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thatgamecompany opens merch store with limited time bonuses
Despite not having license from Sony to sell merchandise based on its own games, developer thatgamecompany has launched an online merchandise store. The store's inventory includes a single product: a 'Koko/Glyph' thatgamecompany promotional t-shirt.As a limited bonus for purchasing the $20 shirt, thatgamecompany will include "a set of flOw, Flower, and Journey cards (Journey card is signed), and five buttons" (as seen above). After this unknown limited run, orders will only include "some buttons." Shirts appear to be going fast, as many sizes are already listed as out of stock.We think the shirt looks great – we just wish it would stop pointing to that bald spot on the back of our head. We get it.
Journey unearths retro head-hunting in CE minigame, 'Gravediggers'
One of the three minigames included in the Journey Collector's Edition is Gravediggers, a title (un)borne from thatgamecompany's first 24-hour game jam in 2008, though it looks more like it comes out of 1980. The static visuals belie a complex multiplayer game, wherein up to six players have to shoot the heads off of zombies and other players alike, and deposit them in crypts, with the first player to 50 heads winning the round. Polygon reports that zombies can kill you, as can other players, and opponent's heads are worth five points rather than the one point for each zombie cranium. Watch (or mostly listen to) the action above and prepare to pack your pistols come August 28.
Journey: Collector's Edition won't make the trip to Europe
European fans hoping to pick up the upcoming collector's edition of Journey may be waiting a long time, possibly forever. It appears that the special boxed edition of Journey won't be available in Europe at all, according to thatgamecompany's Twitter account. "We wish Europeans could get it, but there's nothing we can do," reads a TGC tweet, adding further that perturbed fans should make their complaints known to the PlayStation EU Twitter account.Journey: Collector's Edition was fully revealed over the weekend, and features lots of goodies for the discerning thatgamecompany devotee. In addition to copies of Journey, Flower and Flow, the disc also includes a 30-minute documentary on Journey, commentary, art, screens, soundtracks and three additional mini-games: Grave Digger, Duke War!! and Nostril Shot.
'Journey: Collector's Edition' gets 'exclusive minigames,' all three soundtracks on Aug. 28 for $30
Journey Collector's Edition's contents got a lot clearer this morning, as thatgamecompany revealed the box art and more details on its website. The collection comprises all three thatgamecompany PSN games – Flow, Flower, and Journey – and also includes a one-month PS Plus membership, "exclusive mini games," creator commentary audio tracks, soundtracks for all three games, and a variety of other bonuses (the full list is below the break).The re-release launches on August 28 for $30 in North America ("info for additional territories to be announced soon"), and the minigames are described as "three exclusive mini-games born out of a thatgamecompany tradition: the 24hr Game Jam." The three games, "Gravediggers," "Nostril Shot," and "Duke War!!," were each created by TGC "start to finish in 24 hours," and their release with this collection marks the first time the trio can be played (except for those who played the games while visiting TGC).There's also reversible cover art on the box – TGC's first physical release – which excites us greatly. Remember that sweet Ico/Shadow of the Colossus reversible cover art? That was pretty much the best. We're hoping this woos us even more.
Journey, Flower and Flow PS3 bundle listed for late summer
thatgamecompany confirmed early this morning that a disc-based Journey collector's edition, which will include Flow and Flower, is a thing for PlayStation 3, but "can't say anything more."That's okay, we'll let retailers do a little more of the talking: both GameFly and Play-Asia list the compilation with an August release date. There is no speculation on price at this time.None of thatgamecompany's PlayStation Network PS3 titles were previously available on disc, but Flow was available on PSP. The most excellent Journey concluded the developer's three-game deal with Sony and now thatgamecompany is moving toward unknown horizons in self-publishing.Update: Added full statement from company after the break.
