UPDATE: Kickstarter is live, funded, and up until Tuesday, June 16th! Let's hit some stretch goals!


PlayTonic site link

Go check it out! There's only a couple nuggets of info (and a mysterious piece of art), but apparently Edge will be releasing a new issue on Thursday with the first look at this new game, "Project Ukelele." My guess is some sort of Hawaiian-themed 3D platformer? I'm down.


If you’ve made it this far towards our fine internet abode, then you’ve probably worked out that we’re a new game developer, formed by some blokes who did those games you may or may not have liked as a nipper.

However, if you’ve stumbled here by accident in search of non-sexual relationship advice, allow us to explain what on Earth is going on…

Playtonic’s the name, and fun games, unique characters and absolutely-frickin-amazing worlds to explore are our game. Or at least they will be, once we eventually get around to releasing our first project instead of faffing around on WordPress.

Ahem. Currently we’re a sextet of artists, programmers and designers – sort of like The Pussycat Dolls with computer science degress – with one thing in common; we were all once core member of famous UK studio Rare, where we helmed franchises such as Banjo-Kazooie, Donkey Kong Country and Viva Piñata.

We’ve got the bloke who programmed Donkey Kong Country, the character designer behind Banjo and Kazooie, and the artist who made your console fit to burst with lavish environments across a decade’s worth of adventure games.

Together, our all-star ensemble is aiming to build its debut game, ‘Project Ukulele’, into a worthy spiritual successor to those fondly remembered platforming adventures we built in the past.

By now, you might be thinking, ‘hold on mate, didn’t you make similar claims after drinking too many shandies in the pub in 2012, you muppet?’ Perhaps. But this time it’s real! We’re making a real, proper, actual game. Look: we even managed to trick convince Edge magazine to do us some pages!

You can read all about our venture and see the first artwork for our game in Edge issue 277, which is on sale from February 12.

So what’s next? Well first of all you need to know that our journey is at an early stage – we’ve barely left the Shire and Sean Bean’s still an alright guy.

Over the coming months we’ll reveal more about our project and future growth plans, and we very much intend to get you involved and listen to your views on our game’s direction. You’ll ultimately shape the destination of our project and we plan to continue exchanging sweet glances across cyberspace at you until we get there.

So go on then – follow us on Twitter, slap your thumbs up on our Facebook and sign up for updates. ‘ Cos it’s time to get this wagon rolling…


(well, it definitely has Rare's quirky sense of humor and unusual vernacular)

What do you think?

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IGN said:

Team17, the independent games label behind Worms, is partnering with Playtonic Games on its upcoming 3D-platforming adventure, Yooka-Laylee.

Ugh. I am not a fan of Team17 these days. The latest Worms game they made has so many problems and that is a 2D turn based game. That does not make me optimistic that they are being brought in to work on a 3D platformer. I hope Playtonic holds them to a higher standard than what they usually release.

Posted by

Stephen

on: 07/30/15, 21:02

Hmm, sounds like they aren't really going to be involved in the actual game design but are just assisting in some areas. It should be fine.

Posted by

Hinph

on: 07/30/15, 22:04

New music from David Wise.



I love it!

Posted by

DrFinkelstein

on: 02/10/16, 19:46

@DrFinkelstein

Very Tropical Freeze-y!

Posted by

TriforceBun

on: 02/10/16, 20:10

@TriforceBun

Which is fine by me! I actually like how it's some kind of extension or family member of the DKCTF style. Now I just really want to hear more Grant Kirkhope.

Posted by

DrFinkelstein

on: 02/10/16, 23:50

@TriforceBun My first thought too. I do hope there are a few of his more "emotional" style songs in there too somewhere.

Posted by

Zero

on: 02/11/16, 00:24

What's the deal with this game? I'm all over it but I'm not all over the "maybe it'll actually happen maybe it won't, maybe in 3 yrs, maybe 5" type shit.

I'm not really all that into the Kickstarter/Indie scene all that much.

So is this happening soon? Wii U?

Posted by

carlosrox

on: 02/11/16, 01:39

@carlosrox

It's definitely happening, but not sure of the release info yet. From what I understand, not "five years" level release. Definitely closer to 1-3.

I personally can't wait. Love me some Banjo-Kazooie!

Posted by

J.K. Riki

on: 02/11/16, 01:42

Their kickstarter aimed for an October 2016 release. I don't know how close they'll be to that because this is a very ambitious game but the team here is an incredible team of veterans who are all well versed in their roles with the game and company.

This is likely to release no later than mid 2017 I think. I think there is potentially a chance for a release this holiday too.

Posted by

DrFinkelstein

on: 02/11/16, 02:37

Still hoping we can somehow claim an NX version of this game if that's the main Nintendo console by the time it's finished, as will likely be the case.

Posted by

Hinph

on: 02/11/16, 02:50

I'm really glad they are expanding their team with new, experienced hires and partnering. It really does sound like they have a good team that will produce something that'll be really fun to play. I patiently wait for my download code!

Posted by

Abdooooo

on: 02/11/16, 17:36

Hinph said:

Still hoping we can somehow claim an NX version of this game if that's the main Nintendo console by the time it's finished, as will likely be the case.

Yeah, would be a great 3rd party launch window game for NX.

