Nordic doesn't kill studios and someone already wrote above - their idea is not EAization but Tencentization. Buy studios with potential, enrich and expand the publisher's catalogue with all sorts of different products that don't have to earn trillions aka, one's trash is another's treasure = more sales.
Does this mean Nordic Games' plans to launch their own Origin/uPlay/RockstarSocialClub/battlenet/EpicStore? Dunno, but if a publisher has numerous titles under their brand, it's a bit of a logical step.
About Elex 2, this Nordic's move is basically confirmation that it's in development. Nordic buys IPs exactly for reasons to make sequels other publishers aren't or weren't interested in.
Does this mean Gothic5 too? I surely hope it does.
My opinion on this? Unlike everyone else, I'm not 100% happy.
Instead of joining Nordic Games, there was another strategy Pluto13 could have gone for and to my disappointment it didn't.
What's PB's "biggest sin"? Lack of humor. Only Risen 3 had some hilarious stuff, but even then it was restricted to a sidekick you're currently with. Second "biggest"? Deep pen&papery RPG system, they just didn't try to make one.
Which made me dream about a collaboration of three developers on one game: PB, Larian and CDpr. Just try to imagine a game this trio can make only if they sat around the same table. An ultimate game of a decade - which is at the same time RPG of an epic scale, am I right?
Not saying this won't happen ever. It's still possible in some future, but it's kinda less probable now.
Anyway, for those interested in Nordic Games conference, just so you know today they are hosting two interesting topics:
https://www.gamesindustry.biz/artic...s-to-watch-at-the-nordic-game-conference-2019
Loot Boxes: Political and Public Perception
David Verbuggen, Ingames -- 22/05/2019, 12:15 - 13:00
The industry's use of loot boxes continues to prove divisive, and the case against was lent a great deal of credibility by a report published by the Belgian Gambling Commission last year. Ingames' David Verbuggen will examine the "witch-hunt" that followed the report, and expose the lack of knowledge behind the political and public perception of loot boxes.
Ethical monetisation
Crystin Cox, Microsoft PlayFab -- 22/05/2019, 15:15 - 16:00
In many ways, this is an ideal companion piece to the one above; after all, loot boxes are just the most controversial of myriad different monetisation techniques employed by games industry. In this talk, Microsoft PlayFab's Crystin Cox will explore the risk of unethical practices when trying to make money from video games -- an idea in line with Microsoft's broader push to make gaming a safer and healthier activity for all.
Hopefully we'll see a report or an article from these events soon.