38 Studios: multiple companies keen on Amalur assets

The upcoming auction of assets belonging to shuttered developer 38 Studios, including the Kingdoms of Amalur IP and unfinished MMO Copernicus, has attracted expressions of interest from several games companies, according to auction organisers.

Global Heritage Partners executive vice president Nick Jimenez told Associated Press that the upcoming auction has attracted about two dozen expressions of interest from companies in Asia, Europe and North America.

Potential bidders to date include some "well-known industry figures", he added.

Some have asked about purchasing the assets as a bulk lot while others have made inquiries about some parts of it. To take part in the auction, which will take part on December 11 via telephone, companies must be pre-screened and sign an NDA. Initial bids are due by December 4.

The property up for auction includes Copernicus, the unfinished Kingdoms of Amalur MMO, as well as IP created by Big Huge Games and in-house development technologies. Jimenez wouldn't give an estimate on what the assets are worth, but said that while he doesn't expect anyone to purchase and finish Copernicus, parts of it will probably turn up on the market in some form.

"It would be fair to say that there will be some version of the intellectual property out there. There's value here - I'm hoping some people see a tremendous amount of value. Our objective is to return as much as we can to the stakeholders," he said.

Rhode Island underwrote 38 Studios with a $75 million loan, and has sued various 38 Studios leaders for their part in the company's subsequent financial collapse. The state has elected to honour debts and copsts associated with the shuttered studio to the tune of $90 million.

Thanks, Gamespot.