Journey dev goes fully independent, self-publishing next game
Having completed its three-game contractual stint with Sony Computer Entertainment America, the team behind Flow, Flower, and Journey is breaking free with a $5.5 million infusion of capital from Benchmark Capital's Mitch Lasky. "Today I am pleased to announce thatgamecompany has raised funding to develop and release our games independently," company co-founder Jenova Chen wrote on the TGC blog."This enables us to bring our games to more platforms and provide our players the highest quality experience at every point of contact," Chen added. TGC's first three games are owned by Sony, so don't expect to see them going multiplatform anytime soon. The company's next project, however, could end up on any number of platforms. He stopped short of revealing what TGC's next big project is, but said the team is "very excited about our new adventure" and will offer more news about it "soon."thatgamecompany celebrated its sixth year in operation this past May with two new hires, and said goodbye to several employees earlier in the year. Chen said in May that TGC was courting publishers for its next game, but today pointed out that the company will be self-publishing instead.Update: thatgamecompany issued Joystiq the following statement: "We are extremely excited to be partnering with Benchmark Capital, as now we are going to be self-publishing our next games. We haven't announced if our next game will be multiplatform, but we are trying to reach a larger audience than that of the PS3."
The Walking Dead tops May PSN downloads
Despite being quite the success on PSN, Journey didn't take the top spot on the PSN and PS3 download charts for May. No, that honor goes to The Walking Dead – the first episode in Telltale's newest game managed to topple last month's top dog I Am Alive, and was followed by Journey and PixelJunk Shooter (thanks to a sale) in May, respectively. On the PS Vita side, Mortal Kombat managed to best all comers, unseating Escape Plan, which fell to third place. Taking second was Table Top Tanks, the AR tank battle game that debuted in late May.
Six years in, Journey studio rewards itself with two new hires
Did you know that today is thatgamecompany's sixth birthday? It's true! In those six years, the team of approximately a dozen people created Flow, Flower, and, most recently, Journey, all the while cementing their place as heads of the art games movement. The company recently completed its contract with Sony for three exclusive titles, but that doesn't mean it's resting on past successes. For instance, TGC is already in talks with publishers for whatever's next.Alongside its success, some big names at the studio recently moved on – co-founder Kellee Santiago and executive producer Robin Hunicke both exited in the past few months, following the launch of Journey this past March. Today, TGC adds two new employees.In light of its big sixth birthday, thatgamecompany is announcing the appointment of two new stars: former director of marketing and business development of PowerMMO Games, Sunni Pavlovic, becomes studio manager, and taking up the new position of audio director is Cloud and Flower contributor Vincent Diamante.In a prepared statement from TGC, Diamante said, "I'm very excited to be a part of thatgamecompany, joining forces with both friends from past projects as well as new faces. The last time around, I worked with TGC mostly as a music contractor. Things this time around will be a bit different, as I'll be dealing with all sound and music issues on their upcoming game."Diamante related his first several weeks at TGC as akin to "tight-rope walking with chainsaws," which is, like, the exact opposite of what we imagine working at TGC to be like. Isn't it all floaty stuff and soft music? Quit ruining our illusions, Diamante! You've only just started!
I Am Alive tops April PSN downloads, just one Vita game charts
Ubisoft's post-apocalypse third-person-survivor I Am Alive apparently struck a chord with PlayStation 3 owners last month, topping the PlayStation Network's download charts for April 2012, even edging out March's big PSN release, Journey.The Walking Dead's game adaptation from Telltale managed more than a shambling start as well, taking up two spots on the top 10 with the season pass and first episode in third and fifth place, respectively. Just one Vita title landed on the list, Escape Plan, in the number 10 spot. All of this information – and more! – can be found in the latest PlayStation "Pulse" video, which we've dropped just below the break.
