Update:
Sega has issued a statement explaining that the reason the game was removed from Steam has to do with an expiration of the music license. They further confirmed that they still hold the publishing rights to Alpha Protocol. Their initial comment about the game being removed due to an expiration of Sega’s publishing rights was incorrect.
Original story:
Obsidan Entertainment has had quite a lot of news this year. The first big announcement came a year ago when it was revealed Microsoft had acquired Obsidian. Next Obsidian revealed their new project The Outer Worlds, an RPG that looked like Fallout New Vegas in space. Obsidian is back with another treat for fans of the RPG studio. Today it has been revealed that Obsidian will be receiving publishing rights to an old IP they worked on.
According to TechRaptor, Sega’s publishing right for Alpha Protocol has expired. The fallout of this deal means that Obsidian now holds the publishing rights for the game. In response to the change on publisher rights, several stores have removed the game from sale. Those looking to purchase the game may want to do it soon or maybe wait for Obsidian themselves to re-upload the game under their name or Microsoft’s.
Alpha Protocol was released back in the year 2010 during the 360/PS3 generation of games. Unlike most RPGs during the time like Fallout or Mass Effect, the game was set in modern days. No dystopian wasteland, no futuristic space setting. Of course because this was one of Obsidian’s early games, they would need funding which is where the Sega publishing deal would come from.
Obsidian had spoken publicly in the past on making a sequel for the game but was shot down by Sega. The less than stellar sales made it so Sega would abandon the game. Perhaps now under Microsoft’s leadership a new Alpha Protocol will be made.
