Austin-based Spacetime Studios has announced that it has reacquired its Blackstar PC space combat MMO IP from previous publisher NCsoft. The developer - which includes veterans of Ultima Online, Shadowbane and Star Wars Galaxies on its team - originally signed its title with NCSoft back in 2005.
However, the publisher cancelled the Blackstar project in January 2008, with resulting layoffs at Spacetime, but a continuing determination on the developer's part to work with the game's world.
According to a news release from Spacetime on the IP reacquisition: "The new Blackstar Chronicles development underway is a space fantasy combat game based on the single-player traditions of Wing Commander and the multiplayer feel of Descent."
With the news that the company now fully owns all the tools, technology and intellectual property from their previous publishing deal, Gamasutra spoke to Spacetime president Gary Gattis on the state of his firm and possible plans for the franchise.
Edge Online writes: "Spacetime Studios has been forced to significantly reduce its staff headcount while it self-funds its operations as it continues to search for a publishing deal for science-fiction MMO Blackstar.
"Our studio cannot survive at its current burn rate without a publishing deal, so we face a necessary (though very difficult and painful) decision," the company said in a statement on its website.
"We are scaling down from thirty-two down to sixteen folks in the hopes of developing a pitch, a prototype and another publishing deal."
