Eh, I get it. As popular as the brand is, I can understand studios being hesitant to take the main cast on a new adventure, since it's not very believable with what they already do.

There can be an appeal to a "just a nobody" story in the same universe, but then the only thing you can rely on is the setting and brand recognition.

A side character turned main character let's you "expand the universe" with a known character, and nest something with the existing story, without feeling like beating a dead horse in a fan-fic-esque revisit of the main cast.

I was curious with Gollum, how they'd make an interesting game with an engaging story about a generally unlikeable side character.

Turns out they didn't. But it probably would've been very impressive if they had!

The comparison of cost, seeing just the overruns on the engines alone (older, extensively used tech no less) dwarfing the SpaceX contract really puts it into perspective.

I get having more control on a project can be comforting, but these contracts underpin an enhanced fiscal viability to NASA, which can counteract the ebbs and flows of a socially and politically derived budget. It's also laying foundation towards a more privatized space, which I think would make great inroads for NASA in the long run.

Very short sighted comment by Free.

I'll always have a soft spot for Minecraft and it's open world base building goodness.

If you want "Minecraft, but more grown up," I can't recommend Vintage Story enough. It's actually an offshoot of a survival modpack for Minecraft if I recall correctly. A more involved crafting system (i.e. knapping tool heads out of stone, casting and forging metal tools, etc) and a threatening winter make for a very fun survival game. Still in active development with a pretty good pace of new content regularly, and a lively mod scene.

Nay

Man, their own confidence in Skull & Bones just seems to dive lower and lower. Does not inspire confidence.

I just don't get it, Black flag signaled a lot of interest in the genre, and SM's Pirates is pretty much a picture guide on "how to make a good pirate game step by step"

I'll probably enjoy the remake, even if the original isn't even that old. Just weird seeing the way the genre has panned out.