I thought I read an interview where Greg S. said that when he ended his partnership in Chaosium, the main condition was his retaining the rights to Pendragon. So I don't quite get this current turn of events, but I may be misremembering and I can't find the interview right now.

Well, here's Peter's announcement and explanation of affairs from back in 1998.  I forgot that his acquisition of the game was the result of Chaosium defaulting on a loan he extended to them.  Le sigh.

!i!

What a mess. My advice is to dig up as much vintage Pendragon material on ebay as possible.

I must have misremembered. Elsewhere I found Stafford saying that Glorantha was his sole take-away from Chaosium when he left.

Quote from: brettmb;342880What a mess. My advice is to dig up as much vintage Pendragon material on ebay as possible.

I am awfully fond of my 1st edition Pendragon collection.  The game underwent precious little revision over the years -- mostly, new material was added and older material simply expanded.  It all works together very well.

Quote from: Elliot Wilen;342881I must have misremembered. Elsewhere I found Stafford saying that Glorantha was his sole take-away from Chaosium when he left.

Yeah, Glorantha, his other baby. And, apparently, the name "RuneQuest", which he later parlayed to Mongoose.  The Chaosium clusterfuck propagates further!

!i!

Chaosium is really the motherfucking king-shit ruler of Incompetent Companies.

RPGPundit

Quote from: RPGPundit;342953Chaosium is really the motherfucking king-shit ruler of Incompetent Companies.

There was a key hinge-point somewhere in the '90s, but I'm guessing the problems were already in the works.  I was on the surface of the balloon with the Nephilim RPG in the mid-90s and I could tell that something was going wrong on the inside of the company -- that project was fantastically rudderless.  These days, they consistently fail to capitalise on any advantage they manage to work up.

!i!

On the other hand, they are still around in some way, while most of the mid-tier companies from that era (e.g. West End, GDW, Fasa or Steve Jackson Games) are long defunct, only remembered by a few aging fans.*


*Obligatory Koltar troll goes here.

Quote from: Melan;342974On the other hand, they are still around in some way, while most of the mid-tier companies from that era (e.g. West End, GDW, Fasa or Steve Jackson Games) are long defunct, only remembered by a few aging fans.

Huh, Steve Jackson is very much around and while WEG is a shadow of its former self, it does still exist.

Quote from: brettmb;342976Huh, Steve Jackson is very much around and while WEG is a shadow of its former self, it does still exist.

Steve Jackson doesn't really seem to see RPGs as it's main focus anymore though, and they've hardcored the hell out of their one main RPG franchise to the point of driving off almost all interest outside of a now small fanbase.    

And WEG doesn't seem to be able to produce product that anyone wants to buy, when they can even get it out the door, so I have my doubts as to whether they should even count anymore.  It's not even any of the same principals involved.  May as well call Avalon Hill still alive.

Quote from: Melan;342974On the other hand, they are still around in some way, while most of the mid-tier companies from that era (e.g. West End, GDW, Fasa or Steve Jackson Games) are long defunct, only remembered by a few aging fans.*

WEG still exists; albeit as a subsidiary of another company. They still release D6, Masterbook, and Torg.

FASA became WizKids, in part to dodge debts owed. Same people, new company.

GDW split up in the black. Albeit with not enough captial left to remain so had they tried to continue. Most products still in release via FFE or licensees, often both. FFE has PDF CDRoms for $35 per product line, as in All of Classic Traveller for $35, or All of Twlight 2000 second ed for $35.

SJG is still going strong.

WWG, at the time strongest of the mid-tier, is a subsidiary of CCP now, and dying by inches, but still present.

Chaosium still incompetent but at least still in business.

RTalsorian still in business, still slow to release. Just reprinted Castle Falkensteinm has Mekton Zeta, and Cyberpunk going.

I'd say most of the mid tier are still in business, Melan.

Palladium is another one that's still around, and that despite "Crises of Treachery"!

Shit, its actually pretty cut-and-dry: most of the gaming companies that followed White Wolf's lead in the 90s are gone now, most of those who did not are still around (though in varying degrees of health).

RPGPundit

Quote from: aramis;342998FASA became WizKids, in part to dodge debts owed. Same people, new company.

Wizkids is dead, but might get revived by their new owner NECA.