thatgamecompany
thatgamecompany business and news from across the web.- Sky Children of the Light holds a multi-week bash to celebrate its seventh anniversarySky: Children of the Light is celebrating its seventh anniversary with a multi-week in-game event featuring cinema programs, rooftop parties, minigames, developer meet-and-greets, and concerts until July 23rd. The celebration also includes the return of Traveling Spirits in July, the Days of Sunlight event from July 31st to August 20th, and the Sky Creator Awards on July 11th.
Are these the 100 most influential games of all time?Kitfox Games CEO Tanya Short discusses a list of the 100 most influential video games of all time, compiled by professional game designers. The list, assembled through the Polaris game design retreat, aims to serve as a tool for designers to improve their craft and create influential games.
Games for Change Announces 2026 Special Award WinnersGames for Change has announced the special award winners for its 2026 awards, recognizing significant contributions to social impact in gaming. Jenn Panattoni will receive the Vanguard Award, thatgamecompany the Industry Leadership Award, and SpecialEffect the Giving Award for their work in advancing social causes through games and technology.
21 years ago, Valve passed on a chill game pitched as "the opposite" of GTA San Andreas, Journey creator says: "We only publish games with guns, our players like to shoot"In 2005, Valve rejected a game pitch called 'Cloud,' which was designed to be the opposite of violent titles like Grand Theft Auto San Andreas. Jenova Chen, co-founder of Thatgamecompany, revealed that Valve stated they 'only publish games with guns.' Despite the rejection, Cloud was eventually released for free, and Thatgamecompany has since found success with peaceful games like Journey.- Evening InterviewsThatgamecompany is celebrating its 20th anniversary, reflecting on its journey from an anti-Columbine school project to a company known for its artistic and emotional games. The article discusses the studio's evolution and its impact on the gaming landscape.
Thatgamecompany's 20-year journey from anti-Columbine school project to a celebration of Van GoghThatgamecompany, co-founded by Jenova Chen, celebrates 20 years of creating emotionally resonant games like Flow, Flower, Journey, and Sky: Children of the Light. The studio's journey began as an anti-violence project and evolved into a platform for artistic expression, overcoming financial struggles and shifting industry trends. Their latest venture, 'Dear Van Gogh,' is an immersive experience within Sky: Children of the Light, exploring the life of Vincent Van Gogh.
Sky: Children of the Light Set to Drop a New Interactive Event Dear Van GoghThatgamecompany's Sky: Children of the Light is launching a new interactive event titled 'Dear Van Gogh' on July 17, 2026. This event will explore the life, art, and relationships of Vincent van Gogh through exploration, storytelling, and interactive environments inspired by his paintings. The experience highlights his correspondence with his brother Theo and the support of Theo's wife, Johanna van Gogh-Bonger.- Dear Van Gogh AnnouncedDeveloper thatgamecompany has announced Dear Van Gogh, a new interactive experience inspired by the painter Vincent van Gogh. This experience is set within the world of their existing game, Sky: Children of the Night.
Everything announced at the Future Games Show Summer Showcase: Every Announcement, trailer and Release dateThe Future Games Show Summer Showcase 2026 featured over 70 announcements, including world premieres, gameplay reveals, and release dates for titles like ACE COMBAT 8: Wings of Theve, Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, and EXODUS. The event also highlighted numerous indie titles and provided updates on existing games such as Little Nightmares III: The Backstage and PowerWash Simulator 2. The showcase covered a wide range of genres and platforms, offering a glimpse into upcoming releases for PC and consoles.
thatgamecompany Announces “Dear Van Gogh” a New Interactive Experience within Sky: Children of the Lightthatgamecompany announced "Dear Van Gogh," a new interactive experience within its game Sky: Children of the Light, launching July 17, 2026. This experience will allow players to explore the life and art of Vincent van Gogh through his paintings and personal relationships. The feature will be available on iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC via Steam.
