One of the founders of Obsidian Entertainment may once again end up working with Torment: Tides of Numenera and Wasteland 2 developer InXile Entertainment.
The studio has announced that it will bring on famed designer Chris Avellone to work on The Bard’s Tale IV if that project’s ongoing Kickstarter reaches $1.9 million in funding. With 11 days to go, The Bard’s Tale IV is at $1.36 million. If the crowdfunding campaign reaches that goal, Avellone will design an entirely new area for action role-playing game called Cairn of Horrors. InXile promises that this dungeon will feature “the worst things that live in the imagination of Chris Avellone.”
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This will make the third time that Avellone has worked with InXile. Previously, he was also a stretch goal for the developer’s Wasteland 2 and Torment: Tides of Numenera games. These repeated collaborations are natural since Avellone previously worked with InXile founder Brian Fargo at publisher Interplay Productions and developer Black Isle. While at Interplay, Fargo, Avellone, and others created Icewind Dale and Planescape: Torment.
In a statement, Avellone said he has Brian Fargo to thank for his career.
“First for [The Bard’s Tale games] — and all the Interplay RPGs I played to follow, including Bard’s Tale 1, Bard’s Tale 3, and Wasteland,” said Avellone. “Second, for hiring me at Interplay. And third, for asking me to be a part of Bard’s Tale IV — with your support, I hope we can make it happen.”
More recently, Avellone was one of the cofounders of Obsidian Entertainment, but he left that company earlier this month. His most recent work at that company included the throwback-style RPG Pillars of Eternity, which is a critical hit.
Finally, in addition to Avellone, InXile also plans to invite Fallout 2 and Planescape: Torment writer Colin McComb as well as Monte Cook, the creator of the Numenera pen-and-paper RPG Numenera. Like Avellone, Cook and McComb will design their own dungeons for The Bard’s Tale IV if the campaign reaches $1.4 million and $1.7 million, respectively.