Alma Bax 
Thatgamecompany, the critically acclaimed developer of the award-winning games Journey, flOw and Flower is set to release its next game in late summer 2021.
In this article, we will discuss what makes this highly anticipated game unique from Thatgamecompany’s previous releases. We will delve into how its art direction, storyline, mechanics and multiplayer elements have changed for this new project, as well as potential influences from other genres. Finally, we will look at the ways that players can expect to interact with different characters and settings within the game.
So let’s dive right in and take a closer look at how Thatgamecompany has decided to differentiate its latest title from their revered catalogue of titles!
Thatgamecompany’s History
Thatgamecompany has been creating innovative and immersive gaming experiences for over a decade. In 2009, the company released its first game, Journey, to critical acclaim. Since then, the company has released four more games – Flower, Sky, ABZÛ and No Man’s Sky – each with its unique twist on the genre.
With the recent announcement of $160M in funding, the studio is now looking to take its signature game to the Metaverse. Let’s take a look at the studio’s history and see how this new game is shaping up to be different from their previous creations.
Journey
Thatgamecompany’s 2012 title, Journey, was the studio’s most influential, best-selling and award-winning work. It received numerous Game of the Year awards, along with strong critical acclaim. Journey proved to be a unique game experience filled with simple yet meaningful human connections. It was also known for its amazing score and emotionally stimulating visuals.
The game featured a variety of aesthetic elements to bring players on an unforgettable journey. Developers drew inspiration from sacred sites such as Machu Picchu, ancient Babylonian ziggurats and pyramids of Egypt for the game’s storybook environments. Certain aspects overlooked during development but which proved to create a stronger bond between players were the character designs, which were intentionally kept mysterious so that players could use their imagination to fill in the blanks; enhanced by a specially designed colour palette to bring out feelings of warmth, hope and nostalgia as they progressed.
Journey offered a unique blend of intricate puzzles, explorative nature encourages personal reflection and light social interaction between strangers who met within its world. An innovative stamina bar challenged players but also allowed them access to shortcuts; personalization options such as collectible scarves provided an incentive when needing extra focus or motivation during more difficult segments; improved physics gave weight to the environment around them; while hidden mysteries gave an extra layer of curiosity and reward when unlocked through exploration or deed-doing (pushing balls up steep ascents). All these elements worked together harmoniously to form that powerful experience many would never forget.
Previous Games
Thatgamecompany has made a name for itself in the gaming industry with its unique and artistic approach to game design. Founded by Kellee Santiago and Jenova Chen in 2006, the studio is most famous for its critically-acclaimed, award-winning titles such as Flow, Flower and Journey. All of Thatgamecompany’s titles have focused on storytelling and emotion-based gameplay, making it one of the few studios that stands out from the rest.
Flow (2007) was the first title released by Thatgamecompany. Described as a “genetic musical journey”, players take control of various aquatic organisms while they travel through different environments with ambient music playing in the background. This title was well received by critics, with many praising its innovative art style and creative level design.
Flower (2009) followed suit and this time focused on a peaceful exploration on flower fields while collecting petals to spread colour throughout them. Various PlayStation Trophies were made available that required specific tasks be completed to unlock them – Flower was noteworthy for being one of the first games to introduce this feature into their titles.
Journey (2012) was the last title from Thatgamecompany before they split up in 2014 but it would prove to be their swan song – described as an interactive parable about a nomadic traveller’s quest for home, Journey took gamers around diverse landscapes with puzzles encountered along their path. Its stunning visual direction and narrative set it apart from other games released during its period and quickly garnered multiple awards after release, even becoming part of PlayStation’s Greatest Hits collection that same year due to its popularity.
Thatgamecompany Raises $160M to Take Its Signature Game to the Metaverse
Thatgamecompany just raised a whopping $160 million and is ready to take their signature game to the metaverse. But what makes this new game different from Thatgamecompany’s previous games? Is the game mechanic different? What new features have they added to make this game stand out?
In this piece, we’ll look at the ways the new game from Thatgamecompany is different from their past titles.
New Funding
The main difference between Sky and Thatgamecompany’s other games is that Sky was funded differently. While the first three games (Flower, Journey, and Flow) were produced by former Sony Computer Entertainment executive producer Kellee Santiago, Sky is the first game made by Thatgamecompany to get capital funding from outside sources, such as through new partner Epic Games Store.
With this sort of funding, development on the game could be considerably larger than any of the previous titles.
This has led to different levels of development support and investment, meaning that with Sky we can expect even more great experiences and exciting stories across all platforms including PC, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4. Additionally, it remains to be seen if this also affects how successful a game might be financially in terms of actual sales figures.
With Sky being their first title with external funding and Epic Games Store involvement, There are higher expectations for success here where before that mostly wasn’t a primary concern for Thatgamecompany – but now may become much more so.
