OtherSide Entertainment

{{Infobox company

| name = OtherSide Entertainment, Inc.

| logo = OtherSide Entertainment Logo (2018).png

| former_name = Cerulean Sky Productions, Inc. (2013–2014)

| type = Private

| industry = Video games

| foundation = {{Start date and age|2013}}

| founder = Paul Neurath

| hq_location_city = Boston, Massachusetts

| hq_location_country = U.S.

| num_locations = 2 studios

| num_locations_year = 2016

| key_people = {{Unbulleted list|Paul Neurath (creative director)|Warren Spector (studio director)}}

| website = {{URL|https://otherside-e.com/|otherside-e.com}}

}}

OtherSide Entertainment, Inc. is an American video game developer based in Boston, Massachusetts, founded in 2013 by Looking Glass Studios co-founder Paul Neurath. In June 2016, the company opened a second studio in Austin, Texas, led by Warren Spector. OtherSide developed Underworld Ascendant (2018), a spiritual successor to Looking Glass's Ultima Underworld series, and is developing a new intellectual property. they were acquired by Aonic{{Cite web |title=The Game Awards 2024: Thick As Thieves Revealed |url=https://aonic.co/news/thick-as-thieves-reveal |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=Aonic |language=en}}

History

Prior to OtherSide, Paul Neurath had been a video game designer for Origin Systems and in 1990 founded Blue Sky Productions, which would later become Looking Glass Studios. Looking Glass developed numerous games that are considered highly influential on computer gaming, including System Shock and its sequel, the Ultima Underworld series, and the Thief series. Neurath had been the principal designer for the Ultima Underworld series. Following the closure of Looking Glass in 2000 and later the Boston offices of Zynga in 2012, Neurath opted to found OtherSide Entertainment (originally named Cerulean Sky Productions) in 2013, to bring the Underworld series to modern gaming.{{cite web | url = https://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-underworld-game-in-the-works-for-pc-dev-promises-not-to-mess-with-original-formula/1100-6420836/ | title = New Underworld Game in the Works for PC, Dev Promises Not to "Mess With" Original Formula | first = Eddie | last = Makuch | date = July 1, 2014 | access-date = February 17, 2016 | website = GameSpot}}{{cite web | url = https://variety.com/2018/gaming/news/underworld-ascendant-trailer-1202752815/ | title = Watch First Trailer for Warren Spector's 'Underworld Ascendant' | first = Blake | last = Hester | date = April 13, 2016 | access-date = November 23, 2018 | website = Variety}} The studio includes many former Looking Glass developers, including Nate Wells and Tim Stellmach.{{cite web | url = https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/02/10/beyond-the-looking-glass-underworld-ascendant-interview/ | title = Beyond Looking Glass: Underworld Ascendant Interview | first = Adam | last = Smith | date = February 10, 2015 | access-date = February 17, 2016 | website = Rock, Paper, Shotgun}} The studio name "OtherSide" is a play on the name "Looking Glass".{{cite magazine | url = https://time.com/2945908/underworld-ascension/ | title = There's a New Underworld Game in Town, but It's Not an Ultima | first = Matt | last = Peckham | date = July 1, 2014 | access-date = February 18, 2016 | magazine = Time}}

In February 2016, Warren Spector joined OtherSide as its studio director.{{cite web | url = https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/02/17/warren-spector-system-shock-3/ | title = Warren Spector Working On System Shock 3 | first = Adam | last = Smith | date = February 17, 2016 | access-date = February 17, 2016 | website = Rock, Paper, Shotgun}} Spector had been advising the studio since its creation, and stated that he would establish and lead an Austin, Texas, studio for OtherSide by June that year.{{cite web | url = https://www.polygon.com/2016/2/17/11034836/warren-spector-otherside-entertainment | title = Warren Spector joins OtherSide Entertainment for Underworld Ascendant, System Shock 3 | first = Samit | last = Sarkar | date = February 17, 2016 | access-date = February 17, 2016 | website = Polygon}}

