Nightdive Studios, the owner of the System Shock IP, has clarified the status of the long-missing-in-action System Shock 3, claiming that it’s now up to Tencent if the sequel gets made.
System Shock 3 had spent many years developing at Austin in Texas. Otherside Entertainment – the studio led by the Original SS development team members Paul Neurath and Warren Spector before dissolving out of the public domain completely in the year 2020.
In the end, a statement was made public on the Otherside website, claiming that Tencent will have the privilege of “taking the System Shock franchise forward”.
There has been no explanation in the two years that have passed on what this could mean regarding the future of the game however, a study on LinkedIn shows that nearly all of the System Shock development team has since left the company.
At a press conference with VGC on Gamescom, Nightdive CEO Stephen Kick stated they had the exclusive rights for the 3rd game that it initially granted to Otherside The rights were later transferred for sale to a Chinese conglomerate.
It’s the decision of Tencent whether the third game is made He told VGC.
“When we initially purchased all rights related to this franchise and granted the rights to 3rd game rights in the third game to Warren and Paul Neurath of Otherside. Then, they transferred the rights they had for the third game to Tencent,” he explained.
“So Tencent currently has the rights to the third game and we also have the right to remake the first game, and possibly an update of the second game. This is pretty much how the situation is right now.”
Kick confirmed that it’s at Tencent to decide if the game is ever made and said that it was unclear the involvement of Spector and Neurath were part of this kind of project. “I really don’t know. I’m sure Paul and Warren are making games and that’s about as much as I’m aware of currently.”
Tencent may also develop further System Shock sequels in the future if they were to make the third game, and then decide to keep developing, he stated. “I believe they could technically create 5 and 4 also however, they’d need first make 3 before doing it. So, we’ll see.”
Nightdive is currently working on its long-awaited System Shock remake, which is working on since 2016 and has not yet had a release date. The game was, however, played during Gamescom this week.
According to the CEO and game director Kick Director and game director Kick Warren Spector and Paul Neurath have been giving regular feedback regarding the remake, which means both are part of the franchise in this capacity.
“They’ve been wonderful,” he added. “We’ve been providing them with building materials regularly in exchange for their input and they’ve given us plenty. It’s their baby and has been handed over to us. We’re lucky to use them as a sounding board to inform us when we’ve gone too far, or perhaps not gone enough. We’ve certainly been utilizing this feedback.”
In spite of uncertainty about Tencent’s control of the sequel’s rights Kick stated that it has “definitely” plans for more System Shock from Nightdive, “whether that be a remake of the second game or some cross-media stuff” like as a live-action series planned on streaming platforms like Binge.