Posted by

WrathOfSamus777

on: 02/12/16, 01:29

@Hinph

Might set a tone (or not) for the system, too. If it gets it, maybe it means better things to come third party wise. If it doesn't... well, looks like more of the same in Nintendo Land...

Posted by

J.K. Riki

on: 02/12/16, 17:29

This might be a silly question but are Indies considered third parties?

Posted by

carlosrox

on: 02/12/16, 18:39

@carlosrox Sure why not? "3rd party" just means a game on a platform that wasn't produced or funded by the company who makes the platform. Whether it is indie or not is irrelevant.

Posted by

Zero

on: 02/12/16, 18:47

So then the Wii and Wii U actually had tons of third party support :)

NX surely will as well.

Posted by

carlosrox

on: 02/12/16, 19:53

Edited:

02/12/16, 19:54

@carlosrox I started off this editorial saying something along those lines.

Zero said:

It's a sad but true fact that 3rd party publishers and developers have all but abandoned the Wii U. Sure, we're getting a small handful of 3rd party games here and there, but nothing of note. It's a dry and barren wasteland and there is nothing to look forward to now or in the near future.

That was a damnable lie.

Sure, it is sort of true when applied to Wii U retail games. But the eShop is a different story. I really think that 2014 has been the best year for the Wii U eShop, with the release of several key titles like Shovel Knight, Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition, SteamWorld Dig, Child of Light and more. And many of the most exciting Wii U eShop games have been brought over by a single company, British publisher / developer Curve Studios.

Of course, the other platforms tend to get most of the 3rd party indie games the Wii U gets AND a bunch more retail stuff it doesn't. But there is stuff to play if you look for it. There are probably close to 10 or more indie titles I'm looking forward to on the Wii U in 2016. Yooka-Laylee, Mighty No. 9, Tadpole Treble, Shantae, Bloodstained, Hyper Light Drifter, Kerbal Space Program, Hive Jump, RIVE, C-Wars, etc. Add in the handful of retail titles that look interesting and the fact that I'll probably be playing Xenoblade X for at least another 4-6 months or more and I certainly won't be sitting around with nothing to play.

Posted by

Zero

on: 02/12/16, 20:20

Edited:

02/12/16, 20:27

I've had my eye on Guacamelee for a very long time. I really liked what I saw back when it was first shown for PS3. I'm basically just waiting to get it. Shantae is another big one I've put off.
Teslagrad, Elliot Quest, and a few other gorgeous 2D Indies are the type I'm into. Ooh and Chasm for PS4 is definitely something I'd be into.

I guess I wasn't being fair when I said I wasn't into Indies. I just don't like the wait, and there's a ridiculous amount of them so it feels like congestion to me. But I mean once they're actually nearing release (or are already out) then I can get behind them. But I haven't felt the need to Day 1 too many of them. Just too many games.

Posted by

carlosrox

on: 02/12/16, 23:20

Guacamelee is amazing. I think the Wii U version added some stuff too.

There are a ton of indies but instead of getting swamped I just look for stuff that very precisely matches my interests, something that is tough to do with retail games sometimes. Like Undertale, an Earthbound-style RPG with a WarioWare-inspired battle system? SOLD.

Hmm, but if you're just sticking to the Wii U the decisions get a bit easier because although it has been getting a fair amount of solid indie games, it still has a limited library.

Posted by

Zero

on: 02/13/16, 07:25

carlosrox said:

So then the Wii and Wii U actually had tons of third party support :)

NX surely will as well.

Well, depends on the perspective. I don't put Indies in the same category as traditional "third parties" simply because those games often lack the "meat" (for lack of a better word) that the traditional retail 3rd party games do. Just my opinion, and let me explain. Are they fun? Sure. But, no disrespect to the indie devs intended, Art of Balance or Little Inferno are not in the same category to me as Xenoblade Chronicles X and Zombie U. Shovel Knight is cool, but it doesn't play in the same league as Wonderful 101. And that's okay. We need variety. But these things aren't interchangeable (to me, at least). I am not going to say "Well, we aren't getting Star Wars Battlefront or Fallout 4, but at least we have Steamworld Dig and Rive!" Those games aren't the same. That's nothing against Indie Devs, that's just what reality is. When I long for 3rd party support, I long for the games like No More Heroes and Monster Hunter and Just Cause and Kingdom Hearts.

To me it's more about the game than who is making the game. Yooka-Laylee looks to be a full, large-scope "3rd party game." I wouldn't consider it an Indie game at all myself. Guacamelee looks fun and very pretty, but it definitely says "Indie game" to me more than a large 3D platformer based on Banjo-Kazooie with all the bells and whistles. I am in love with Dillon's Rolling Western at the moment, but in spite of it coming from Nintendo, it feels absolutely like an Indie game to me, and fills that role in my gaming life. It would not somehow be a substitute for Mario Kart or Fire Emblem. Even something like Shantae is not going to scratch the same itch for me as Yoshi's Woolly World. Doesn't mean it isn't fun, it's just not a 1:1 trade.

And I'd really hope that people can read the above without taking it to be a dig on Indie Devs, but I understand if that's the way you want to look at it. It's not what I intended, though. Just what I think about when I consider "3rd party support" personally.

Posted by

J.K. Riki

on: 02/13/16, 13:39