Hasbro revealed at its February 2021 Investor Event that it was working with the studio in the "longer term".{{Cite web |last=Says |first=Akeashar |date=2021-09-26 |title=Wizards Of The Coast's New Studio Is Hiring For Its AAA G.I. Joe Game |url=https://www.kotaku.com.au/2021/09/wizards-of-the-coasts-new-studio-is-hiring-for-its-aaa-g-i-joe-game/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210927151549/https://www.kotaku.com.au/2021/09/wizards-of-the-coasts-new-studio-is-hiring-for-its-aaa-g-i-joe-game/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 27, 2021 |access-date=2023-01-04 |website=Kotaku Australia |language=en-AU}}{{Cite web |date=February 25, 2021 |title=Edited Transcript HAS.OQ - Hasbro Inc Investor Event 2021 |url=https://investor.hasbro.com/static-files/de97af26-93c3-4bfe-92d6-fbc9e0196fe1 |access-date=January 4, 2023 |website=Hasbro |page=12}} In March 2022, Spector stated that the studio was working on a Dungeons & Dragons game with Hasbro subsidiary Wizards of the Coast.{{Cite web |date=2022-03-12 |title=How Warren Spector got back to making his latest game |url=https://venturebeat.com/games/how-warren-spector-got-back-to-making-his-latest-game/ |access-date=2023-01-04 |website=VentureBeat |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Macgregor |first=Jody |date=2022-03-13 |title=Warren Spector confirms Otherside last worked on System Shock 3 in 2019, and that 'NFTs are ridiculous' |language=en |work=PC Gamer |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/warren-spector-confirms-otherside-last-worked-on-system-shock-3-in-2019-and-that-nfts-are-ridiculous/ |access-date=2023-01-04}} Jason Schreier, Bloomberg News, commented that the cancellation of multiple unnamed video game projects by Wizards of the Coast in January 2023 led to a small layoff at the company and that "the reorganization will land hard for several independent studios such as Boston-based OtherSide Entertainment and Bellevue, Washington-based Hidden Path Entertainment, both of which were working on games for Wizards of the Coast".{{Cite news |last=Schreier |first=Jason |date=2023-01-03 |title=Hasbro's Wizards of the Coast Cancels Video Game Projects |language=en |work=Bloomberg.com |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-01-03/hasbro-s-wizards-of-the-coast-cancels-video-game-projects |url-access=subscription |access-date=2023-01-04}}{{Cite web |last=Schreier |first=Jason |date=January 3, 2023 |title=Hasbro's Wizards of the Coast Cancels Video Game Projects |url=https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/hasbro-s-wizards-of-the-coast-cancels-video-game-projects-1.1865422 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230103231104/https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/hasbro-s-wizards-of-the-coast-cancels-video-game-projects-1.1865422 |archive-date=January 3, 2023 |access-date=January 4, 2023 |website=BNN Bloomberg}}

Games

OtherSide was founded initially to create a sequel to Ultima Underworld, titled Underworld Ascendant. Neurath, as the designer for Ultima Underworld, wanted to bring back the Underworld franchise, "making it more vital than ever before".{{cite web | url = https://venturebeat.com/2014/07/01/paul-neuraths-otherside-entertainment-game-studio-revives-the-underworld-franchise/ | title = Paul Neurath's OtherSide Entertainment game studio revives the Underworld franchise — without the Ultima name | first = Dean | last = Takahashi | date = July 1, 2014 | access-date = February 17, 2016 | website = VentureBeat}}

In December 2015, OtherSide announced that it was also working on System Shock 3, with it set to be published by Starbreeze Studios. Having made a deal with the owners of the System Shock franchise, Nightdive Studios, Otherside intended to develop both the long awaited sequel and potentially further titles in the series.{{cite web | url = https://www.polygon.com/2015/12/14/10104714/system-shock-3-announcement-official-otherside-entertainment | title = System Shock 3 is officially happening | first = Allegra | last = Frank | date = December 14, 2015 | access-date = February 17, 2016 | website = Polygon}} However, in February 2019 due to financial troubles, Starbreeze sold the distribution rights back to Nightdive, dropping out of the development and funding for System Shock 3.{{cite web | url = https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2019/02/11/starbreeze-sell-system-shock-3-rights-to-otherside/ | title = System Shock 3 returns to OtherSide after Starbreeze sell publishing rights | first= Dominic | last =Tarason | date = February 11, 2019 | access-date = February 11, 2019 | work = Rock Paper Shotgun }}

In May 2020, OtherSide confirmed that Tencent obtained the rights to develop future System Shock titles.{{Cite web|title=Tencent is now in charge of System Shock 3|url=https://www.techspot.com/news/85323-system-shock-3-now-developed-tencent.html|access-date=2021-03-25|website=TechSpot|date=May 21, 2020 |language=en-US}} However, Spector affirmed that OtherSide is still involved in its development alongside Tencent.{{Cite web|date=2020-06-02|title=Warren Spector studio says it's 'still involved' with System Shock 3 after Tencent swoop|url=https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/warren-spector-studio-says-its-still-involved-with-system-shock-3-after-tencent-swoop/|access-date=2021-12-20|website=VGC|language=en-GB}}

In March 2022, Spector stated that System Shock 3 is not being developed by OtherSide. It remains to be seen if the game is canceled. They also confirmed that they are working on a new IP. In November 2022, the name of the IP was revealed as Argos: Riders on the Storm.

In January 2023, It was reported a Dungeons and Dragons game being developed by OtherSide was canceled.{{cite web | url=https://wccftech.com/wizards-of-the-coast-reportedly-cancels-at-least-5-games-including-2-dd-titles-from-hidden-path-otherside/ | title=Wizards of the Coast Reportedly Cancels at Least 5 Games, Including 2 D&D Titles from Hidden Path & OtherSide | date=January 4, 2023 }}{{cite web |title=Wizards of the Coast reportedly cancels "at least" five games |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/wizards-of-the-coast-reportedly-cancels-at-least-five-games |website=Games Industry |date=January 4, 2023 |access-date=20 May 2024}}

class="wikitable sortable"

! Year

! Title

! Platform(s)

! Publisher(s)

2016

| Underworld Overlord

| Android

| OtherSide Entertainment

2018

| Underworld Ascendant

| Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows