Skulls of the Shogun dev becomes '17-BIT'
"It's 16-bit, plus a bit more," says CEO Jake Kazdal, who can now add "ghostbuster" to his job title. Formerly "Haunted Temple Studios," the developer behind stylized strategy-fest Skulls of the Shogun has officially changed its name to "17-BIT." The old-school alteration is meant to reflect the studio's "classic gameplay ideals," and comes after a successful trial run on the PAX East show floor.
"The new name sums up our goal perfectly -- taking your best memories of the 16-bit era, and making new experiences that look as good and play as well as you remember," Kazdal says.
You'll get to see the studio's snazzy -- make that SNES-y -- badge tattooed on the Skulls of the Shogun, which launches on Xbox Live Arcade, Windows Phone and Windows 8 just as Microsoft pushes out its new OS (currently speculated to happen in October). The 17-BIT art itself came about with the aid of Cory Schmitz, who is quickly becoming the Nolan North of nifty logos.
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Seattle-based developer Haunted Temple Studios changes name to 17-BIT and announces platforms for their upcoming game
SKULLS OF THE SHOGUN
Seattle, WA, May 3rd, 2012 -- Seattle game developer Haunted Temple Studios announced today that it will change its name to 17-BIT, ahead of the release of its upcoming action-strategy title SKULLS OF THE SHOGUN. The 17-BIT name represents the studio's commitment to preserving classic gameplay ideals, using modern technology to innovate upon and super-charge them for the modern age.
"It's 16-bit, plus a bit more," says Jake Kazdal, studio CEO and Creative Director. "When we test-drove the 17-BIT name and logo at PAX East, people instantly got it. It reached the point where people kept stopping us on the show floor and asking where they could get our t-shirts. The new name sums up our goal perfectly -- taking your best memories of the 16-bit era, and making new experiences that look as good and play as well as you remember."
The first 17-BIT game will be the highly anticipated SKULLS OF THE SHOGUN, a lightning-fast turn-based action-strategy game that lets players control armies of skeletal samurai in the Land of the Dead. With stylized graphics and tongue planted firmly in cheek, Skulls of the Shogun will be available on three platforms on the release date of Microsoft Windows 8: Windows 8, Xbox LIVE Arcade, and Windows Phone.
About SKULLS OF THE SHOGUN™
SKULLS OF THE SHOGUN is an invigorating cocktail of 1960's-flavored sorcery and strategy. Washing up on the shores of the afterlife, players meet and join forces with vibrant ghost-samurai warriors, magical animal-monks, and mustachioed samurai generals on the way to capture the Skulls of the Shogun. With its roots in classic turn-based strategy gaming, Skulls of the Shogun retains depth and adds a smooth, simple interface that makes it accessible and enjoyable even to players new to the genre. Players immerse themselves in battle with fun and unique gameplay features amidst lush, eerie environments. Also featuring 4-player local and networked multiplayer and an original score inspired by classic samurai films and dub, Skulls of the Shogun offers simple-yet-deep, refined and offbeat gameplay. In collaboration with Buffalo Vision and Plush Apocalypse, 17-BIT will release Skulls of the Shogun to Windows 8, Windows Phone, and Xbox Live Arcade.
SkullsOfTheShogun.com
About 17-BIT (formerly Haunted Temple Studios, Inc)
17-BIT is a boutique independent video game developer specializing in revitalizing classic genres with cutting-edge gaming experiences. Founded in 2009 by game industry veteran Jake Kazdal, 17-BIT aims to deliver iconoclastic games that challenge the expectations of 2D gaming. Including his years at Sega in Tokyo and Electronic Arts in Los Angeles, Kazdal brings decades of experience to the company's offices in downtown Seattle. With bold, eye-catching art and broad audience appeal, 17-BIT creates fresh game experiences that hearken back to the 16-bit era of consoles, but with the power and high definition of modern hardware.
17-BIT.com
