Rhode Island governor Lincoln Chafee is an idiot that ruined any chance of 38 Studios’ MMO Project Copernicus ever seeing the light of day, says Sony Online Entertainment president John Smedley.
In 2010, the state of Rhode Island backed Project Copernicus with US$75 million of taxpayer money, but by early 2012 the money was gone and 38 Studios was seeking private investors.
In a series of tweets, Smedley chastised the governor for suing 38 Studios directly after scaring off potential investors that could have saved the studio.
“The idea of suing someone when Chafee’s own comments were what poisoned the well at the end is beyond the pale,” said Smedley.
“All he had to do was give Curt [Shilling, 38 Studios founder] another week [to find investors] and we wouldn’t be here today.”
“I had the good fortune of seeing the game. It looked great,” he added.
“If that idiot Governor Chafee hadn’t trash talked right at the time Curt was trying to get funding you would be playing the game now.”
Smedley’s sentiments echo those of Shilling, who in May 2012 called the governor’s comments “devastating”.
Smedley also took aim at the Rhode Island Economic Council, calling it “unqualified” in its decision to back the MMO.
“Dear people of Rhode Island. Look to your elected government for failing to protect you. That 38 Studios deal just never should have been,” he said.
“Public funds shouldn’t be backing risky things like online games. If the fact that no other VCs were investing wasn’t enough of a clue then you damn well shouldn’t be surprised by failure.”
The SOE president revealed that Shilling had pitched Project Copernicus to Sony several times and while the game looked great, the risk was too high for Sony.
“Funny thing is even though he came to us many times for money and we didn’t do a deal, I really wanted to play that game,” he said.
“At various times we looked at it. Always impressed. But the economics were too tough to make work for us. This is a business where risks are large. We had enough balls in the air. More risk was too much for us.
“I also felt that too much was spent, but the quality was undeniable. It was gorgeous. It had smart people working on it. It was just too expensive is all.”
Smedley also noted that Schilling had lost his personal fortune thanks toProject Copernicus.
“Curt’s only crime was believing in his own ability to will things to be better. He busted ass trying to get funding,” he said.
“Curt put every dime he had into it. That’s the part that people are missing. He put his own money where his mouth was.
“But that’s ultimately what undid it. Unqualified people at that Rhode Island economic council should have seen the fact that no one else would get in as a sign and they failed. That’s not Curt’s fault.”
38 Studios filed for bankruptcy in June 2012, and Rhode Island is now suing Schilling, other 38 Studios staff, and various advisors who recommended the investment.
Currently, Rhode Island is voting on whether to push for out of court settlements in order to get each case resolved quickly.
His tweet can be found on here : http://www.gameplanet.co.nz/news/g52fa93a455ea0/38-Studios-MMO-was-killed-by-idiot-governor---Sony/
