Intruder in Virtual Reality Unveiled: Long-Awaited Revisit to the Familiar Metropolis Leaves Enthusiasts Bemused and Disappointed after More than a Decade's Wait
This week's struggles: I've been battling the shitstorm of norovirus and have been stuck in my sickbed, swapping out my comfort games with SGF trailer anticipation. But I'm back on my feet now, grumbling about the latest Thief debacle.
Picture this: we've got a smoke-filled boardroom, filled with executives snorting wads of cash. The cash is ablaze. The gaming industry is going up in flames. Embracer has just made another foolish move, trampling the spirit of Thief, one of PC gaming's most significant series.
Embracer Group? Yeah, they're the Swedish madmen, formerly known as Nordic Games. Grew like a weed between 2013 and 2023, snatching every game property they could get their greedy hands on. Most of it didn't amount to much. They swallowed THQ, gobbled up Deep Silver, snatched up Coffee Stain Studios, and kept going.
In 2022, they made a deal with Square Enix, splashing $300 million on Crystal Dynamics, Eidos-Montreal, and Square Enix Montreal. That's how they seized Thief.
When things started going south for Embracer, they trimmed the fat, shedding nearly 1,000 jobs in a matter of months. But, unfortunately for us, they held onto Thief. And that's why yesterday, we got slapped with an ugly trailer for Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow. One of the most disappointing unveilings I've ever seen.
Embracer? They're not the folks you want making decisions about your passions. I've got a lot of love for Thief, a game that shaped my gaming horizon. And as much as I adore the immersive sim genre, popular as it tends to be or not, it holds a special place in my heart.
From Thief, we got some truly brilliant, ambitious, unapologetic games: Arx Fatalis, Dark Messiah of Might & Magic, Deus Ex, Dishonored-some of the greatest games ever made. And it revolutionized stealth games-pretty much the entire genre's birthplace. You've probably enjoyed the stealthy moments in games like Assassin's Creed Shadows, and Thief deserves the glory.
A new Thief intrigued me. Thief 4 was a letdown, and it's been a decade since it released. I'm ready for someone to tackle it again. But this? A VR game? Seriously?
VR, it's just a gimmick. It's nothing but broken promises. Cool experiences like Half-Life: Alyx are few and far between. And even then, it's not worth the investment of a niche bit of hardware or the uncomfortable headset. And the new Thief? It just looks rubbish, from the disembodied hands to the unenthusiastic trailer.
A VR game restricts the audience and limits the game's potential. It sacrifices for middling experiences. Embracer's ignorance of Thief and indifference to the series is clear. With a loaded portfolio of beloved games, Embracer needs to stop meddling with the gems they hold and focus on creating new experiences that can meet the high standards set by the classics.
- Despite my recent illness and the disappointing Thief debacle, I eagerly await the new trailer for the 'Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow'.
- The gaming industry is in a crisis, with companies like Embracer Group making questionable decisions, such as the acquisition of Thief.
- Social media is abuzz with opinions about Embracer Group's latest move, as they have snatched up popular game franchises left and right.
- In the world of entertainment and pop-culture, celebrities and fans alike are expressing their distress over the upcoming Thief VR game.
- As we head into the new season, the upcoming releases such as movies-and-tv, books, and games are being increasingly discussed in boardrooms and on social media.
- Meanwhile, in the realm of sci-fi and fantasy, fans are still dreaming of groundbreaking games that could rival the likes of Arx Fatalis, Deus Ex, and Dishonored-games that were born from the pioneering spirit of Thief.
