copericus posts

It looks like the decision to give a huge state-assisted load to game developer 38 Studios is still generating some political heat. While the Rhode Island Economic Development Corp. voted 8 to 1 last month to give 38 Studios $75 million in loan guarantees, the Providence Journal web site is reporting that some of the candidates for that state's governor are protesting the move.

Lincoln Chafee, a former Senator and now an independent candidate for governor, has asked the Rhode Island Economic Development Corp to 'reconvene and suspend its commitment" to 38 Studios and check out some other proposals. Also, the state Treasurer Frank T. Caprio, who also happens to be the Democratic candidate for governor, has ask the board to make modifications to the 38 Studios deal in order to "adequately protect and benefit taxpayers." There's no word yet on if the board will take up these requests.

[Via Gamasutra]

Earlier this month we reported that 38 Studios was considering moving its main headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts to Rhode Island in order to secure loans from that state's government. Today Boston.com reports that the Rhode Island Economic Development Corp. has indeed voted 8 to 1 to give 38 Studios a whopping $75 million in loan guarantees to move to the state. 38 Studios claims it will bring 450 jobs directly to Rhode Island by the end of 2012. If the developer shuts down operations, the state will have to repay the loans.

The game studio, founded by former Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling, just announced its first game last week, the fantasy RPG Kingdoms of Amalur Reckoning, which is being developed by Maryland-based Big Huge Games. 38 Studios' main office is working on a fantasy MMO code named Copernicus.

Another Massachusetts-based game developer, Demiurge Studios, made the unusual move of emailing to the press an open letter written to Schilling. The letter, which is also available on Demiurge's web site, asks Schilling to reconsider moving 38 Studios out of the Boston area. Demiurge's CEO William Reed states, "As 38 Studios' in-development MMO grows, you will soon realize that although the capital you have secured will fund your endeavors, the most vital and necessary component to completing your project is the vast pool of talent and resources you are leaving behind." Reed adds that members of 38 Studios who don't want to move are "more than welcome to join the team at Demiurge Studios, the state's soon-to-be largest independent game studio."