Pocketpair explains why it’s very difficult to acquire game licenses
, by Thibaut
With the closure of BioWare, some old saying has resurfaced in gaming discussions on social media. Indeed, Mass Effect fans have asked certain industry players to acquire the license. Unfortunately, the process is more complicated than it seems.
On X, John "Bucky" Buckley, Director of Communications and Publishing at Pocketpair, explained why it’s rare to see franchises switch from one publisher to another. According to him, these companies have no interest in carrying out such a transaction or generally set prices that are completely out of line.
"Soon after a game is cancelled or a studio shuts down, we get a lot of comments and emails from fans saying 'You should buy this IP!'
Then, as months go by, those comments turn into 'Why didn't you buy it? You have the money!'
The reality is, in my experience at least, the IP holders often have absolutely no interest in selling and when they do, the asking price is absurd...
It's becoming a more common topic these days, because so many games are being cancelled or shut down, so I just wanted to share my personal experience.
Plenty of companies do try to buy or at least license game IPs to keep them alive. But...if the IP holder doesn't want to play ball...then there isn't much anyone can really do :/"
So it’s unlikely we’ll ever see Mass Effect or Dragon Age end up with another major publisher.