38 Studios has purchased Big Huge Games from THQ, adding a huge chunk of quality real-time strategy and role-playing talent to their roster and saving the developer from imminent closure. In March of this year, previous owner THQ threatened to close the studio following losses of $191.8 million in the previous financial quarter. Then came the layoffs. With the purchase, 38 Studios acquires all of Big Huge's intellectual property, development tools, and works in progress, including RPG legend Ken Rolston's upcoming role-playing game.

"It's always about team," said 38 Studios Founder and Chairman Curt Schilling. "The highly regarded developers at BHG, including leading role-playing and real-time strategy design teams led by Ken Rolston, are a perfect complement to 38 Studios' staggering array of talent. Big Huge Games is a phenomenal team and, culturally, a natural fit."

Big Huge Games will be integrated into 38 Studios, but will continue to operate out of Timonium, Maryland.

Having been eagerly awaiting Ken Rolston's RPG project since it was first announced in 2007, this is welcome news indeed. A feel-good story in a time of industry turmoil. Besides, how often does a star starting pitcher manage to get the save?

Rolston is referring to all of his writing philosophies —a lifetime's worth of genius or folly—being pumped into our open and willing/possibly-still-intoxicated-from-last-night ear drums.

He presents us with his BIG WRONG IDEAS, a deconstructionist approach that makes bold claims like theme is more important than character and paper is better than plastic to clarify point and purpose.

It was outright insanity I tell you.

He explains that linear forms like film and novels are better at telling stories than games—something that's looking to be flat-out true at the moment—and concluded that inference (such as the ruins in Morrowin) is the best way for gamers to experience compelling narrative which can, at peak, invoke an intangible melancholy.

In the Renaissance, melancholy was a sign of genius. We don't think he was necessarily referring to that interpretation.

Whether or not you enjoy Rolston's opus RPGs, he is certainly trying to accomplish new feats...other than that 50-person mouth spray. That's totally been done before (just check out the German primetime).

Ken vs. Bob on Dialogue
Ken: There's no chance I will ever be able to do without it, but I will spend every resource I have to not use dialogue...[and] I sneer patronizlingly at cut scenes.

Bob: Interactive dialogue...is incredible problematic from a player point of view. (players wonder if they should have gone another path).

Ken vs. Bob on Story
Ken: Almost all the games we do celebrate your adolescent and immature desire to be heroes...in direct conflict with having a more meaningful stories.

Bob: What passes for story in most games is just revealed backstory. And that is really bad. It's fundamentally uninteresting. What's interesting is seeing characters changing through time.

Ken vs. Bob on Ambiguity
Ken:Where I'd like to see more creativity is mini cut scenes when they're small dramatic scenes with no dialog...learning to use those tools to create ambiguity...

Bob: I think that the more specific you can be, the more that I can create in somebody's head that in my head, that's what's worth doing...ambiguity is not going to get that task done. Specificity will get that task done.

I was surprised at the somewhat fatalist response both writers had to the videogame medium. Uninspired by dialog trees and craving new interaction for players, it's tough to disagree with something becoming blatant in this generation: the stories of games need to improve.

Big Huge president and COO Tim Train said, "We've wanted to do an RPG for years and I think we have a great direction that will knock everyone's socks off. THQ's ability to create and grow new intellectual properties, and their reputation for fantastic developer support, made them the ideal partner to bring our dream game to market."

THQ, Big Huge Games Partner For Rolston-Led RPG [Gamasutra]

While BHG may be more well known for their real time strategy output, including Rise of Nations, they've apparently had a RPG brewing for several years and tapped into Rolston's expertise. Even though he threatened to retire from the game game last year, Rolston explains "Tim and his army of visionary charmers came along with a strikingly original and cunning concept for a console RPG...so now I'm back in the harness and chomping at the bit!" Rolston then neighed with delight and was fed an apple as part of his contract.

With Bethesda's Morrowind and Oblivion a part of Rolston's pedigree and BHG's upcoming Xbox Live Arcade game Catan due to hit sometime this year, don't be surprised to see the unannounced title hit the 360 when it's officially revealed. Michael McWhertor

Veteran Designer Ken Rolston Joins BHG