Apparantly, Outcast has been sold to someone for a "nominal sum" some time ago:
joystiq.com/2013/05/23/atari-inc-seeks-to-generate-22m-by-auctioning-assets-in-july
I wonder who got it?

GOG should know, how else could they could keep selling the game? I didn't get a reply when asking about it on Twitter, though...

Franck Sauer, one of the original developers, can't comment on this matter. Sounds like he knows something... Would be awesome if he got it himself. Outcast LotY could be made into an official sequel then, maybe.

Was anyone else able to uncover info on this?

This should answer your question: Outcast to be revived

gamasutra.com/view/pressreleases/195475/Original_authors_has_acquired_Outcast_IntellectualProperty.php

“Outcast” to get a new life

Yann Robert, Franck Sauer and Yves Grolet announced today that they have signed and closed an asset purchase agreement with Atari Europe SAS recently regarding Outcast intellectual property.

Yann, Franck and Yves, the three founders of Appeal S.A., the studio that developed Outcast, have started the revival of the franchise and will soon announce further developments.


Edit: Too slow.

Just wanted to be sure that this is posted here ;). Still can't believe it. Never gave up the hope that Outcast might return one day.

maybe as a reboot with up to date graphic... *dreaming*

That's what I'm hoping for to start with then if they get enough coverage/money they go for a sequel. :)

Agreed, I'd love an updated version of the Original (mostly just to make it playable on higher res's, leave the rest alone) and then after they've reminded the world how great the game was, spring out the long awaited sequel.

A slightly updated "HD version" that doesn't crash as much and runs on all platforms would be a good start IMO. Story, voice acting and music are still perfect and the graphics aren't bad if you run it at an HD resolution. I wonder how well the Outcast engine would run on an ARM CPU and thus on mobile phones and stuff... Of course that would only be possible if the source code is still around. If it is, making the engine open source would be a very cool thing as well.

I hope we hear some news soon.
I was also glad to read that the new IP holders don't mind the development of OpenOutcast:

http://www.openoutcast.org/board/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=3122

"Hi Guys,

This is Yves Grolet, one of the original author of Outcast. As you saw, we rencently purshased the right for Outcast.

We wanted to tell you that we value a lot your community and your work on OpenOutcast.
We want to clarify that, as long as you doesn't make any profit out of it, there are no problem for us that you continue to develop OpenOutcast. Actualy, we like a lot what you are doing.

Cordially,
-- Yves"

This is really great news! Also that the original is safe :)