Zeofar - It wasn't abandoned. The creators have periodically talked about trying to get Activision to let them make a Star Control sequel, (they would need Activision to finance it) but Activision was resistant to it as they weren't sure that there would be much appeal for such an old game franchise. While Activision was playing it safe, Toys for Bob got involved with work on a new game called "Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure" which was so successful that they've been bogged down with work on its sequel(s) (I know they worked on "Skylanders: Giants" but I am not sure if they have any involvement in the upcoming third game or not). There was hope, however faint, that either when they were done with these kiddie games or at some point in the future, Activision would back their plans for a follow up Star Control game. At which point they would have had to try to buy the trademark from Atari so they could use the name; "Star Control."
Instead, this upstart company swooped in and bought those rights in the hopes that they could profit off of other's hard work just like Accolade tried to do with "Star Control III" and its failed "Starcon" title. Now they're trying to act like these heroes who are bringing the fans a new Star Control title and they have neither the talent (aka Fred and Paul) or the particular game rights that made Star Control great. So they're resorting to trying to entice Fred and Paul into letting them use the game world and all of the characters with a financial intensive (aka royalties). It's also my feeling that they're trying to pressure them into doing so; they may not be doing so openly, but by buying the trademark out from under them they're basically sending a message that they're going to make it difficult for Fred and Paul if they ever want to make another Star Control game so they might as well cash out.
If these guys intend to put out a Star Control regardless of how talks with Fred and Paul go, that means we can expect a title that is Star Control in name only without any of the original races. So, if Fred and Paul want to put a game out using the rights that they control, that not only means they can't use the "Star Control" brand, but it will create confusion amongst the market place as it will be difficult explaining to non-fans that their game is tied into old games that share a name with a recently released title
So, no, I am not pleased. This extremely complicates matters, making the possibility of a true sequel way more difficult and I don't want another "Star Control III" or a Star Control in name only. I spent the last 20 odd years dreaming of what a real Fred and Paul created sequel could be like and I do not want to see a reboot by more idiots that are trying to profit off of Fred and Paul's work while shutting them out. Of course, they claim that they want Fred and Paul to be involved, but that's nonsense as they didn't consult them until after they announced plans to make a Star Control game.
All in all, this is horrible news and if you're a Star Control fan who was hoping that the game's creators would have their day to set things right after that mess of a third game, you should be as appalled by this development as I am. I much rather have my small sliver of hope that a proper Star Control game could be made. I know that may never come to pass, but a reboot like this is so terrible not because there's going to be a lame game out there which I can just choose not to play, but because its existence would crush the last ounce of hope I had left.
Odolf - "Starcon" would have been worse than "Star Control 3." It was to be a Star Control in name only. They took the name, they took a number of the established alien races, and then they went to work gutting the gameplay. If this new company goes ahead with a Star Control game with the rights it has right now, that's pretty much what you can expect from this game. Only they can't yet use the aliens, so if they were to ahead without them they'd probably try to somehow mimic the gameplay with a whole new set of alien races that have no connection to the established ones. And if Fred and Paul do agree to let them use their game universe then, at best, don't be surprised if they mess with "Star Control II's" story when they get to the sequel of their reboot.
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