Sky: Children of the Light Is Publishing a New Book The Art of Sky: Gratitude To Nestingthatgamecompany is publishing a new art book titled "The Art of Sky: Gratitude To Nesting (2019-2024)" which details the first five years of development for Sky: Children of the Light. Co-authored by Jennie Kong and Yuichiro Tanabe, the 245-page book will be released in Summer 2026 for $100. The game is also currently hosting its Days of Color 2026 event.
thatgamecompany Unveils New Collectible 245-Page Art Book Celebrating Sky: Children of the Lightthatgamecompany has announced a new 245-page art book, "The Art of Sky: Gratitude To Nesting (2019-2024)," celebrating the first five years of Sky: Children of the Light. The book features unreleased illustrations, developer commentary, and dives into the creation of major in-game seasons and events. It is available for pre-order and will be released in Summer 2026, with each copy including a special chip to unlock in-game content.
Journey's creator feels that by proving "videogames can make people cry," they influenced the industry embracing games about "serious, emotional subjects" like The Last of Us and God of WarJenova Chen, president of thatgamecompany, believes their games like Journey influenced the industry to embrace titles with serious, emotional subjects, citing examples like The Last of Us and God of War. Chen feels this shift, driven by player demand, has been a positive growth for the industry, and thatgamecompany continues to explore emotional experiences and social dynamics with their current game, Sky: Children of the Light.
World of Warcraft was a "savior" for the creator of Journey, and "beautiful moments" between Horde and Alliance players inspired his own gamesJenova Chen, founder of thatgamecompany, revealed that moments of cooperation in World of Warcraft inspired the multiplayer design of his games, Journey and Sky: Children of the Light. He found solace in the MMO during a lonely period in the US, experiencing wordless interactions with other players that led him to create games fostering judgment-free connections.
Crying over Final Fantasy 10 was one of the moments that inspired the creator of a PS3 classic to make games: "It's so beautiful and it's so melancholy"Jenova Chen, the designer behind games like Flower and Journey, has revealed that his decision to pursue game development was partly inspired by the emotional impact of Final Fantasy 10. He described a moment where he was moved to tears by the game's story and characters, likening the experience to how impactful art can change one's perspective on life.- Thatgamecompany celebrates 20 years with Sky Children of the Light goodies and teases for a multiplayer futureThatgamecompany is celebrating its 20th anniversary, reflecting on its mission to create impactful and artistic video games. The studio is releasing themed in-game accessories for Sky Children of the Light, inspired by its earlier titles flOw and Flower. The company also teased ongoing development for new projects while continuing to support Sky Children of the Light with new content and community initiatives.
thatgamecompany Marks 20 Years of Emotional Storytelling Through Playthatgamecompany is celebrating its 20th anniversary, marking two decades of creating emotionally resonant interactive experiences. Founded in 2006, the studio is known for its artistic and accessible games like flOw, Flower, Journey, and Sky: Children of the Light, with the latter surpassing 300 million downloads. CEO Jenova Chen expressed pride in the studio's legacy and its ongoing mission to showcase video games as an art form for connection and healing.- Morning MultiplexThis article highlights several new trailers, including gameplay for CALX and a story trailer for Remothered: Red Nun's Legacy. It also celebrates thatgamecompany's 20th anniversary and features a trailer for the roguelite survivors-like game Cloudbreaker.
6 Story Games for Players Who Don't Want to Talk | TAGThis article highlights six story-driven games that do not require dialogue choices or role-playing, catering to players seeking a narrative experience without conversational effort. Titles like Journey, Cocoon, Inside, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, Return of the Obra Dinn, and Outer Wilds are discussed for their unique methods of storytelling through environment, music, and observation, with many also being compatible with handheld devices like the Steam Deck.- Sky Children of the Light is testing new MMO tech to ‘fully embrace its massively multiplayer nature’Sky: Children of the Light is testing new MMO technology called Presence, which aims to allow more players to see and interact with each other simultaneously. Currently in open beta in Aviary Village for select players, this feature is intended to fully embrace the game's massively multiplayer nature. The game also features the ongoing Season of Carnival event, which includes player-created challenges and minigames.