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Little Big Adventure reboot cancelled

RoadHazard

RoadHazard

Gold Member
I suppose most here will be like "who.gif" at this, but the original two LBA games from the '90s are dear to my heart. Very quirky adventures, nothing really like it.

There had been talk about an LBA3 for many years, off and on, until a few years ago a new studio was formed by one of the original creators and some other people to finally make it happen. They decided to reboot the entire series instead of making a sequel to a couple of games nobody remembers.

Anyway, now that reboot is dead, they (unsurprisingly) weren't able to find a publisher willing to bet on it:

Dear Friends and Supporters,

Today, I'm tasked with sharing a disappointing update. Despite our earnest efforts, we were unsuccessful in securing a publisher for the reboot of Twinsen's Little Big Adventure.
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More:

worthplaying.com

'Twinsen's Little Big Adventure' Reboot Fails To Find Publisher, Development On Hold/Canceled, Layoffs Ensue

Originally released in 1994, Little Big Adventure is an action-adventure RPG that became an instant classic on PC, with a sequel that followed in 1997.
worthplaying.com worthplaying.com

Kind of sad, but it might be for the best. Not sure this team was really up to the task, they seem inexperienced at best.

They're still supposedly doing the remaster/remake of the first game, and yeeeah, what they've shown of that doesn't look great...

 
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Sentenza

Sentenza

Member
I was happy to learn a remake was planned barely months ago.

That didn't last.

P.S. then again that teaser trailer makes it look like some very low effort attempt. So maybe this wasn't destined to go anywhere to begin with.
 
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RoadHazard

RoadHazard

Gold Member
Sentenza said:
I was happy to learn a remake was planned barely months ago.

That didn't last.
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The remake of the original (although they're calling it a remaster) is still happening supposedly. Although I'm not sure it should, it seems to lack much of the charm of the original. See the video in my post.

The reboot was to be a much bigger project, and that's now dead.
 
Hero of Spielberg

Hero of Spielberg

Member
RoadHazard said:
Yeah, this is exactly the outcome I've been expecting since they first announced it. Kudos to them for giving it a shot, but I never saw it as very realistic.
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Had a go of the remake preview as well. Looked seriously rough. I love the series but I don't think I can bring myself to play through it like that. Would destroy my memories!
 
ZoukGalaxy

ZoukGalaxy

Member
Sentenza said:
P.S. then again that teaser trailer makes it look like some very low effort attempt. So maybe this wasn't destined to go anywhere to begin with.
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Teaser trailer is for the upcoming, not canceled yet, LBA 1 & 2 remaster.

RoadHazard RoadHazard you should put in your OP the official announcement SF Kosmo SF Kosmo shared in this thread

Today, I'm tasked with sharing a disappointing update. Despite our earnest efforts, we were unsuccessful in securing a publisher for the reboot of Twinsen's Little Big Adventure.

Why did this happen? Allow me to distill the key reasons:


  • Genre Constraints: The market for standalone action-adventure games presents substantial challenges. With fierce competition and a lack of community-oriented features, publishers tend to shy away from this genre.
  • IP Recognition: Despite a passionate, albeit small, community of fans, Twinsen's Little Big Adventure isn't globally recognized, which added to the hesitations of potential publishers.
  • Cost and Scale: While indie game studios can often deliver remarkable games with lean teams (as we've seen with Death’s Door and Tunic), our vision for this project involved a team of 15 to 20 people, echoing the original game's size. This considerable investment, juxtaposed with the risk inherent to the genre and IP, was a factor in the decision.
What's the path forward? With a heavy heart, we've halted our work on the reboot and, for the moment, regard the project as canceled. This allows us to channel our focus and energy into the remastered version of Twinsen's Little Big Adventure (TLBA Remastered). We will explore whether we can reincorporate the reboot's ideas into the remaster, but that's a conversation for another time.

