OMG! Our baby’s come home! Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee and Oddworld: Abe’s Exodus PSone Classics are both available on the PlayStation Store for only $9.99 each starting Thursday, October 22.
It was only about six years ago that I told our agent at the time, “Larry, don’t you get it!? Our classic Abe games are history. The systems that played them are gone and they aren’t coming back. Ours is a disposable medium and we don’t have a Turner Classics channel.” He looked at me with this defeated expression and said, “Dude, that’s the most depressing thing I’ve ever heard you say.” He believed me, and I too believed it at the time.
Six years later and I have to admit it’s great being proved wrong.
We couldn’t have been more thrilled when we learned that the PlayStation Network was willing to offer our classic Abe games to an entirely new generation of gamers. Finally, gamers who never got the chance to meet and play him when he first came out on the PSone system, will now get that chance to meet the guy who graced many magazine covers and proved the unlikely hero that captured people’s hearts.
We poured years of our lives into both Abe games as part of the love affair that we had with the original PSone system. It was our first character and story to be developed by our new company and I had promised Sherry McKenna, Oddworld CEO, that we would create characters that even she would love. Characters that would make her laugh and that she could be proud of, even though she didn’t care about games. (To this day, Abe is still her favorite)
Gaming seemed such a blank slate of possibilities back then. It was an early super-cool medium with which we could start telling stories of our own. We wanted characters living through stories that might inspire people while still enabling them many hours of challenge and entertainment. We wanted to integrate the best of our previous trade from the visual effects field to delve deeper into the storytelling potential with this exciting, rapidly evolving interactive medium.
We also wanted characters whose score was kept by their karma, not by their number of kills.
We started with Abe, the little chump trapped by the dark side of globalization who would need to find his way (and his soul) through a vast landscape of relentless hazards. He was to be the lovable hero trying to survive heavily armed idiots and hungry critters of the carnivorous kind.
He was designed to cause as many laughs as he would accomplishments, and we wanted him to be remembered.
Now here we are today and because of SCEA and PSN, Abe’s goofy face and doofy walk are finding their way back into gamers’ homes once again. Abe finds a new generation of gamers on PSN, but this time it’s without the costly price of a physically distributed box product, which means Abe is now able to find his way at a ridiculously low price.
We can’t help but feel like Abe is our lost child who has finally returned home. He’s still healthy, he’s still happy, and if you read the forums lately…still holding up after all these years.
Thank you, Sony. (sniffle) You brought our baby home. (sobs)
(Average: 4.57 out of 5)
197 Comments // 46 Replies
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1
georgecat315fat | October 19th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
first!
2
RuthlessEd | October 19th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
Hopefully Sony will chip in for some therapy sessions as well. You clearly need them.
Lorne Lanning replied on October 19, 2009 at 4:05 pm
True that, but I doubt Sony would foot the bill for the ongoing degree of therapy this case would require.
3
Tyrsis | October 19th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
A truly revolutionary game when it was released. Hopefully all the new gamers who didn’t have PS1’s give it a try.
4
Destiny89 | October 19th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
The games look interesting.. this sure will be on my buying list :)
5
The1stMJC | October 19th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
Sweet to hear, but I still have my originals in mint condition still play them from time to time, I might re-buy so I can get that PSP compatibility going for me.
6
Patriotbball5460 | October 19th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
awesome!
7
DaWolf619 | October 19th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
THANK YOU!! Definitely picking these up to play on my PSP. PS1 games on the go, I love it.
8
Delriach | October 19th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
Yes!
9
lets-be_azn | October 19th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
who recieved a comment saying if sony wanted to see if half of the million psn accs are active and will get $ 50 playstation store credit if they foward the msg. if this real or fake?
10
dotCody | October 19th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
@1
Get a life.
11
DevlshOne | October 19th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
I stayed awake for three days to finish this game when it game out for the PSOne. I’m excited to be able to play it on the PS3!
Lorne Lanning replied on October 19, 2009 at 4:08 pm
lol. That’s exactly how many days we stayed up working to deliver the final gold master for the game.
12
XxBigP123xX | October 19th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
What happened to Resident Evil 2 and 3 coming to the PSN store?
Also, weren’t the winners of the Fortune hunter edition supposed to be shown today?
