Exclusive: IGI Origins’ Director Wanted To Buy IP After Studio Closure; Parent EG7 Denied

Speaking to eXputer over email, Rich Barham—IGI Origins’ writer, vision holder, and game director—has revealed some information about the supposed canceled project and his failed attempt to acquire the rights following AntiMatter Games’—the studio developing IGI Origins—closure. Barham said that unless someone builds a new studio to purchase the IP, he expects no further development in the game. 

After the closure of the studio, the IP is the property of EG7, and I have no knowledge or involvement in the game anymore. My attempt to buy the codebase and IP was declined by EG7,” says Rich Barham.

For the uninitiated, the codebase in this context refers to the source code used to build IGI Origins. Despite failing to acquire the rights, Barham still shows interest in talking to those who may be willing to support the recreation of a new studio to purchase the IP.

If there was significant backing for someone to support a rebuild of a new studio to acquire the rights outright, I’d be happy to talk to those people interested in doing so. Outside of this I would expect there to be no further development in the game,” says Rich Barham.

AntiMatter Games was closed fairly recently by the parent company Enad Global 7. Despite “exploring various strategic options” to keep the studio open, EG7 did not find “sufficient traction within the Group’s target timeline.” These strategic options included shifting the Truro-based team to a work-for-hire model, selling the studio, or finding a third-party publisher for IGI Origins, which was under development by AntiMatter Games.

Considering the lack of statement on this project and EG7’s decision “to limit further investment and move towards closing the studio,” it is safe to say that IGI Origins has been canceled or is at least on an indefinite hiatus. Under usual circumstances, this would be considered a scrub, but EG7’s reluctance to sell the IP might indicate some future plans with the project. It could also be that the company has yet to find an appealing offer.

IGI Origins—the prequel to the iconic game Project IGI—was announced in 2019 and remained in development under AntiMatter Games for several years before the studios’ closure. Currently, the game’s intangible assets and IP are owned by EG7, who have not yet disclosed their plans for the project.