New Technology
Thatgamecompany is introducing new technology with the upcoming release of their newest title, giving players an enhanced hardware experience. The game is set to feature a new renderer and real-time volumetric lighting technology, allowing for more detailed representation of the environment and setting the stage for a more immersive gaming experience. Additionally, the game is designed to take advantage of features like 4K resolution and high dynamic range for improved visual fidelity compared to previous titles.
The gameplay itself is also set to be enhanced by these technological advances. Proprietary A.I. tools developed by Thatgamecompany will allow players to interact more accurately with their virtual environment, as well as provide realistic facial animation when characters speak — all taking place in real-time instead of relying on pre-rendered cutscenes or video sequences. Players can also look forward to expanded possibilities within the game’s soundtrack — full orchestral scores will be heard in certain areas where ambient music sets a mood that immerses the player even further into their journey through this world created by Thatgamecompany.
New Opportunities
Thatgamecompany’s latest game Sky is set to be their most ambitious title yet. While their previous games have all focused on emotional storytelling and exploration, they’ve now opened the door to cooperative play and competition. Players will now be able to explore the world together, participate in drop-in/drop-out adventure mode activities, and compete against other players in real time aerial races.
One of the biggest differences that players can expect is the addition of character customization options. While previous games typically offered limited choice when it came to creating a player character, Sky will allow for more freeform avatar design as well as a variety of apparel to outfit your character with.
In addition, Sky also introduces harder difficulties into thatgamecompany’s usual formula. Instead of playing through levels of increasing difficulty until you reach the “end” or “final boss”.Players can select their level of challenge from the main menus such as Adventure Mode (Easy through Hard) or Faceoff (solo or group gameplay). This kind of open world experience offers something new compared with Thatgamecompany’s expensive single player narratives seen in Journey and Flower.
Finally this game also features an innovative new social system called Connections. In Connections, players can form a trusted network with friends which allows them to access exclusive pieces of content only available within this circle like rare rewards, hidden fruits gathering locations and special events that no one else has access to! This is a completely new way for gamers to interact and stay connected in Thatgamecompany’s unique environment while discovering riches and enjoying unparalleled experiences together!
How the new game will be different
Thatgamecompany, best known for its delightful games Journey, Flower, and Sky, has recently raised $160M to take its signature game to the Metaverse. This news has stirred up much excitement in the gaming industry, as gamers are keen to know what this new game will be like and how it will be different from the studio’s previous titles.
In this article, we will explore how the new game might differ from Thatgamecompany’s previous releases.
Increased Immersion
The studio has stated that their upcoming title aims to create a deeper level of immersion. To do so, they are using interactive elements and storytelling to develop an emotive, deeply personal experience. They believe that by introducing more interactive elements, their players will feel more connected to their environment and become more emotionally attached to the narrative.
Additionally, Thatgamecompany has designed the game to facilitate a sense of exploration by not just providing an infinite array of scenarios for players to explore, but also utilising environmental cues for progress such as lighting and weather changes. As gamers find new environments and even participate in search and rescue tasks, they should also expect hidden content—accessible only through exploration and problem solving—boosting replay value across all levels and increasing the feeling of immersion within the game.
The studio believes this approach will allow them to create a game universe that speaks on a deeper level than most games typically offer.
More Interactivity
Thatgamecompany, developer of the popular video game Journey, is pushing the boundaries of game design with its upcoming title, Sky. The developer’s latest creation promises to be more interactive and emotionally engaging than their previous releases.
Sky is set to explore ideas of connection, love, and adventure in a shared world unlike any other offered before. Players will be able to interact directly with each other in an exploration-based environment that offers lush visuals, an expansive realm filled with secrets to uncover and much more. While playing around in the sky world, players will also be able to build relationships and “emotionally bond” with one another as they progress on their adventure through the heavens.
Unlike Thatgamecompany’s other titles which simply offer players a passive narrative to experience together or alone, Sky promises a wide array of interactive options such as cooperative flying and grouping up for missions or activities. You can also join together for online events such as weddings or community gatherings if you so choose – setting out on your immersive journey within this expansive world are also possible. Additionally players will have access to an entirely new social system which allows users around the globe to join in on events or share stories within a larger community hub aimed at strengthening connections between individuals while exploring its wondrous sights together.
Greater Connectivity
The new game from Thatgamecompany will feature greater connectivity between players than their previous games. The developers have said that this time, they wanted to create an experience which would draw players closer together, allowing for them to collaborate and complete levels together.
To achieve this, the game utilises a seamlessly integrated online platform. Players can join lobbies, chat with one another via the in-game chat system and work together to solve puzzles using special teamwork events. Players at higher skill levels will be presented with more difficult scenarios that require better communication and collaboration between all involved parties.
Not only will this allow players who join lobbies to share in each others’ successes, but it should also give a developer more chances to build meaningful experiences around the moments of collaboration they create.
tags = Thatgamecompany, $160M, Metaverse, Take Its Signature Game, thatgamecompany children light 160m capitaltakahashiventurebeat, Santa Monica-based, Sky: Children of Light, TPG, theme park-like metaverse experience
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