GVMERS

Why Was This Promising RPG Cancelled? - Investigating Project Offset (2017x13)

: 29, 2017

When looking back at the evolution of videogame technology, the mid-2000s were, perhaps, some of the most pivotal years. Sony and Microsoft ushered in the next generation of console hardware by releasing the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 respectively, allowing developers to create far more impressive engines to power their ambitious games, and titles such as FEAR, Doom 3 and Half-Life 2 were pushing the envelope with their unparalleled graphics and physics simulations. It was during these turbulent years that a small group of indie developers teased the public with a game so impressive in both visuals and design that it managed to stand out among its substantially bigger-budgeted contemporaries and would remain relevant years after its unveiling. First showcased to the world in 2005, the fantasy-themed action game Project Offset was trapped in development for five more years, with intentions on being released on the PC, while ports for the 7th generation of consoles were considered as well. Alas, the game was canned completely in 2010, yet its publishers-to-be never officially clarified why. So, what did Project Offset bring to the table, aside from its impressive graphics? What happened during development? And, more importantly, why was it cancelled after so long?