Sons of Anarchy game stalled

August 13, 2012 8:44AM PDT

Creator Kurt Sutter says game based on biker drama getting "no traction," claims a major publisher "blew us off," has doubts game will ever exist.

The Sons of Anarchy game is struggling to get started. Franchise creator Kurt Sutter dispatched a series of tweets on the game this weekend, saying the project is getting "no traction" and is unlikely to ever see the light of day.

The Sons of Anarchy game is facing an uphill battle, according to Sutter.

"Getting no traction on the [Sons of Anarchy] game," he wrote. "Looks like our big publisher blew us off. Not a priority at [television network] FX. I doubt it will happen."

This is a stark contrast from how Sutter felt in May. At the time, he said, "Had a great meeting with a big distributor yesterday. Myself and everyone at FX and Fox is committed to making this happen."

Expanding further, Sutter explained that developing a game is like shooting a movie and that he is not willing to sacrifice quality.

"[Games have a] huge upfront cost. Games are in decline," he added. "It's very risky. As a gamer, it's my responsibility to deliver a great game. Not some 1/2 promotional piece of sh*t like [Game of Thrones]. To do that means time/$$$."

Lastly, Sutter reiterated that if the Sons of Anarchy game does make it to market, it will not be a browser-based game, something he had originally considered.

"I still don't wanna do a sh**ty browser game like [AMC's The Walking Dead Facebook game]," he said, explaining that he enjoys the show, but not the game.

[CORRECTION] An earlier version of this story said Telltale Games' The Waking Dead was the game Sutter was referring to in the last paragraph. GameSpot regrets the error.

By Eddie Makuch, News Editor

Eddie Makuch (Mack-ooh) is a News Editor at GameSpot. He works out of the company's Boston office in Somerville, Mass., and loves extra chunky peanut butter.

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56 comments

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Senor_Kami

This could be good if it was some massive budget Rockstar game, but it won't be. The only hopes of it not being ass if they make a small Walking Dead/Heavy Rain style adventure game.

Geertvdheide

@Senor_Kami My thoughts exactly: This game is likely to fail like almost all games that are based on tv shows and movies, because they're usually not given a big enough budget and a good enough team of developers. Only a 100 million plus costing AAA title made by a major company would really work for this show, and even then the time and effort might be better spent on another franchise.

This tv show is awesome and it doesn't really need a game or anything else. I'd be fine with just one or two more seasons and a strong finale. Good things end, they don't get dragged on forever and into other media where they're only likely to fail.

wilhelmalexis

1 Like

why bother? it's gonna suck anyway, if it's being made.

syafiqjabar

Some of the comments below remind me: Why did Joss Whedon waste time making Firefly when Farscape already did everything Firefly did earlier? Then again,why did Farscape bother at all when Lexx was already made earlier?

Dugular

Just play GTA: The Lost and the Damned

Igal-Ze

2 Like

Why do we need "Sons of Anarchy" game or any other based-on-TV-series game for that matter?

syafiqjabar

@Igal-Ze We don't actually need any game at all.

TheKeef

I dunno I usually side with creative minds over corporate ones, but this series hold about zero game appeal to me.

surppo

he could easily get a group of programmers for free to get the game up and running in a couple months with minimal cost.

lfebaggins

1 Like

I love this show but this is one of the dumbest ideas for a video game ever. At best its going to be a GTA knockoff, you play some nobody who picks a crew to work jobs for building loyalty while losing the respect of rival crews.

TheKeef

@lfebaggins

You could even steal an existing GTA title and call it GTA:SA....

Jestersmiles

What I thought GTA Lost & Damned was already out? I iz confused.

This comment has been deleted

hystavito

@theslovakian38 check the [CORRECTION]. he was referring to a Walking Dead browser/Facebook game

emperiox

This sucks, i wanted to shoot some skinheads...

SolidTy

That's funny, because I assumed it would be s***, so perhaps this is for the best.

UnwantedSpam

5 Like

Did we even want it in the first place? I sure as hell didn't.

samcrow77

3 Like

@dr_jashugan Have you watched the fucking show ?

dr_jashugan

What does Ron Perlman have to do with Sons of Anarchy? 8-\

SolidTy

2 Like

@dr_jashugan lmao, well for starters he like leads SAMCRO and all that. :P

KKKKKool

A game would be cool...

BeateDrabing

No peg.

mightywillg

4 Like

They already made a game of Sons of Anarchy - it's called GTA Lost & Damned!!

