Skip to main content

A 'game about giving' will be thatgamecompany's next potential hit

That game company, you know the one, thatgamecompany, has announced that it’s working on a brand new game. Details remain sparce at this time, but we do have a few marketing images and a statement that it’s “about giving.” What that means is anyone’s guess, but considering this developer’s past work, it will no doubt be unique.

For the uninitiated, “thatgamecompany” created meditative gaming experiences like Flow, Flower and Journey, so the fact that its new game doesn’t sound like anything another developer would make is hardly surprising.

Recommended Videos

Beside that it’s “about giving,” we’re told that the upcoming game “is a very ambitious project to positively touch more players than ever before.” We’re told it uses new technology and builds on everything the developer learned on previous titles. It’s being funded internally, so it will be self-published and therefore not subject to the whims of external publishers.

Related: PlayStation Plus members get ‘Journey,’ ‘Badland,’ more for free in September

The images released alongside these statements don’t tell us much more. There’s a stylized image of a pair of candles — one lighting the other — as well as some children wearing Journey-like shawls. A third image is in full color and looks like it would be at home in previous thatgamecompany release Flower. It features a grassy hilltop, with a portal of some kind and an eye-catching lens flare, seemingly linked with another such flare in a cloud.

That is of course is not a lot to go on, but then thatgamecompany releases aren’t necessarily designed to have overt themes. They’re designed in a broad-strokes, contemplative fashion.

If that’s the kind of game you want to play, you’ll have to wait until sometime in 2017 to get your hands on it, but if you’re interested in helping making games like that, thatgamecompany is hiring right now. Specifically it’s looking for a networking engineer, senior technical gameplay engineer, and a more ambiguously described “feel engineer.”

Jon Martindale
Jon Martindale is a freelance evergreen writer and occasional section coordinator, covering how to guides, best-of lists, and…
Where to find the cartographer in Emerald Stair in Avowed
Environmental shot of Galawains Tusks Slumbering Fields in Avowed.

You will probably have a good grip on all the tips and tricks needed to beat Avowed by the time you reach the second zone, Emerald Stair. However, no matter how many abilities you have or how good your gear is, finding a missing person with just a vague hint never gets any easier. We already helped Sanza find a missing cartographer in Dawntrail, but he has lost another in Emerald Stair and needs us to track them down. Like last time, the Avowed won't tell you where to go so we explored the entire region to show you exactly where to track them down.
Where to find the cartographer in Emerald Stair

The first cartographer quest at least gave you the general direction to find them, but this time we are only given the name of the area within Emerald Stair. The area in question is called Naku Tedek and is the isolated island on the south end of the map.

Read more
3 PlayStation Plus games to play this weekend (March 14-16)
The PC version of Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut.

The beginning of March was light in upcoming PS5 games, but the long-delayed Assassin's Creed Shadows is right around the corner. But we still have an entire weekend to fill before it comes out, which is where your PlayStation Plus subscription pays off. The Essential games for March were incredibly strong, but the back catalogue of Extra and Premium games has the perfect selection to get you excited for all the biggest upcoming video games, like Death Stranding 2. Or, it could be the perfect way to find a fun, bite-sized game to hold you over until next week's releases hit and dominate your time. As always, I have hand-selected only the best games in PlayStation Plus for you to play this weekend.
Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut
Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut - Announcement Trailer | PS5, PS4

Even before Shadows was announced, Ghost of Tsushima was touted as being the Japanese AC game that Ubisoft should have made years ago. While that is a reductive way to frame it, there's no denying there are similarities, and the two will be directly compared. Whether you plan on playing Shadows or not, Ghost is a magnificent game that still boasts some of the best graphics on PS5. Exploring the vibrant island of Tsushima as you follow the wind and animals rather than waypoints gives you a deep appreciation for the world you're fighting for. If you missed out on the Director's Cut content, jumping back in for the Iki Island DLC is perhaps the best part of the experience.

Read more
3 Xbox Game Pass games to play this weekend (March 14-16)
Assassin's Creed Odyssey review

Game Pass serves many functions as a service. Some use it to play the best Xbox Series X games on release, others lean on it between games, and everything in between. One of our favorite ways to take advantage of the massive Game Pass catalog is in preparation for upcoming Xbox Series X games. Whether it be playing previous games in a series to get caught up, or games in a similar genre to get in the mood, Game Pass has what you're looking for. We have our eye on Assassin's Creed Shadows next week just like you, but what about this weekend? Here are the best Xbox Game Pass games to boot up over the break.
Assassin's Creed Odyssey
Assassin's Creed Odyssey: Launch Trailer | Ubisoft [NA]

All the best Assassin's Creed games are on Game Pass, but we feel Odyssey is the best of them since transitioning into RPGs. Historically, this is the earliest game in the timeline, though that doesn't matter much since there are only loose threads connecting the games at this point. What does matter is how vast and enjoyable a world this is to explore. It isn't quite as bloated as Valhalla and will get you back into the groove of parkouring, stealthing, and fighting all over again. The story here is also one of the best in the series if you have the time to go all the way with it. But even just dabbling in it so you don't get burned out before Shadows is a great way to prepare yourself.

Read more