Live data from Hacker News

Happy Birthday Monkey Island

grumpygamer.com

11–20 of 123 posts

Re: Happy Birthday Monkey Island

#11
Dear Mr Gilbert,

We do own the Monkey Island brand, but we are of course ready and willing to let go of the three headed monkeys and scary voodoo curses once again. You have our blessings. And curses.

Sincerely, Disney

(oops, looks like we accidentally posted on Hacker News, sorry, won't happen again!)

Re: Happy Birthday Monkey Island

#12
post #8
post #2

"I don’t know if I will ever get to make another Monkey Island. I always envisioned the game as a trilogy and I really hope I do, but I don’t know if it will ever happen. Monkey Island is now owned by Disney and they haven't shown any desire to sell me the IP. I don’t know if I could make Monkey Island 3a without complete control over what I was making and the only way to do that is to own it. Disney: Call me." I won…

I find it interesting that Ron doesn't consider "The Curse of Monkey Island" part of the trilogy. Anyone know the back-story there?

Wikipedia says "Monkey Island creator Ron Gilbert parted ways with the series after Monkey Island 2, and the new project leaders were Jonathan Ackley and Larry Ahern, both of whom had previously worked on Full Throttle (the interface of the game was adopted almost entirely)."

Re: Happy Birthday Monkey Island

#13
post #9

The real way to celebrate a happy birthday is with a 90% off sale (on the remastered version)! Keeps fingers crossed.

He writes that Disney owns the rights and isn't showing signs of wanting to do anything about it. However, check out the first reward-tier on his new game: http://blog.thimbleweedpark.com/backer :)

Re: Happy Birthday Monkey Island

#14
post #2

"I don’t know if I will ever get to make another Monkey Island. I always envisioned the game as a trilogy and I really hope I do, but I don’t know if it will ever happen. Monkey Island is now owned by Disney and they haven't shown any desire to sell me the IP. I don’t know if I could make Monkey Island 3a without complete control over what I was making and the only way to do that is to own it. Disney: Call me." I won…

Why "3a" and not just 3?

The Curse of Monkey Island, while being the third game released, was never officially called Monkey Island 3.

Re: Happy Birthday Monkey Island

#15
post #6
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I guess he could propose a game to Disney and see if they bite. From his blog (the title of which includes the phrase "bitter ramblings") Ron appears opposed to working on MI3 unless given full control first. However, I would think his best course would be something like a kickstarter campaign which might demonstrate to Disney the kind of market MI3 could have.

From the article: > Please don’t suggest I do a Kickstarter to get the money, that’s not possible without Disney first agreeing to sell it and they haven’t done that.

Yes that is what I meant by 'appears opposed'. However, I wonder if he wrote that because even he realises that he will need to do more than just ask if he really wants to do MI3.

Re: Happy Birthday Monkey Island

#16
post #12
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I find it interesting that Ron doesn't consider "The Curse of Monkey Island" part of the trilogy. Anyone know the back-story there?

Wikipedia says "Monkey Island creator Ron Gilbert parted ways with the series after Monkey Island 2, and the new project leaders were Jonathan Ackley and Larry Ahern, both of whom had previously worked on Full Throttle (the interface of the game was adopted almost entirely)."

Curse was actually a pretty good game, mind you.

Re: Happy Birthday Monkey Island

#17
post #2

"I don’t know if I will ever get to make another Monkey Island. I always envisioned the game as a trilogy and I really hope I do, but I don’t know if it will ever happen. Monkey Island is now owned by Disney and they haven't shown any desire to sell me the IP. I don’t know if I could make Monkey Island 3a without complete control over what I was making and the only way to do that is to own it. Disney: Call me." I won…

His current Kickstarter project, Thimbleweed Park, looks very similar in tone, humour and gameplay. I really have high hopes for it. Maybe if it's successful it will prove that there is still a market for "retro" adventure games and help give Disney a prod in the right direction.

That was certainly my hope when I backed it, anyway...

Re: Happy Birthday Monkey Island

#19

I was so lucky to have grown up during this time and I hope it's not too pretentious to say it affected my life in many positive ways.

Agreed, as a kid with a short attention span MI 1 & 2 must have been pretty special to have kept me glued to my Atari ST every night for weeks on end. I still haven't found a game series that appeals so much to my bizarre sense of humour. Or maybe it was MI that made it what it is today? ;)
Post reply on HN