This whole Wildflower Interactive revealing its first game at the Game Awards has been in my feed for a while, as far as I understand. I woke up at night, scrolling on my phone, when suddenly Bruce Straley popped up in everybody’s conversation. If you know anything about PlayStation games, you already understand how much this guy means. His immense contributions included making The Last of Us and working behind Uncharted 2 and Uncharted 4. So when people knew that his new studio, Wildflower Interactive, was bringing its first game tomorrow, the hype boiled over, and everyone went crazy.
I started getting hyped up. I mean, I grew up playing Uncharted, and I can still recall finishing The Last of Us for the first time and being really shocked. So, for him to come back with something new felt special. Wildflower posted a small teaser, but it didn’t show much. But that little art style they showed already got everybody talking. It looked bright and soft, and some people are saying it reminds them of Firewatch because the colors feel calming.
He usually makes really fast-paced games, with action and tension everywhere during gameplay. It makes me think he is trying something new by creating a quieter, perhaps emotional story. Or maybe a mixture of adventure and exploration. Honestly, no one knows yet, which makes the reveal all the more exciting.
This guy has been around the business for so long. He had also worked at Crystal Dynamics before joining Naughty Dog on Gex. Then, he came on board to help define the whole vibe of PlayStation games-the action at that point was a default. Because of the foregoing, it is hardly possible to guess what Wildflower is making. Action-packed, or more personal, the guy can make.
Everyone online is speculating what that teaser might be about, and, given the soft art style, viewers think the game might be a little slower or more emotional. But at the same time, Straley always adds some real-world tension in his stories, so maybe there would be some blend of both things into this new game. The Game Awards is a massive event where world events take place. Millions of people will be watching. So, picking this event for the reveal was cleverly done. It kept everyone’s attention throughout the game, even before anyone knew what it was.
I have read that Wildflower Interactive was established as a small team to work on fun, less intensive, more personal creative projects that do not have to match the enormous sales numbers of Uncharted or The Last of Us. I’m really curious about how that change affects the new game. Often, a smaller project feels more honest and more connected.
At the moment, everyone is guessing everything. Some think that the game is likely to be a mystery story exploring human life. Others say it is an adventure game with some action moments. But nearly everybody will probably agree that it’s focused more on feelings and atmosphere than on being a massive blockbuster.
Revealing this further out inevitably means more people will comment on it. And this doesn’t change the fact that several other games are expected at the Game Awards, but this one will have a different focus on who is behind it, since it is still so secret. It is always much discussed when someone with historical significance comes up with a new idea.
I am really looking forward to seeing what Wildflower puts up. Hopefully, it will be the next game people are still talking about months from now. Perhaps it will be a different side of Straley that we haven’t seen before, or maybe not even what anyone expects.
Whatever the story is becoming, tomorrow is going to be interesting: the stage is all set, and everyone is looking at it. I am just curious to know what story Bruce Straley will narrate this time and how this new chapter will unfold for Wildflower Interactive. You may also be interested in: Lords of the Fallen 2 World Building Update and New Enemy System