I hope this game happens (unlikely thought that may be), SoA is one of my favourite shows goin today and if Sutter were able to deliver the quality tie-in he says he wants, that would be pretty amazing - SAMCRO FTW!!!

DarthLod

Fan of SOA, however, a game, that will be rushed and mostly likely garbage, is pointless and not wanted.

Johny_47

I really like Sons of Anarchy on TV, very good mixed up stories, actors and good characters.

I thought that Walking Dead game would be rubbish because I just thought they're making a game JUST because the TV series is very popular but it's really good what they've done with it so maybe this could be done really good aswell, hope so.

Lostboy1224

I really need to get around to watching this series soon. Would be surprised if a game was made based on it. I thought Grand Theft Auto already did a decent job with a biker gang theme.

Vodoo

I bet that "major publishing partner" was either EA or Activision and they wanted to do a cheesey, quick cash-in on the property and call it a day. I'm very glad that this Sutter guy won't let SoA be date raped by the likes of greedy publishers looking to make a quick buck.

frunklindoodle

I'm kinda glad in a way this happened. To be honest I can't think of one game made from a movie/tv show that was really any good (E.T and Porkys on the 2600 were pretty cool). Big fan of the show though I can't wait for the new season to start,

Poodger

1 Like

@frunklindoodle Back to the Future The Game and The Walking Dead are both great examples of how movie/tv show games can be wonderful. Telltale games does a good job with stuff like this.

thom_maytees

This is unfortunate that this has happened and if it becomes vaporware.

damodar_thade

Games are in decline and the walking dead is crap.... i'm sorry but last i heard video games was a booming multi-billion $£$ business and the walking dead game series was doing really well.

Poodger

@damodar_thade The Walking Dead is NOT crap. It was a good game (the one by telltale games, not the shitty facebook one), it is a wonderful tv show, and a great comic.

Vodoo

@damodar_thade Game sales are in decline, BIG TIME. This past July was the worst month for game sales in years (according to an article here on Gamespot). People aren't investing until the next gen now. As for the Walking Dead game, I think he was referring to the Facebook version, not the console versions.

mightywillg

@Vodoo I think compared to recent years 2012 has not been a steller year for top quality games - not terrible by any means, but I can't think of any games comin out in the near future or in recent months I am lookin forward to gettin my hands on.

alienmonkeycult

@Vodoo

I agree with everything you said. Though to base a statement like the future of the games industry off of the month of July is like basing movies off of the non oscar season. There is a time when the good titles come out and people buy everything and it is definitly not July.I know the article, I just think its too easy to generalize without thinking about the big picture without people like this guy making statements like "the games industry is in decline."

majinstrings

Damn...I was looking forward to this...big fan of the show...

FidelSarcastro

2 Like

I think the problem is that people are like "been there done that" as it relates to GTA IV the Lost and the Damned. Rockstar created a great expansion that played and told a story much like the one on Sons of Anarchy. So any SoA game would ultimately be compared to it, and chances it would be compared to it unfavorably. I guess they could find ways to cut down on cost, they could release it as a digital download and on steam as to cut out physical distribution, they could make it episodic so that they only have to make one part of the game and wait and see how it sells before going into production with further episodes. Though still I think this is the more sensible outcome, any game on a budget bases on a film or tv property rarely works out.

Mom_said_no

@FidelSarcastro nailed it.

Succumbus

1 Like

They could do something worth buying with the game. It would take time and precision through story and game mechanics. I could see something cool going down with different gun running routes and a colorful combat system.

Oh well.

Pyrosa

They'd be lucky to sell 25K copies of this, even if it was the best motorcycle-drama game EVER. LOL...

yeah_28

4 Like

war, war never changes

aestevenson

1 Like

This isn't really a game that needs to be made. At best it would be low(er) budget, slimmed down GTA.

I love the show though.

MJ12-Conspiracy

3 Like

The show rocks, I wasn't as interested in playing the game though. There's a ton of open world games with bikes in them you could kinda pretend you were one of the Sons.......and there's GTA4 Lost And Damned DLC.....may as well be SOA.....

medevil_dead

1 Like

I was really looking foward for this...

100proofsoco

good

ydnarrewop

1 Like

Not interested :)

buttslamify

1 Like

thank god, what a stupid ass idea

edgewalker16

1 Like

I'm sure the world is better off as a result.

Felix77

1 Like

I'm glad this didnt happen. It would have been a terrible blemish on an otherwise perfect franchise.

hector530

1 Like

im sure the world will weep for missing a crappy game based on a TV show

EasyComeEasyGo

7 Like

I already play the SOA game, it's called Grand Theft Auto: The Lost and Damned.

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