Cyan's Future

Debates have raged throughout the community about Cyan and Gametap and the rights to Uru. Questions of the cost of buying the rights back, the time it might take to do so, and the rumors that Gametap is Satan, have swirled around the forums since Uru’s third death was announced and the prospect of a Cyan-owned server was first brought up by Greydragon (then Community Manager). The core of the matter is this: Gametap owns the rights to distribute Uru content for at most two more years and Cyan owns the rights to make said content. So Cyan has three options: 1. Buy the rights back for an unknown amount of money, 2. Wait two years for the rights to expire, or 3. Work out a deal where Gametap keeps the rights, but allows Cyan to operate a server of its own and allow user generated content.

I suggest to Cyan that they take option two. For the simple reason that it will lead to a stronger Cyan when the rights are released back to them. Why should they pay money they likely don’t have to buy back the rights when they can move for two years to new ideas and new games to make money? I think Cyan would be helped by making new games, a new Myst-like, mold-breaking, genre-making game. Even a kids game. Appeal to the parents who would like a more stimulating learning experience for their children than the Cartoon Network and the few children’s shows remaining on television. It won’t get most Uru fans (aside from those with kids), but it might just revitalize Cyan and put it in a powerful position when the rights default back to them in 2010.