13
SarshelYam | October 19th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
Home sick and I come across this. Mr.Lanning, you have seriously made my day. I loved each and every minute of every release from your studios. While I still have all of the originals I will not hesitate to buy these again so I have them all in one convenient location…and on the go!
Good to see your name back in the mix. I can only hope it means you have something truly special for us…soon. Stranger’s Wrath remains one of my top games of all time and I so dearly miss the teams creative juices flowing into my media devices.
Lorne Lanning replied on October 19, 2009 at 4:13 pm
:-) Thanks for that.
14
Jerel | October 19th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
What about Munch’s Odyssey and Stranger’s Wrath?
Lorne Lanning replied on October 19, 2009 at 4:15 pm
We’re working on a strategy to bring them over as well. May take us awhile, but we hope to achieve what you’re asking for.
15
Agent_Clutch | October 19th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
This Game is bought!!!!! When are you going to make a NEXT GEN ABEs Oddworld. This was the best action puzzle game ever!!! Yall need to do an Hd remake or something. I guarantee this game will be a system seller. ABE is the ish…
Lorne Lanning replied on October 19, 2009 at 4:19 pm
We’ve talked about it and would like to do it. We have seriously considered using the Stranger engine to do just this. Some work being done on the tech now. Will see how it goes, but will have to come after our current project.
16
Maulok | October 19th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
I’m very excited for the releases this week! I lost my PSOne games during a move several years ago, and I really miss the charm of Abe’s games. Any chance of the Oddworld story continuing as all new PSN games in the style of the original PS1 games?
Lorne Lanning replied on October 19, 2009 at 4:24 pm
Unlikely that they would continue in the same format of sidescroller. But we’re far from done with Oddworld. Just taking us awhile to get back to it and we’ve currently got a an extremely full schedule with the new stuff.
17
linebeginstoblur | October 19th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Wow, awesome blog post, I must say. :P
If it cheers you up at all, I’m not too familiar with the Oddworld games, but I most certainly will give them a look now!
Lorne Lanning replied on October 19, 2009 at 4:31 pm
:-)
18
NEJI64 | October 19th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
i want gran turismo 2
19
linebeginstoblur | October 19th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
@9
“if half of the million psn accs are active and will get $ 50 playstation store credit if they foward the msg. if this real or fake?”
Wow, that is SO completely fake. Don’t do it. There are easy ways for them to see who is logging in. That’s spam, trust me.
20
PirateThom | October 19th, 2009 at 3:23 pm
We need more Oddworld, we really do.
21
secularsage | October 19th, 2009 at 3:25 pm
They’re great games, and I’m glad they’re up, but $9.99 is a bit rich for games that aren’t RPGs. I’d be more likely to pick these up at $5.99.
22
pgsdi | October 19th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
I lost the oddworld series. but I have to be honest. 9.99 for a game you can easily pick up on ebay for 99 cents. I guess if you do not have a Playstation then I would pick it up.
23
Kgummy | October 19th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
I hope this means there will be a sequel or something for a Sony system. I was disappointed when the series moved on. I might just have to attempt to finish the oddworld games. (Have ‘em, just never got them finished)
24
dotCody | October 19th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
@9
Chain Letters are considered Text Mail Spam, thus making them not permitted by the PSN. Report anyone who sends you a Chain Letter, at:
http://np.us.playstation.com/complaint/pc/ComplaintForm.aspx
25
znntboy2 | October 19th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
Are These Coming To Aus/NZ?
26
danscloud9 | October 19th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
Awesome! I’ve hoped for these games to come to PSN since I got a PSP and PS3. Can’t wait til Tjursday!
27
znntboy2 | October 19th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
Are These Coming To Aus/NZ
28
Pulseman | October 19th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
@9,
The message you received is fake. Spammers have filled PSN with spam messages in order to cause overhead into the PSN network. Usually their messages ask to forward the messages to as many people as possible.
For example, yesterday I received a message telling me that “Sony will make PSN a pay to play(like XBLive) on Dec 01 09 and that if Sony sees the message forwarded 500000 times. it will keep PSN free”, which is full of lies.
Please don’t respond to those kind of messages on PSN because their main purpose is to create bandwidth overhead into the PSN network.
