[talkshow]

...about Roberta getting involved with the Kickstarter mania and possible doing another King's Quest. I just got a reponse from Ken:

--------------
Thank you,

I’ve been watching Leisure-Suit Larry on Kickstarter. Very cool!

I did ask Roberta if she wanted to consider working on a game, and she said no. It would be fun, but we’re
“too retired.” We’ll keep thinking about it, but I doubt it will ever happen.

-Ken W

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Rats! I told him that a new game would easily be funded with her name attached to it.

[thejobloshow]

Ah well, he's still a legend. I hope he's pledging to the projects!

It would be good if Telltale gets Roberta's blessing for their planned King's Quest game. Maybe even a cameo for old time's sake.

[talkshow]

Yeah good idea! I was thinking of the Telltale KQ Project. I can't find any info on their page about it. Guess it's not a high priority

[Adventurere No.1]

this is like asking blackmore to do a new deep purple LP,
come on.. ken didnt even want to write a book same with roberta.
they had the best time for them and for us back then, i dont think they would even give it another thought.

[Monolith]

Originally Posted by talkshow

Yeah good idea! I was thinking of the Telltale KQ Project. I can't find any info on their page about it. Guess it's not a high priority

No its a big priority, but you need to understand telltale doesn't just announce a bunch of shit and publicize all of it side by side. Its like a premium tv channel. The shows are announced, but their is a lineup and the first one is shown off until release, then the next, and so on.

[Adventurere No.1]

Originally Posted by Monolith

No its a big priority, but you need to understand telltale doesn't just announce a bunch of shit ...

yea they just publish a bunch of them ..

[MrOslo]

I read that Telltale asked Roberta to join in on the new King's Quest, but she declined.

Speaking of that game, when will we ever get some news on it? It's been a while.

[mart]

Adventurer No.1 is right of course about Ken and Roberta Williams coming out of retirement. That question has been posed many times on the SierraGamers forum. He retired after the company was sold (in 1996 to CUC International for $1 billion in stock), and since then they have been cruising the oceans with their various Nordhavns. Ken has a blog (and has written books) about these trips. He also stated several times he wouldn't write about his days at Sierra, and anyone who has read the various InterAction magazines will know why. Roberta works (or has worked) on a book on the Irish immigration to the US. Retired at 42/41, that must be hell, I guess. PS There's a very amusing reference to Ken in a cult game when a robot has become Ken ("... are there any MEMORABLE Kens in HISTORY? ...").

[Banter]

I agree with Mart. The Willians retired on top and at the right time. Even though KQVIII is a bad memory for many, it didn't really flop commercially(it outsold Grim Fandango 3 to 1, for instance). And after that game they sold their share of the company for big bucks just before it was steered into the wrong direction.

They were never "indie" developers, they wouldn't do that now that they are happily retired, enjoying the high life and don't feel like making games anymore. Making classic adventures at this time is a work of passion against the odds. It doesn't fit someone on their condition and state of mind.

[thejobloshow]

Damn, I wish Ken Williams could pick up the tabs for the Jensen and Al Lowe Kickstarters. I guess that would make things too easy though. I'll be at the edge of my seat for the rest of the month.

[Banter]

Erm, maybe it could happen after all. Still a long shot, but who knows.

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/04/10/replay-trying-to-bring-back-space-quest-kings-quest/

Could Roberta and Ken Williams be about to come out of retirement? Speaking to Al Lowe and Paul Trowe for an interview due later today, RPS learned that the company remaking the Leisure Suit Larry games is also in talks with other Sierra adventure alumni about bringing back their classic series. Replay Games‘ Trowe revealed that they’re currently in negotiations with both Sierra On-line co-founders Ken and Roberta Williams, as well as Space Quest creators, Scott Murphy and Mark Crowe, with an interest to see King’s Quest and Space Quest brought back. With the added obstacle of Activision to manoeuvre around too.

Roberta and Ken Williams retired around 1999, having made quite some fortune from the sale of Sierra, neither taking any role in the games industry since. Of course, Roberta is most famous for being behind the fairytale King’s Quest series, and the polar-different horror adventure, Phantasmagoria, and it’s the former series Trowe would love to see back. When we asked Trowe if either Williams was interested in coming out of retirement, he replied,

“I can’t speak for Roberta, but I can tell you that we’re currently talking to her and Ken.”

Meanwhile, things seem even further along with hopes to remake or add to the Space Quest catalogue. While creators Murphy and Crowe fell out in the 90s, Replay approached both about returning to the games. Crowe has ruled himself out, stating that his working for Pipeworks would make it a conflict of interests, but Scott Murphy has already expressed an interest. (In fact, he emailed Trowe during our interview, congratulating them on their Kickstarter.) And the last Space Quest game was developed by Murphy and Josh Mandel, with Mandel already working at Replay. The remaining issue, as with King’s Quest, would be licensing the games from owners Activision.

Trowe explained that Activision had been a touch unrealistic when he first approached them. Activision told us that they wanted $500,000 up front,” he explained. “And greater than 50% revenue share for those properties. I told them ‘good luck on getting that’, because I don’t think anybody’s going to pay that fee. I can tell you that they changed their tune about six months after that.”

But since then Space Quest has been licensed elsewhere, and Replay are currently in negotiations over getting the rights for themselves. “I want to say it’s looking good,” said Trowe, “but right now I’d give us 50/50.”

(I’m mostly upset that Crowe’s not interested, removing the possibility of a Lowe, Trowe and Crowe all working on a game.)