The final swan-song has been played for Oddworld as the company’s President Lorne Lanning has announced that the future direction of the company is not in the videogames industry. Speaking to US entertainment magazine Hollywood Reporter, Lanning revealed that the final straw came when Stranger’s Wrath was released by Electronic Arts. In the article he says, “It was very disheartening to us…that we could have a title with a Metacritic.com user metric of 9.6, a game that was praised as being a fusion of filmmaking and video games in terms of being less 'gamey' and more story- and character-driven... and then to see that the largest publisher in the industry had no interest in marketing it regardless of how innovative it was."

He also cites the increasing demands on developers in terms of technology and team sizes, whilst at the same time coming under pressure to replicate winning formulas, leading to what Lanning describes as “sequel-itis.”

As if to confirm the divorce between the industry and Oddworld Inhabitants, the company is to move to a new setting in Berkeley, California – a fresh environment for a fresh start.

We’d like to say that we’ll have more on Oddworld Inhabitants soon, but it seems unlikely. Over the last few years the team has introduced us to some brilliant characters and worlds from Abe to the Stranger via Munch, so let’s hope that they find the space for their creativity that they so desire. There was no mention from Lanning about the future development of the rumoured “Ballad of Fangus Klot”, which was apparently the next title in the Oddworld series and it’s anyone’s guess as to whether the team will complete the fabled “Oddysee Quintology” through their new form...