be me then. Only the Linux support of Wasteland 3 was promised in the Fig campaign way before they were aquired by Microsoft. It was clear they would stay true to their word given for Bards Tale 4 and Wasteland 3. Lets wait for the next game...

I don't understand the reason to automatically assume the worst. There is no definitive evidence supporting either theory, so why not keep an open mind? You don't have to get your hopes up, but you're making assumptions without any support. Microsoft bought them but we're not privy to how much control and influence MS exerts on inXile internally. Being negative at this point benefits nobody.


Last edited by wytrabbit on 15 Nov 2019 at 2:32 am UTC

To all the people last year who immediately assumed inXile being acquired by Microsoft meant the end of their Linux ports, you should try to keep an open mind next time.

Wasteland 3 had Linux release commitment from inXile before they were bought by MS. I backed their campaign for it while they were still and independent company. And MS so far didn't interfere with that.

But I wouldn't use it for setting the expectation of what to come. Their future games might as well become all locked into MS only systems.


Last edited by Shmerl on 15 Nov 2019 at 2:41 am UTC

I don't understand the reason to automatically assume the worst. There is no definitive evidence supporting either theory, so why not keep an open mind? You don't have to get your hopes up, but you're making assumptions without any support. Microsoft bought them but we're not privy to how much control and influence MS exerts on inXile internally. Being negative at this point benefits nobody.

You can assume knowing who MS are, especially Phil Spencer and their whole gaming division that he commands. Where is their participation in the Vulkan working group? If they can't even do that much, how do you think they view Linux gaming altogether?

See also: https://www.mcvuk.com/aint-no-party-like-an-xbox-party-aaron-greenberg-clarifies-exclusivity-stance-and-explains-why-the-upcoming-x019-is-coming-to-london/

Thinking about the next game from Obsidian, InXile or Ninja Theory, all those studios, just like our existing internal studios, whether it’s 343 or Turn 10, they’re going to be focused on making those games for our platforms. So we have no plans to expand any of those exclusive first-party titles to any other consoles,” Greenberg states categorically to us.

<...>

We’ve been able to work with Steam so that we’re enabling that community to also be able to play across Windows 10 and console.

Note only Windows 10 and console (Xbox). No word on Linux.


Last edited by Shmerl on 15 Nov 2019 at 2:47 am UTC

I never really wanted to play Wasteland 2, i tried, but never got hooked, so i stopped all my attempts quite early.
Maybe because it was too "american cowboys" or something... I don't know really.

From the trailer, something is bothering me with the visuals.
I don't like "something".
Not sure what.
Maybe because nothing really is readable, everything is too "flat" ?

I don't understand the reason to automatically assume the worst. There is no definitive evidence supporting either theory, so why not keep an open mind? You don't have to get your hopes up, but you're making assumptions without any support. Microsoft bought them but we're not privy to how much control and influence MS exerts on inXile internally. Being negative at this point benefits nobody.

I never closed my mind on it. At the time they aquired Obsidian and InXile, MS tried to promote their store and XBox with exclusives. They also have the habbit of pushing their tech with their products, and MS gaming tech still is very anti-anything but MS. So it was logical for me to assume that the purchases were made for this reason. Of course when/if Microsoft changes their Strategy, anything could happen, but at the time (and still) I don't see them offering their games (after Wasteland 3 and PoE2) on Steam or GOG, and I certainly expect them to offer Linux games on the MS store.

Hell yes. Wasteland 2 was a blast [for me]. Love the podcast format of this video. Nice remix from a remix of Land Of Confusion as well :D

That goes so on my Must-Buy list.

Liked Wasteland 2 as well, though I never played it once the DC came out (I had some problems with it then, for some reason). Didn't back this game so will wait until it releases now, and probably a good while after that, so they can pump out all the DLC they may want and eventually put that into a complete edition. I fully expect new games, post MS assassination, to not be released for Linux. We can hope of course, but it's pretty naive given their history to expect a Linux release. May as well expect Facebook and Google to stop being dicks.

I don't understand the reason to automatically assume the worst. There is no definitive evidence supporting either theory, so why not keep an open mind? You don't have to get your hopes up, but you're making assumptions without any support. Microsoft bought them but we're not privy to how much control and influence MS exerts on inXile internally. Being negative at this point benefits nobody.

I never closed my mind on it. At the time they aquired Obsidian and InXile, MS tried to promote their store and XBox with exclusives. They also have the habbit of pushing their tech with their products, and MS gaming tech still is very anti-anything but MS. So it was logical for me to assume that the purchases were made for this reason. Of course when/if Microsoft changes their Strategy, anything could happen, but at the time (and still) I don't see them offering their games (after Wasteland 3 and PoE2) on Steam or GOG, and I certainly expect them to offer Linux games on the MS store.

It's worth noting that Obsidian has recently expressed doubt about Pillars of Eternity 3, stating that they're "re-examing" the game's format.

https://techraptor.net/gaming/news/fate-of-pillars-of-eternity-3-unknown-according-to-josh-sawyer

They cite poor sales of PoE 2, but my immediate thought is that MS wants something more console-oriented from them, and probably something with a more reliable return on investment than an isometric RPG. So expect more first-person, action oriented stuff like the Outer Worlds, which itself has no Linux port planned that I'm aware of (and I don't know if it would have even without MS being involved).

Liked Wasteland 2 as well, though I never played it once the DC came out (I had some problems with it then, for some reason).

Yeah, that was a bug feast especially towards the end. I think they fixed most of it. I remember finishing the DC at least once.

It's worth noting that Obsidian has recently expressed doubt about Pillars of Eternity 3, stating that they're "re-examing" the game's format.

https://techraptor.net/gaming/news/fate-of-pillars-of-eternity-3-unknown-according-to-josh-sawyer

They cite poor sales of PoE 2, but my immediate thought is that MS wants something more console-oriented from them, and probably something with a more reliable return on investment than an isometric RPG. So expect more first-person, action oriented stuff like the Outer Worlds, which itself has no Linux port planned that I'm aware of (and I don't know if it would have even without MS being involved).

Hadn't heard about that, and that is sad to read. Definitely have more faith in your interpretation than waffles about poor sales for a Kickstarted project that brought in millions. Always sad to see what happens when once independent companies get bought by bigger 'fish'. I fear what will happen to them, and from our perspective, of course that we can forget about Linux releases from now on.