thatgamecompany courting publishers, next game announced 'hopefully within this year' [update]
Update: Chen contacted us to clarify his statements regarding Hunicke and Santiago: "Both Kellee and Robin made huge contributions to our games. My comments about their roles were made to address, particularly, the creative development process of our next game. By no means would I make those statements by themselves, otherwise it would feel like I'm downplaying my partners' roles."Now that Journey is out and thatgamecompany has been loosed from the bonds of its three game exclusivity deal with Sony, company co-founder Jenova Chen is on the prowl for a new publishing parter. "It takes us a little bit of time to basically readjust after the three game deal," Chen said during an interview with VG247. "We're very close in figuring out what the next deal is. We're negotiating with various partners."Obviously, thatgamecompany wouldn't need a new publisher unless it was working on a new game, but the acquisition of a new publication pal won't necessarily translate into any information about Chen's next project. "In terms of when you'll know about the next game, I think we intentionally announce our games very early. We announced Flower half a year after we launched Flow. We announced Journey half a year after we launched Flower. So hopefully within this year, you'll hear from us about our next game."Chen also put to bed fears that the departures of producer Robin Hunicke and co-founder Kellee Santiago would hamper thatgamecompany's ability to create its next title. "I wouldn't say they have any direct impact when it comes to developing the game. Kellee is mostly working on the business end and PR for TGC, so she represents the company, but she's not a developer in terms of engineer or artist or designer on this game."Robin was the producer. She's more like a manager type. But we still have the lead engineer, lead designer and artists from Journey, so it doesn't really matter in terms of our ability to make games."
Journey Without Words
You're reading Reaction Time, a new weekly column that claims to examine recent events, games and trends in the industry, but is really just looking for an excuse to use the word "zeitgeist." It debuts on Fridays in Engadget's digital magazine, Distro. I'm not sure I've seen anyone describe Journey as a well written game. It's praised as an earnest, emotionally stirring masterpiece, and a subtle success that nearly denigrates other games just by existing alongside them. But the topic of writing in games is often confined to scripts, spectacle and whatever is said in a cutscene, and Journey doesn't have any of that. If you completed it, you'll probably agree: There are no words.As I wandered through an orange-hued desert, coming dangerously close to outright frolicking, I noticed a figure striding into distant view. Here I met another nameless nomad, and one that shared my appreciation of tasteful, unfettered fabrics. A friend? Another traveler compelled to reach the mysterious obelisk at the center of the world? "Would u like 2 work 2gether," he said in a text bubble. "I know how 2 get 2 the mountain and beat the game."
Robin Hunicke leaves thatgamecompany for Tiny Speck
Robin Hunicke, thatgamecompany's "Producer Extraordinaire" since 2009, has left the Journey developer to join Tiny Speck, the Canadian studio responsible for Glitch. Hunicke will be "providing leadership in game design" for Tiny Speck and Glitch specifically from Tiny Speck's San Francisco offices, according to an announcement at the Glitch Blog."When they told me they had an office in San Francisco, where folks were joining up to imagine new fun for Glitch... well, I must admit I swooned," Hunicke said in an update on her personal blog.Hunicke's departure from thatgamecompany comes hot on the heels of Kellee Santiago's similar announcement earlier this morning. It was also heralded by an anonymous source speaking to Gamasutra, who warned of further "key staff departures" following in Santiago's footsteps.
Journey is fastest-selling PSN game ever, soundtrack coming April 10
We thought Journey was a very good game, as you may recall, and apparently we weren't the only ones looking forward to its release, as Journey is now the fastest-selling SCEA-region PSN game in all of recorded history. Previously, that honor was held by Sucker Punch's Infamous 2: Festival of Blood."We thank you so much for your support, for spending time and money to play our game and for spreading the word about Journey to your dear friends and family," said thatgamecompany co-founder Jenova Chen in a post on the PlayStation Blog. "We have received more letters from fans in the two weeks since Journey's launch than we did for Flower over the past three years!"Chen also announced that Journey's brilliant score (composed by Austin Wintory) will be available on the PS Store and iTunes come April 10, with a "limited" CD release to follow shortly after.