29
GamerMoney | October 19th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
I want Legend of lagia…or legend of dragoon
30
Sekoku | October 19th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Need to bring Munch and Stranger to PS3, otherwise this is just an olive branch for the PSX versions when the last two games in the series are on X-box/360 and PC (where you can get the COMPLETE series on PC)
Lorne Lanning replied on October 19, 2009 at 4:37 pm
The complete series will only be on PC in 2010. Munch and Stranger have not yet been on PC. We’re investigating bringing them over to the PS3. TBD.
31
Revolutionary | October 19th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Uh… Lorne… you misspelled Exoddus. :|
Lorne Lanning replied on October 19, 2009 at 4:39 pm
Hah! You’re right its misspelled, but that first sentence wasn’t me.
32
Zookey | October 19th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
Can you get Stranger’s Wrath on PSN? I’d love you forever…..
33
KazeEternal | October 19th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
Damn was hoping for FF8, Vagrant Story, or maybe Tekken 3.
34
Blkant | October 19th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
New generation? Kidding me, those of us back from the Genesis generation are even still here… My gaming days go all the way back to the Apple II and NES. That aside its good to know some more of my PSOne favorites are still coming back to me, years after the discs, sadly as is with youth, were carelessly scratched up too much.
Thanks.
35
AceBeeDee | October 19th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
yo Lorne, whats up!! what a glorious announcement! Abe will always be my favorite game character of all time because those amazing games left such a lasting image in my mind. a lovable, creepy, gory, challenging & oh-so rewarding experience! MAKE MORE GAMES, LORNE!! YOU ROCK!!
Lorne Lanning replied on October 19, 2009 at 4:40 pm
Thanks for that, and working on it. Hope not to keep you waiting too much longer. Something new and different first though, before more oddworld comes along.
36
cornagandarub | October 19th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
Wait. Wait. Follow me. NO! I fking love this game, this is amazing, thanks so much sony.
37
xXDemonicAngelXx | October 19th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
if any of the ps3 mangers or workers read this can you please think about something that will allow you to change your psn names to something else. so we wont have to keep making new accounts and if you do consider this please contact me at [DELETED]
38
erico316ecw | October 19th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
great game when will u start working on yay next gen game
Lorne Lanning replied on October 19, 2009 at 4:42 pm
working on it now.
39
JumpMan33 | October 19th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
awesome, I always wanted to play these games. Hopefully Skull Monkeys gets added to the PSN down the line.
Lorne Lanning replied on October 19, 2009 at 4:41 pm
Skull monkeys was cool.
40
Demonhunter84 | October 19th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
Never played the Oddworld games before have to check them out.
41
sam_i_jam | October 19th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
Oddworld was a big part of my youth. Great series that required both brains and quick-reflexes.
42
Neil | October 19th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
Lorne Lanning, it is so good to hear from you! You need to come back to the game industry and make a HD 2D Oddworld game. Also, and unrelated to my proposal, I would love it if you did a directors/designers commentary track for the Oddworld games. I’d pay for it!
Lorne Lanning replied on October 19, 2009 at 4:47 pm
Thanks! We’re back, but sort of born again in the worst possible way. This will make more sense in the months to come.
43
Athanasios | October 19th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
I would love to see this series return to the PlayStation family in the form of a full fledged PlayStation 3 game!
44
Liamario | October 19th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
$10? I think you are inflating the price with everyone’s nostalgia rather than the actual value of the game itself
45
DeathGazer | October 19th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
Please port over Stranger’s Wrath to PSN!
46
aztec23 | October 19th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
Will you ever post the winners of the FHE demo contest :(
47
WackyWeedCreed | October 19th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Very cooooool!
48
starBlinky01 | October 19th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
loved this game as a kid :)
49
jessterswan | October 19th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
thank you so much for the re-release. Abe is my all time favorite videogame star. I have a tattoo of his skeleton on my right arm, and every time I see his goofy face it puts a smile on mine. consider both of these sold for me, and once again sir THANK YOU for all your hard work. hehe
Lorne Lanning replied on October 19, 2009 at 4:50 pm
If you really have an Oddworld tattoo you should send us a picture along with your mailing address. We have something special for those who ink with OW. :-)
50
SolidusDave | October 19th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
any chance for a price reduction if you buy both (bundle)? 20$ otherwise, IIRC they are cheaper on steam :/
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