Die US-Page Daily Telefrag hat ein kleines, aber vom Inhalt her heisses mit Ian Curry von Sir-Tech Interview geführt, hier die wichtigsten Passagen:
DTF: So, the first question is: what happened with Wizardry 8? Why doesn't Wizardry 8 have a worldwide publisher for now?
Ian Currie: We had attempted to combine a deal for Wizardry 8 with Wizardry 9 (so that we'd have funding to develop the next game). We have been unable to do that with today's industry shift to console games. Now we're no longer actively pursuing funding for Wizardry 9 and simply concentrating on publishing Wizardry 8, which will be a lot more straightforward.
DTF: Well, Wizardry 8 still doesn't have a publisher, does it?
Ian Currie: There has been interest from a number of parties, but we haven't reached any signed deal yet.
DTF: What if Sir-Tech will not find funding? What will happen to the company and to its employees? Do you plan any actions to prevent this situation from getting worse?
Ian Currie: Unless we find funding in the next few weeks, the company will close its doors.
Sir Tech versucht also nun Wizardry 8 als einzelnes Game an den Mann (Publisher) zu bringen, nachdem man es bisher als Bundle mit Wizardry 9 verkaufen wollte. Es gibt aussagegemäß Interessenten, sollte es aber nicht bald zum Abschluss eines Vertrages kommen, dann wird Sir Tech geschlossen .... und Wizardry 8 wird wohl nie erscheinen! Trübe Aussichten!
Was ist los bei SirTech in Kanada? Nachfolgende Presseerklärung wurde veröffentlicht:
Sirtech Canada Announces Layoffs Ottawa, Ontario July 20. On July 19, Sirtech Canada announced layoffs affecting its Jagged Alliance and Wizardry development teams. Development work on both Jagged Alliance 3 and Wizardry 9 has halted, effective immediately. Reasons cited for the layoffs included difficulties in obtaining timely funding for Jagged Alliance 3 and Wizardry 9, as well as failure to receive royalties due from the European publishers of Jagged Alliance 2 and Jagged Alliance 2: Unfinished Business. Sirtech Canada is still seeking funding for Wizardry 9 and Jagged Alliance 3. Obtaining funding within the next four to eight weeks is crucial if work on these projects is to go forward. Wizardry 8 is complete, and measures are being taken to ensure that it is released to market. It is expected that it will be released by the end of the year and a playable demo will be available before the game hits store shelves. Further announcements will be made with regard to these dates. Wizardry 8 has already undergone an extensive beta-testing process. However, Sirtech Canada has made arrangements with key staff to produce a patch if one proves necessary. Sadly, this may be the last Wizardry to be produced by Sirtech Canada should future funding be unobtainable. International versions of Wizardry 8 are unaffected by this announcement. Other international versions are being produced, and Sirtech Canada is providing all necessary localization materials to its licensees. Materials are being retained to provide to any new licensees interested in localizing a Sirtech product. Everyone at Sirtech Canada would like to express our gratitude to all the faithful fans who supported us throughout the years. You have our heartfelt thanks for making Sirtech a legendary name in the gaming industry. Concerned fans wishing to help out can demonstrate their support by pre-ordering Wizardry 8 at a major retailer such as Electronics Boutique.
Der Entwickler von Wizardry und Jagged Alliance ist in finanziellen Schwierigkeiten, da europäische Vertriebspartner von Jagged Alliance 2 and Jagged Alliance 2: Unfinished Business keine Zahlungen geleistet haben. Daraufhin mußten Mitarbeiter entlassen werden und die weitere Entwicklung von Wizardry 9 und Jagged Alliance 3 wurde gestoppt. Man hat 2 Monate Zeit, neue Investoren zu finden, ansonsten gehen die Lichter endgültig aus. Wizardry 8 soll weiterhin erscheinen, nur ob sich jetzt noch ein Publisher findet? Und die angekündigte Demo im Jahresverlauf ist damit auch nicht mehr sicher. Jetzt heißt es nochmehr: abwarten.
Linda Currie hat mal wieder beim Vaultnetwork Wizardry 8 Boards reingeschaut und mitgeteilt, dass Sir-Tech noch "lebt". Einige Fans hatten sich gewundert, dass die offizielle Wizardry 8-Site seit April 2001 keinen Update mehr erfahren hat. Ursache ist, dass einerseits derzeit kein Webmaster für die Site vorhanden ist und andererseits es aus keine neuen News gibt. Also leider auch keine Angaben zum Release....
Frank