What does this mean for our team? Regrettably, we are reducing our team size. Letting dedicated members go is a tough and painful part of this process, but it's a decision driven by our current circumstances.

So, what's the next step? We're exploring two main avenues for TLBA Remastered: finding a suitable publisher or self-publishing. The rationale for seeking a publisher for the remaster aligns with that of the reboot, but the substantially lower cost offers a compelling difference. We will know more in the coming weeks. For the self-publishing route, we will need additional funds (Patreon?) and are considering collaboration with another studio.

You may wonder if these challenges have dampened our spirits or diminished our motivation. I assure you, it's quite the opposite! Our confidence is buoyed by the phenomenal feedback from our recent playtest. With 4000 participants and 2000 detailed feedback forms, we're immensely grateful. A remarkable 33% of you rated the experience a 9 or 10/10, and 80% scored us a 7 or higher. We're excited to improve and grow from this constructive feedback.

The future of Twinsen hangs in the balance over the next few weeks. Rest assured, we are wholly committed to turning the tide.

Thank you for your understanding and unwavering support.

Best regards,

Ben
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SF Kosmo

SF Kosmo

Al Jazeera Special Reporter
RoadHazard said:
They're still supposedly doing the remaster/remake of the first game, and yeeeah, what they've shown of that doesn't look great...

Click to expand...

You know the art style isn't great (but never was) but I do like what they have done with the controls. Having access to the full range of abilities without having to juggle the different modes makes the game so much more fluid to play. I am looking forward to the remake.
 
Hudo

Hudo

Member
Uncancelled


Dear Community,


We have been silent since the pre-alpha playtest this summer, but for a very good reason: negotiations with publishers! This crucial step requires meticulously presenting our project, having several exchanges, and agreeing on details. Once an agreement is reached, drafting the contract adds to our already intense work on the game.


Today, after months of hard work behind the scenes, we are thrilled to share a great piece of news: we have a publisher! Twinsen is (really) back!


Our first collaboration will be the remake of Twinsen’s Little Big Adventure Classic. (And yes, you read that right: a remake! We will reveal more details in an upcoming article.)


But then who is this mysterious publisher? For now, we are keeping the information under wraps. Why this discretion? To answer that, it’s important to clarify the role of the publisher for our specific project. Apart from financing the team, our publisher aims to reach new players unfamiliar with Twinsen. To do this, certain industry codes must be respected. For instance, when a publisher makes an announcement, it’s through a cinematic trailer or by showing a part of the game in its final quality. As we have nothing yet to present in final quality, a full announcement seems premature.


Furthermore, since the start of this adventure in September 2021, we’ve made numerous announcements without always having concrete things behind them. This intentional choice (and mostly successful) is no longer desirable today.


We will therefore resume sharing the behind-the-scenes of this adventure with you, the fans, while letting our publisher handle presenting the game to the broadest audience at the ideal time.


We thank you immensely for your patience and unwavering support during these first two years. It has sometimes been difficult, but now we can look forward and move together towards the grand return of Twinsen!
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Hudo

Hudo

Member
RoadHazard said:
Huh, how about that. I'm not sure though, the screenshots they've shown of the LBA1 remaster (or whatever it is) didn't look great. But now they're instead talking about a remake? Which is different from what they were doing...? Oh well, we'll see. My expectations will remain tempered.
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Yeah. It's all a bit weird. But I am just glad that this seems to go forward in some form.
 
SF Kosmo

SF Kosmo

Al Jazeera Special Reporter
AJUMP23 said:
No idea what this game is. But I hope you get what you want.
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It's kind of like Beyond Good and Evil, but way earlier, from the transitional period in 3D games that didn't age so well.

It's a fantastic game at its core that was incredibly ambitious and tried to do a lot, a sprawling Zelda-like action RPG that combined stealth, combat, and puzzle solving.

But it's also a game with awful tank controls and a clunky interface, not to mention poor early-3D art direction, so it's kind of exactly the sort of game you would want to remake.
 
