PS3 News: Flower Dev's New Project: "Something We've Never Seen Before" - PS3 News

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Flower Dev's New Project: "Something We've Never Seen Before"

We loved Flower. It was a unique, beautiful, calming experience, and it was the appropriate follow-up to flOw. Well, thatgamecompany is now working on the next innovative title that will capture both our hearts and our imaginations (sorry, but artistic games make me all melodramatic).

According to Eurogamer, thatgamecompany co-founder Jenova Chen dropped hints about their third project, which is "a totally different game," although it still "feels like a natural progression for the company." Chen was speaking at the Brighton Develop Conference and our favorite quote was when he said that this new game is "definitely something you've never experienced before." ...you know, if it was another studio, we'd have to be suspicious. But considering that both titles they've produced thus far have been "something we never experienced before," we're inclined to believe him. He also said something he told me in a reply e-mail when I sent him our review of Flower; that gamers have "grown up" and therefore, games should "appeal to a wider variety of emotions." He brought up a good point at the Develop Conference, saying that "critics use words like 'magical,' 'passionate,' and 'captivating' to describe films," but you don't normally hear such adjectives applied to video games. Well, how might we describe Flower? ...close, right? Chen simply says that "variety is a sign of a mature medium." As for Sony supporting thatgamecompany at every turn, he added:

"I really really appreciate what Sony has done for us. They still keep funding our project, and that's really, really nice. It's a really pleasant experience. They have this appreciation of games that are more interesting to adults. They prefer adult entertainment and the games we make are a good match for them."

These days, there are very few development studios that entice me to buy every one of their games. But when it comes to thatgamecompany, I can guarantee you I'll pick up whatever this third project will be, and I get the distinct feeling that I'm gonna love it. And even if I don't, I'll still likely agree that it's something I've "never seen before." Gotta applaud that.

7/15/2009 Ben Dutka

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Comments (29 posts)

Qwarktast1c
Wednesday, July 15, 2009 @ 10:02:47 PM
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if the gameplay is on par with flower, which i expect it will be (or perhaps better), then this will be a definite buy

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kevinater321
Wednesday, July 15, 2009 @ 10:13:10 PM
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I really enjoyed roaming around medows in Flower and I am sure I will love anything thatgamestudio throws my way

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Scarecrow
Wednesday, July 15, 2009 @ 10:21:26 PM
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Dedication!

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Kowhoho
Wednesday, July 15, 2009 @ 11:00:41 PM
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I might buy it just because it's thatgamecompany!

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Highlander
Wednesday, July 15, 2009 @ 11:50:14 PM
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Sounds very interesting. Thanks for this article Ben, I'll be looking out for their new game.

I gotta say, that Jenova Chen has given the quote of the Week, perhaps the Quote of the Month, and a candidate for the quote of the Year. Although David Cage at Quantic Dreams is in the running as well. Anyway, this quote is the gem...

"They (Sony) have this appreciation of games that are more interesting to adults. They prefer adult entertainment and the games we make are a good match for them."

I don't know about you, but I purred mentally when reading this. I am very happy to hear comments like this, beacuse it confirms that whatever commercial aims Sony has, they have a chosen philosophy, and are sticking to it.

Chen's comment, and this article lead to a chain of thought....They (Sony) want games to grow up, they want games to be mature entertainment and toys. They see games more or less in the same light as Movies, although perhaps at an earlier stage of development, like Hollywood in the 30s and 40's when they were transitioning away from the early days where sound was new, and color was just making it into films. Hollywood was moving away from the slapstick comedy, and musical towards action, drama, film Noir, thrillers, science fiction, war movies, Westerns, documentaries and though provoking movies that evoke deep emotion and though in the audience. I feel like games are making a similar transition, and Sony is one of the major players who are working to make it happen.
</stream of consciousness>

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Qubex
Thursday, July 16, 2009 @ 1:14:34 AM

Interesting take on that TheHighlander; tend to agree with what you stated herein!

Q!

"i am home"

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Alienange
Thursday, July 16, 2009 @ 5:08:43 PM

You tend to write long comments but I'll be damned if that's not one of the smartest comments I've ever read. That is EXACTLY where this industry is going. So many making "casual games" out to be the savior of video games. Yes you can use motion video, color and sound to make workout videos, but sooner or later people turn their attention to what the medium can really do.

Oh, and lmao at "purred mentally"

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Highlander
Thursday, July 16, 2009 @ 10:53:56 PM

@Alienage,
They don't talk much at work, so I'm afraid many of my words leak out here...

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WorldEndsWithMe
Thursday, July 16, 2009 @ 1:30:39 AM
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Sephiroth's mother is correct.

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Banky A
Thursday, July 16, 2009 @ 1:36:18 AM

+1

It seems that Sephiroth's mother actually wants to bring good to mankind with original games.

Selfish son he is.

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Banky A
Thursday, July 16, 2009 @ 1:35:06 AM
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It's that game company!

