Sky: Youngsters of the Gentle, the journey sport from the creators of Journey, was initially launched on iOS in 2019 after which adopted by releases on Android, Change and PlayStation. Regardless of the sport initially being considerably of a sleeper hit, this growth over varied platforms has seen the sport’s viewers develop, and with a PC launch on the horizon, there’s extra but to return.
We spoke with Artwork Director Cecil Kim from thatgamecompany to debate the studio’s plans for the yr forward, what we will anticipate to see from Sky subsequent and the journey thus far, reminiscent of smashing a Guinness world file ultimately yr’s Gamescom.
PocketGamer.biz: Are you able to inform us just a little about your self and what led you to thatgamecompany?
Cecil Kim: After graduating from the Artwork Middle in 1996 with BFA, I used to be working at Imaginary Forces in Hollywood as a contract illustrator and storyboard artist for characteristic movies and commercials, however I wanted a full-time alternative.
I discovered that probability working as a storyboard artist at Sq. on Parasite Eve, creating ideas for gameplay ranges and environments. I continued my work there on a number of different titles, together with Closing Fantasy IX, earlier than shifting to Santa Monica Studios as a visible growth lead on the unique God of Battle trilogy. I first met Jenova Chen at that studio whereas collaborating on Journey’s growth.
In 2011, searching for one thing extra inventive and private, I left AAA growth to begin my very own sport design and artwork options firm, Part Studios. One in all our first guide contracts was for thatgamecompany’s Journey artwork guide, because of my private connection to Jenova. Over my 9 years at Part Studios, we grew a sport growth staff and labored on a number of video games, from informal video games to real-time on-line technique video games, however determined to shut the corporate after a troublesome launch.
That was a giant turning level for me – it cemented my want to be a sport designer at a studio with a robust inventive and inventive imaginative and prescient. After a gathering with Jenova, I used to be impressed with Sky’s ambition and individuality, so I made a decision to hitch thatgamecompany and chase the subsequent dream of my profession.
Sky’s animation, sound and music are equal to AAA sport high quality.
Cecil Kim
Sky: Youngsters of the Gentle was launched first on cell in 2019. What was your expertise of the launch like?
Really, I joined a few months after the discharge of Sky, so I wasn’t there to witness the thrill! However Sky was already getting quite a lot of assist from the neighborhood and from followers of Journey since Sky was thought-about a inventive successor. It was additionally awarded as the very best iOS sport in 2019 by Apple. It appeared stunning and felt very totally different in comparison with different cell video games. It was positively a magical product you may carry in your hand and play wherever you needed, so an iOS launch allowed us to share that have with a big and international viewers.
Since then, the sport has expanded past cell and onto PlayStation and Nintendo Change. There’s additionally a PC launch on the horizon, what are you able to inform us about that?
Sky’s minimalist artwork type can nonetheless be appreciated on greater screens. For my part, Sky’s animation, sound and music are equal to AAA sport high quality. It was our intention to launch it on cell and ultimately broaden the neighborhood to console and PC avid gamers. The PC port has proved to be probably the most difficult mission as a result of technical necessities and essential engineering work, so we saved that for final.
The timing is nice, as we efficiently launched our viewers tech for Aurora Live performance in Sky final yr, which permits us to collect teams of hundreds of gamers collectively past the same old eight gamers per session to play and work together with one another. Now, Sky holds a Guinness World Report for having 10,000 concurrent gamers on display screen. We’re so excited to ask PC avid gamers to our distinctive on-line expertise as we characteristic our multiplayer tech in much more progressive social gatherings.
We’re all born with compassion and look after others in our hearts, so we don’t wish to restrict our gamers to a single platform.
Cecil Kim
How necessary is cross-platform gaming for thatgamecompany? Can we anticipate to see future titles rolling out throughout these varied platforms?
We consider our video games enchantment to a large viewers no matter platform. Our video games have easy design mechanics however can create deep emotional connections between gamers. Not many video games concentrate on emotional affect, which may help everybody really feel calm, liked, and related. We’re all born with compassion and look after others in our hearts, so we don’t wish to restrict our gamers to a single platform.
Are you able to inform us something about what the staff is presently targeted on? Is it extra content material for Sky or one thing else?
Sky has thrilling new content material for 2024. We’re bettering our user-generated content material options to empower our gamers to specific their creativity and foster deeper connections throughout the sport. Viewers tech is one thing we actually labored arduous on for a very long time. We wish to recreate the magic of hundreds of gamers doing issues collectively within the sport! We’re additionally wanting ahead to creating the Aviary into the premiere social haunt area for our gamers.
And what concerning the future? Is there something we ought to be looking out for?
We have now a lovely Sky artwork guide, which covers eight years of growth tales and the inventive journeys the artists have been on. It is going to be launched in Q2 of this yr! Additionally, now we have been engaged on our animation mission, Sky: The Two Embers, which can also be set to be launched later this yr. The world of Sky is stuffed with a lot thriller and marvel, and we wish to share the historical past of the world and the tales of characters by means of a inventive animation format. I feel our followers will like it!