MrPaul

MrPaul

Neo Member
Ahh enjoyed the original, especially the soundtrack. One of the first games I played with CD audio for music IIRC.
 
Hudo

Hudo

Member
SF Kosmo said:
This does not make it sound as if LBA3 is uncancelled, it clearly says they are working on LBA Remake (which was never cancelled), but maybe with some enhanced scope?

Still, I'm sure if it the remake does well there's always a chance.
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I thought that this thread was about the remasters/remakes of LBA 1 and 2, which is why I posted it here.
 
N

Neilg

Member
I tried to replay these recently and I just can't get on board with the tank controls. If someone could mod in better controls, it would make the games 10x easier but a really enjoyable breeze through to experience the story again.
 
SF Kosmo

SF Kosmo

Al Jazeera Special Reporter
Neilg said:
I tried to replay these recently and I just can't get on board with the tank controls. If someone could mod in better controls, it would make the games 10x easier but a really enjoyable breeze through to experience the story again.
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This thread is literally about a remake that does that.
 
RoadHazard

RoadHazard

Gold Member
Hudo said:
I thought that this thread was about the remasters/remakes of LBA 1 and 2, which is why I posted it here.
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It was primarily about the reboot which they cancelled (which might also be back on?), but also the remasters. Those were never cancelled AFAIK, but now I guess they are remakes instead. Or the first one at least.
 
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Danjin44

Danjin44

The nicest person on this forum
No offence but F**ck that and instead bring Puppeteer to PS5 please.

Edit: My mistake, I thought they were talking about Little Big Planet series.
 
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SF Kosmo

SF Kosmo

Al Jazeera Special Reporter
Update on the remake/remaster thing

​

Reboot, remaster or remake ? The answer​

​
Dear community,
As promised, it’s high time to explain our project in detail. Since the creation of our studio in 2021, our vision has always been to bring the Little Big Adventure series back to life.
The Abandoned Reboot
Our initial ambition was to reinvent the story of Twinsen through a reboot: discovering his origins, his powers, and his entry into this extraordinary universe. With the invaluable support of Didier and Fred, we redefined this universe, without constraints and for 18 months, integrating:
  • A new gameplay
  • A new camera
  • A new story
  • A unique biome and story per island
  • A new artistic direction
The Evolution Towards The Remaster
Faced with the difficulties of convincing a publisher for the reboot, we announced the project of remastering the original games. This project – less risky – was intended to reassure publishers about the potential of the license. By remaster, we mean the original game with mainly graphical improvements. For a while, the reboot and the remaster coexisted.
Unfortunately, the reboot project did not convince. We found ourselves with a remaster project that didn’t really excite us. After working on a reboot free of many constraints, the return to reality was difficult. We then decided to modify this project to arrive at what will be released: the remake.
The Alchemy of the Remake
Thus, the remake project was born, merging the best of our initial ideas and classic elements of the series. This remake of Twinsen’s Little Big Adventure will integrate:
  • A smoother gameplay
  • A modernized main storyline
  • The geographical continuity of outdoor scenes
  • A reinvented artistic direction
  • The improvements from TLBA2 Classic
  • A harmonization between TLBA1 and TLBA2
Other changes and novelties are planned, but we will talk about them later.
We hope this article answers your questions and clarifies our intentions.
Your Involvement
What are your expectations for this remake? What elements would you like to see integrated or improved? Your passion and suggestions guide us in this adventure.
As a result, the game’s name is now Twinsen’s Little Big Adventure.
​
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So it seems like the scope and ambition has been upped a bit compared to the previous remaster, although graphically they look quite similar to my eye.
 
RoadHazard

RoadHazard

Gold Member
SF Kosmo said:
Update on the remake/remaster thing



So it seems like the scope and ambition has been upped a bit compared to the previous remaster, although graphically they look quite similar to my eye.
Click to expand...

I don't think there are any screenshots of the new version yet? Seems like they're just starting work on it.
 
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