THQ Nordic announces that it has purchased the rights to the Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning IP as well as Project Copernicus from the bankrupt 38 Studios.
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning earned decent reviews and sold over 1 million copies at the time of its release, but it may be best known for being publicly criticized by Rhode Island governor Lincoln Chafee and the lawsuit that emerged from its notoriously rocky development. Considered by some to be one of the most underrated games of the last-generation, it still failed to break event despite selling over 1 million copies, and 38 Studios eventually had to declare bankruptcy. After its disappointing sales performance and the demise of its developer, it’s safe to say fans of the game were not expecting a sequel. However, a sequel to Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is possible now than more than ever, as THQ Nordic has purchased the rights to the IP.
THQ Nordic announced today that it has purchased the rights to the Kingdoms of Amalur IP from 38 Studios, and it plans to evaluate the possibility of sequels and new content. At the very least, it seems likely that a Kingdoms of Amalur remaster could be in the works to bring the game to modern gaming platforms, and if that does well, perhaps a proper sequel will be pursued more seriously.
THQ Nordic didn’t just buy the rights to Kingdoms of Amalur, however. It also picked up the rights to Project Copernicus. Project Copernicus, for the uninitiated, was an MMO in development at 38 Studios that was at the center of its controversy with the state of Rhode Island. The game was apparently going to be set in the same universe as Kingdoms of Amalur, but it never materialized. Whether or not THQ Nordic will invest the cash necessary to actually revive Project Copernicus remains to be seen, however, especially since it would likely cost a lot more than developing a non-MMO Kingdoms of Amalur sequel.
When one considers all of the drama surrounding the original game and the financial woes of Curt Schilling, former MLB pitcher and three time World Series champion who founded 38 Studios, it’s somewhat surprising that THQ Nordic decided to pick up the rights to the Kingdoms of Amalur franchise. However, the company has made a reputation of purchasing the rights to dormant video game IP, picking up the rights to TimeSplitters and Second Sight just last month.
Whether or not THQ Nordic successfully revives the Kingdoms of Amalur IP remains to be seen, but it will definitely be interesting to see where it goes from here.
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is out now for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.
