Today at the Apple Press Conference thatgamecompany’s CEO Jenova Chen announced that they are working on a new game called Sky. Described as a “romantic social adventure game”, it will see players joining up with others as they explore a mysterious world and unlock it’s secrets. Much like the studio’s previous games, Sky is aiming to be accessible to all types of gamers and provide a casual, social experience for everyone. It looks to be taking some aspects of their previous games, such as Journey’s dynamic co-op and Flower’s whimsical gameplay, and marrying them together. However, there does seem to be more straight forward storytelling in the game, something thatgamecompany has often shied away from.
Possibly the most interesting part of the announcement, however, was that it will be launching first on Apple devices. The game will be arriving on the Apple iPad, iPhone, and TV this winter, with no word on when it will be available on other non-Apple platforms.
It is interesting to see thatgamecompany slowly evolve their games over time. With Journey, they created a uniquely emotional experience with a minimalistic approach to world building and impromptu co-op. With Sky, they appear to going for a similar feeling of companionship, however, they are also weaving in more traditional gameplay elements like exploration and storytelling. It will be fascinating to see how these changes manifest themselves in the end. Will it be as impactful as the simplicity of Journey or will it just be another beautiful world that you happen to be able to explore with your friends?
