Blue Fang: Beyond Zoo Tycoon

[Cuddly Panda]

I was checking out BlueFang.com, and found a press release stating BF were planning on games oher than Zoo Tycoon and ven for PC! Check it out here: http://www.bluefang.com/news_press.htm - Click on the first link

[kiwibuddy]

Cool! In a way I'm kinda excited and kinda not. Excited because it'll be cool to see what they come out with! Bummed because there might not be a ZT3. Still, this should be good. :thumbsup

[Cuddly Panda]

Perhaps.

..new game talent into its award winning development team to begin development projects focused on the animal kingdom for next generation gaming consoles...

That means PS2s, PS3s, Wiis, Gamecubes, etc. It states they'll still be animal games, though. :egggrin

The funding is being used to expand Blue Fang's game development efforts beyond its best-selling "Zoo Tycoon" Franchise, support growth of its development team, and enable Blue Fang to become a preeminent provider of mass market game titles across a broad range of platforms.

See? That's what worries me. Will Extinct Animals be the last in the Zoo Tycoon seriess? :eggcry
Wandering what these new games will be? Let Hank Howie, president of Blue Fang Games tell you:

"We're obviously on the right track, as our efforts continue to be well received by publishers and investors alike. Personally, I'm chomping at the bit to unveil this work to the industry as a whole and to our loyal fan base. For now, however, we are unable to discuss these projects in more detail. All in good time."

[orangemonkey22]

well, I'm interested to see what they're doing, but I'm worried that EA might be the end now.

[Pastcat]

Well, if they're thinking of moving on, what's to say they won't make an even cooler ZT game for other consoles?

[chameleongeek]

I would love one for the wii. They could make that thing have such good graphics since a console doesn't have to support as much as a computer does thus slowing it down.

[mo_uk]

I would love to see a farm version, quite fancy having sheep and baby lambs etc.

 

[Cuddly Panda]

Maybe as a free download. A farm epansion would ruin the whole point of a 'Zoo' (we have a Dino pack, an Extinct expansion and a Farm pack would just blow the game up).

[Red-Panda-Freak]

not entirely true.  My local zoo, Woodland Park Zoo has a whole farm section with everything from sheep and cows to goats, barn owls, and exotic pigs.  The kids love it!  There's all sorts of farm buildings, a barn, a stable, and a building with incubating chicken eggs and cages and cages of rabbits.  A farm XP would probably be small enough for a premium dl like DD, but it would be really cool.

[Goldenmarmoset]

I think this idea is wonderful  , though going to miss Zoo tycoon.

[Crookshankz227]

I hope their new games will be as good! Have they said they will stop working on ZT2? I hope not. =]

[apartment42]

There will be a ZT3 in the future.  Its a very profitable franchise that BF wouldn't hold on to without developing.  If they're going to move in a new direction with console-friendly games, and start a new title for the series, then I highly doubt they'll sit on Zoo Tycoon when they could easily sell it to another studio.  

I think I read that they're holding the rights through 2009 (but don't quote me on that), which is not enough time to develop ZT3 from the ground up (I don't think - especially since there's no formal ZT3 team assembled), but certainly enough time to keep packing content in to ZT2 with an end buffer.

I think Blue Fang did a wonderful job with ZT2; I play quite a few computer games from a wide spectrum of genres, but I keep coming back to this game time and time again when others get stale.  But if they feel that they're creative energy moving in a different direction - say, for example, a game where its more about detail animal care instead of overall zoo design - then in the end, that will make a better game, because they're doing what they want.  And if that happens, and they sell off the ZT franchise to a team willing to breathe fresh air in to it, whilst holding on to its classic gameplay, then I think that'll be the best end result for .. well .. us  Not just because we'll have two different Zoo sim styles to choose from, but also that neither team would feel forced to compromise their vision.

=Apt42=

[Cuddly Panda]

That was a good post. Really made me rethink this idea. And the release does not mention anything on which games will be hung onto. We still do not know if EA is the last expansion, or even its full animal list.

Well, Zoo Tycoon, goodbye and thanks for all the fish!

[Danezilla]

I'd love to see an aquarium Tycoon. Not like Marine Mania, but a propper aquarium, rather than a Sea-world. Lots of fish, molluscs, crustaceans, sharks, turtles etc.

[adam1990]

Any idea of what kind of games yet?

[Emdr]

Ive read that they will be working together with sega and creative assembly to create a new zoo game directed for older ages and be purely realistic.

[Ironchef]

Towards the bottom of the article, it said that Blue Fang renewed their parnership with microsoft to continue the Zoo Tycoon Franchise.  This means that their will be more games to come for ZT too, as well as others.

[adam1990]

A more realistic zoo game?  Cool! :dolphin

[Cuddly Panda]

[germanwolf]

Guys, this does not mean that there will be an end to ZT2 or Zoo Tycoon games. We have absolutely no idea what BF and Microsft are doing at this point, escept that they are probably making an Extinct Animals expansion pack. We do not know that EA will mark the end of expansions, or such. I just dont want you all to jump to conclusions that might not even be happening, and that we have no way to prove at the moment.  

[adam1990]

^ I agree, we are not sure about the future, but I hope it turns out well.