Kellee Santiago leaves thatgamecompany, nextcompany unknown
Kellee Santiago, co-founder of thatgamecompany, left the Journey developer today. "Thanks so much for the kind words today, I feel so much love and gratitude," she Tweeted. "It's time to hit the 'Start New Journey' button!" She has yet to announce her destination.Santiago told Gamasutra that she hopes to take what she's learned from making thatgamecompany's three PSN games, "and go forth and take it into new arenas." She said she saw her role at thatgamecompany as supporting Jenova Chen's visions for game design. "... I felt like I have done everything I needed to do there, and that he's in a great place now to go on and continue with some of the other people at Thatgamecompany, to take that to a whole new height." Gama also cites anonymous sources who warn of other "key staff departures."A thatgamecompany representative told Joystiq, "Obviously, Kellee has been a huge part of thatgamecompany over the past six years. Even though it's sad to see her leave, we are very excited to see what she does in the future."
Journey developer diary reaches for new heights
Beneath all that beautiful sand and those wide-open skies, Journey is a metaphor for birth.
thatgamecompany goes behind the Journey
You've heard what we think of Journey. How about the people who made it? In this developer video, the team at thatgamecompany discusses their philosophy of game development, their goals, and what motivates them to keep a small team.
Journey travels to PS Plus members one week early
Reviews for Journey are already sprinkling the vast wasteland of the web, but the full game doesn't officially launch until March 13, giving the hype plenty of time to blow away like sand in the wind. Sony is looking to fix that by launching Journey one week early for PS Plus members, at the standard $15 price point.Journey will be available next week for PS Plus members, along with a bonus dynamic theme. The bonus theme is also available to PS Normal users by pre-ordering Journey from the PlayStation Store.
Journey review: I want to go to there
The word "awesome" gets thrown around a lot, but I think we as a culture have lost track of its real meaning. Originally, the word meant "awe inspiring," and Dictionary.com defines "awe" as "an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, fear, etc., produced by that which is grand, sublime, extremely powerful, or the like." Nowadays, "awesome" functions as a synonym for "cool" or "impressive:" When someone says a game is awesome, they're really saying that it's great, and generally are not implying any existential or emotional significance beyond that.I bring this up, because I don't want to be misconstrued as generic or uninspired when I say that Journey is an awesome game. In the most classical, archaic sense of the word, Journey is a beautiful, evocative and unequivocally transcendental experience.%Gallery-130795%
Jenova Chen: thatgamecompany aiming 'beyond just PlayStation'
Indie studio thatgamecompany will conclude its three-game deal with Sony with the launch of Journey on March 13. Will the group still focus on Sony's hardware or possibly try their hands at PS Vita next? Somebody get Chuck Testa in here so he can respond aptly.Jenova Chen, thatgamecompany co-founder and creative director, told Push Square that the plan is to expand the studio's audience beyond Sony's realm. "Right now we are very much exploring ways to bring our games to a bigger audience, beyond just PlayStation. We are still in the process of negotiating, but I hope that we can announce it [soon]."By the sound of it, thatgamecompany already has its next project lined up. We've been through the ocean, the garden and the desert -- so where to next?
'Us and the Game Industry' is the next documentary about indies
Whereas Indie Game: The Movie aimed to explore the lives of the people behind some of indie gaming's biggest titles, an upcoming documentary on the indie gaming scene entitled "Us and the Game Industry" seeks to capture already established success cases in that world. Cases like Jason Rohrer (Inside a Star-filled Sky, Sleep is Death) and Jenova Chen (Flower, Journey) both show up in the premiere trailer, seen above."'Us and the Game Industry' is a film about the new thinkers at the new frontier of experimental computer game development," the film's Vimeo page reads. "This film explores how their motivation, design process, focus and execution are creating unique and new possibilities of connecting people and providing the possibility for uncharted experiences outside the normal realm of commercial games."So -- yes -- it's almost assured you'll hear several indie devs wax philosophical on the process of game design when the film eventually arrives (no launch date is given, and the film's official site has yet to go live). And frankly, after the emotion fest that is Indie Game: The Movie, we're looking forward to some cold, hard pretention.
