Flower
News, coverage and analysis tracking Flower across the outlets.
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.
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.
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.
There's one game Don't Nod narrative designer Nina Freeman won't ever uninstall from her PC, because it's banned on Steam: 'It's tragic, because everyone should play this game'Narrative designer Nina Freeman discusses her PC gaming habits, highlighting Devotion as a game she will never uninstall due to its quality and controversial Steam ban. She also shares her most played game, Dota 2, and her appreciation for complex branching narratives in titles like Scarlet Hollow.
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.
Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (11th April)Several Nintendo Life editors share their weekend gaming plans, including titles like Pokémon Champions, Batman: Arkham Knight, and the Double Dragon & Kunio-kun bundle. The passing of series creator Yoshihisa Kishimoto is also noted, prompting replays of his classic games.