NeoBards
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Star Wars Games Could Get More Interesting As Lucasfilm Looks Beyond The Big Studios
Lucasfilm Games is looking to partner with smaller, independent studios to create a wider variety of Star Wars titles beyond traditional AAA releases. VP Douglas Reilly stated that the strategy involves finding the best partners for specific experiences, not just major publishers, highlighting recent successes like Star Wars Zero Company and Star Wars Galactic Racer. This approach aims to explore diverse genres and fulfill various player fantasies within the Star Wars universe.
Expect plenty more Silent Hill over the next few years, as Konami has plans for 'second and third waves' of new games in its revived horror series
Konami plans multiple 'waves' of new Silent Hill games, with producer Motoi Okamoto expressing relief at the positive reception of recent titles like Silent Hill 2 Remake, Silent Hill f, and Silent Hill: Townfall. Despite past challenges, including the cancellation of Hideo Kojima's Silent Hills, Konami is committed to reviving the horror franchise with ongoing projects.
Silent Hill boss says Konami planning more new games for years to come
Konami is planning to release new Silent Hill games annually, with producer Motoi Okamoto confirming that projects beyond the current wave are already in development. Following the successful releases of Silent Hill 2 remake, Silent Hill f, and Silent Hill: Townfall, the next title will be a remake of the original 1999 game. Konami is collaborating with various studios like Bloober Team and NeoBards Entertainment to bring diverse experiences to the franchise.
Shack Chat: Which developer would you like to see make a Konami game next?
Shacknews staff members discuss which developers they would like to see tackle Konami's classic franchises. Suggestions include Remedy Entertainment for Metal Gear, VS Studio for Bloody Roar, and Yacht Club Games for Contra, among others.
Silent Hill producer believes shaking up the series was necessary to win over players because 'at best, only about half of the original users will return with a remake'
Producer Motoi Okamoto believes that shaking up the Silent Hill series with new entries like Silent Hill f and Townfall, rather than just remakes, was necessary to attract both new and returning players. He argued that remakes alone would only recapture about half of the original audience, emphasizing the need for fresh experiences alongside nostalgia. Konami's strategy involves partnering with studios like Bloober Team and Annapurna Interactive to deliver psychological horror that explores inner worlds and trauma.
Silent Hill: Townfall innovates with its new outdated technology
Silent Hill: Townfall, developed by Annapurna Interactive and Screen Burn, is a new standalone spinoff set in 1996 Scotland. It replaces the series' iconic radio with a portable CRTV for clues and threat detection, and shifts to a first-person perspective for a more immersive horror experience. The game is set to release on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S on September 23.
Evening Interviews
NeoBards Entertainment, the developer behind Silent Hill F, discusses the importance of trust in game development, referencing the 'Eye of Sauron' metaphor. The article also briefly touches on Evil Trout's approach to free-to-play games.
"It's not like the Eye of Sauron is looking at everything we're doing" – Silent Hill F developer NeoBards on why trust is essential for co-dev
NeoBards Entertainment's Jean-Marc Morel and Wonder Lin discuss the importance of trust and communication in co-development and outsourcing, particularly with Japanese partners like Konami. They highlight how face-to-face interactions and building strong relationships are crucial for successful collaborations, especially given the increasing complexity of AAA game development.
'60% of the script stayed the same': ryukishi07's was on the money for Silent Hill f, the only problem…
Director Al Yang revealed that approximately 60% of the script for Silent Hill f, written by ryukishi07, remained unchanged from its initial draft. The development team collaborated closely with Konami to ensure authentic Japanese school environments and managed budget constraints to realize the game's ambitious scenes.
How Silent Hill f developers crafted tense melee-only combat
NeoBards Entertainment discusses their approach to crafting tense, melee-only combat for Silent Hill f. The developers focused on translating classic survival horror tension into every player action and swing.
How Silent Hill f developers crafted tense melee-only combat
NeoBards studio creative director Al Yang discusses the design philosophy behind Silent Hill f's melee-only combat system, emphasizing tension and resource management over traditional gunplay. The game, available on PlayStation 5, focuses on building fear through anticipation and incomplete information, with weapon durability and a 'master key' system providing unique combat mechanics.
