'Darksiders 3 doesn't fit with our strategy': Crytek discusses Vigil deal

Crytek CEO Cevat Yerli has shed new light on the deal it struck with Darksiders developer Vigil developer games, and has expressed surprise that nobody bid on the studio during last months THQ auction. Although the team is free to pursue any project they wish - as the newly re-branded Crytek USA - Darksiders 3 will not be its first project.

Speaking with GamesBeat, Yerli explained that Crytek wasn't initally going to bid on Vigil, but that he already had made contact with the studio's founder David Adams.

"We were surprised when nobody bid on Vigil. We would have liked to have bid, but there were too many unknowns. But when nobody bid [on Vigil], I thought that maybe we could reconsider bidding.

"But eventually we decided not to because the projects [the developer was working on] weren’t strategically fit for us, but I really liked David [when I talked to him] on the phone. He made a very good impression on me as someone who really cared, someone who is really passionate about what he does, and someone who is passionate about the team he works with.”

Yerli then decided to hop a plane to Vigil to discuss the hiring of 20-30 staff to form Crytek USA, an offer that Adams wasn't expecting.

"It was an interesting time", Adams explained. "I was telling everyone that [Friday] was their last day. [Yerli] came out the next day. We met, and the day after we were pulling a new studio together called Crytek USA.

Yerli added, "I was thinking that if the [whole] team showed up to the Sunday meeting in full number, as David said they would, it would show implicitly the trust and respect the team has for David.

"And when they all showed up and expressed that they really wanted to work together - that team integrity and the fact that they really didn't want to split up was enough for me to say this goes beyond an interview.

"I didn't ask David about his previous jobs, it was completely based on trust and the fact that these guys were great people with a great history."

However one part of Vigil's history that won't be repeating any time soon is Darksiders, the IP that - for many gamers - brought their attention to the studio. It's not the best fit for Crytek right now, Yerli explained.

"We didn't want to continue with Darksiders III, since that doesn't fit with our strategy. It's not like we set the team on a specific game concept. They're actually going to work on what David and the team identifies as what they want to do.

"Right now, they just know what the strategy of Crytek is and the framework we need to satisfy, but none of that drives what the game is about."

Would you like to see Darksiders 3 on CryEngine 3 one day? Well, it may just happen in time.

Thanks GI.biz.