Man you have got to look forward to any game made by somebody called Jenova.
Or bad things will happen ^_^

That's one deadly name man lol. You'll also be a tad paranoid if you've played a certain game called FFVII.

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chucknasty
Thursday, July 16, 2009 @ 2:17:10 AM
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I wonder if it will be called Flowest?

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TEG3SH
Thursday, July 16, 2009 @ 2:39:59 AM
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flow was awesome
flower was awesomer
flowest will be awesomest .

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Ricochet
Thursday, July 16, 2009 @ 5:08:40 AM
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Flower is a very innovative type of game. The only that uses the six-axis as it's main control device. The concept of anti-pollution message as well as the free-flowing style with it's gentle music makes it a very pleasurable game.

I know their new project will be revolutionary if not innovative like it's previous titles. Glad to be a PS3 owner at this time.

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tridon
Thursday, July 16, 2009 @ 8:48:06 AM
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Sony needs to pull their heads out of their asses with other things besides just not lowering the price of their system. For example, buy some developers!!! flOw was a great game and Flower is probably the best experience I've had on the PSN thusfar. Microsoft is going to notice this and start throwing their money around sooner or later and there's been no announcement yet to whether or not thatgamecompany's third game will be PlayStation exclusive. Sony needs to step up with some dough and buy thatgamecompany. Hey, and while they're at it, buy Insomniac, Guerilla, Sucker Punch and Team ICO!!! Microsoft has bought developers and they're showing that they mean business. If Sony wants any chance of competing, they need to follow suit. I mean, really. Developer loyalty is great and all but all it takes is one big massive chunk of cash to be thrown in front of them for loyalty to go down the toilet. Okay, end of rant. =)

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RadioHeader
Thursday, July 16, 2009 @ 9:22:12 AM

M$ can throw as much cash around as they want. Developers are becoming increasingly aware that their ideas can be better realised on Ps3, Sony can let their superior hardware do the talking.

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tridon
Thursday, July 16, 2009 @ 9:32:38 AM

I hate M$ through and through, trust me. The fact of the matter is, though, they're loaded and what they want, they usually get. And yes, the Xbox has a larger user base but that's only because it's been around longer. Sony is obviously the better system to work but lets face it, the developer will most likely go to where to money is. It's sad but it's true.

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Orvisman
Thursday, July 16, 2009 @ 9:35:16 AM

Chen signed a three-game exlusive deal with Sony, so the third game is exlusive.

However, Ben didn't include the quote where Chen says he is intrigued by Natal, with no mention of Sony's motion control.

So, that raised my eyebrow a bit.

I agree Sony needs to buy some more of its second-party devs, specifically the biggest and best remaining developer not owned by Sony: Sucker Punch.

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tridon
Thursday, July 16, 2009 @ 9:59:17 AM

See... interested in Natal? That bothers me. Is Insomniac already owned by Sony? I thought that they weren't. I'm pretty Naughty Dog is already owned by Sony, though. As far as I know, they're the only big developer that Sony has under their belt.

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Orvisman
Thursday, July 16, 2009 @ 10:12:20 AM

You're right, I meant to include Insomniac, too. Insomniac might as well be owned by Sony because it has released every game since Disruptor (PS1) for a Sony console... that's a long time.

Sony owns Zipper, Guerilla, Naughty Dog, Slant Six, and a bunch of other developers who now fall under the Sony label.

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Alienange
Thursday, July 16, 2009 @ 5:17:37 PM

tridon you are off your rocker with that comment about Sony wanting a chance to compete. I insist you take that back. Sony is not competing they are leading.

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Bugzbunny109
Thursday, July 16, 2009 @ 7:37:11 PM

Sony doesn't need to buy those companies because they are aware that those companies are loyal. Buying all those first party-developers would be a waste of money. The ps3 is getting better and better; not worse and worser. That is even more a good excuse for those companies/devs to stick with Sony.

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Douchebaguette
Thursday, July 16, 2009 @ 9:33:36 PM

The person that utimately wins the battle is the one that never realised there was a battle to begin with.

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TEG3SH
Friday, July 17, 2009 @ 3:17:20 AM

actually they are but not in the same way as m$
do u remember that sony said 'that they will cover the cost of any game that is exclusivly to the psn' so yeah

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Skatejimmy5
Thursday, July 16, 2009 @ 9:26:52 AM
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I bought Flower yesterday, and I am in love! :)

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Lotusflow3r
Thursday, July 16, 2009 @ 10:07:13 AM
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Jenova Chen is one of my new heroes in gaming.

Just look at what he said...

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tridon
Thursday, July 16, 2009 @ 2:59:38 PM

Is he "really, really" one of your new heroes? =)

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Alienange
Thursday, July 16, 2009 @ 5:19:59 PM
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I bought flow. I bought flower. I will pass on their next project. It's not the kind of games I like.

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Bugzbunny109
Thursday, July 16, 2009 @ 7:30:00 PM
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I agree with Chen 100%. Without variety, everything becomes humdrum. That applies to gaming too. I can't wait to see what they come up with next.

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