Today marks quite a special anniversary for myself, it’s a year to the day that Wired Productions published my game The Falconeer to Xbox and PC, on November 10th 2020.
Now that date might ring familiar for many gamers, as it also was the launch of the Xbox Series X/S and a whole new generation of consoles, and The Falconeer had the honour of being one of the launch titles for the new generation. This was massive for me. My little indie game bringing in the dawn of a new gaming era.
When I look back now there are lots of memories, many good and some not as good, that will forever be associated with that period in time for me. It was certainly a challenging time with the stress of release but mostly due to the onset of the winter lockdown of 2020 and Covid19, not to mention me recovering from Covid myself just a few weeks ahead of launch. And this all coming after a year bereft of shows and any real life interactions with gamers! How I missed that. I think it's easy to underestimate what impact just watching a gamer play your game can have. Not just in learning and feedback but also in the confidence and motivation it can inspire for the creator.
Hopefully in 2022 we will see events get back to their pre-pandemic days and we can meet up and perhaps share a beer!
But I think that unique set of circumstances actually allowed for something quite amazing, a game that took flight over the course of a year. In any other year I’d dare say the release of this game would have been easier, but it wasn’t any other year and 2020 and 2021 have pushed myself, Benedict Nichols (the game’s composer), the crew at Wired Productions and more, to fully realise a vision of the Falconeer. It has been incredibly tough, but worth every moment.
And if you are a fan of the Falconeer you have reaped the benefit with a game that has grown in content and expanded into its current form, which is now available on a staggering number of platforms:
• Xbox to Microsoft GamePass,
• Steam
• Epic Game store
• GOG
• PlayStation,
• Nintendo Switch
• Amazon Luna
• Google Stadia
Phew, we have been busy! The Falconeer is a flight you can now take on any serious gaming platform. We have more platforms than King’s cross Station!
Over the year it's become evident to me that The Falconeer has left its mark on a genre that has all but been extinct up until now, with an idiosyncratic and esoteric game that was lauded with numerous awards including a prestigious BAFTA nomination (as the team at Wired have wisely let you know about at every opportunity!). Personally, I’m incredibly proud of the very positive Steam reviews (currently at 82% recommended and still rising) and the very positive reception on Nintendo Switch with a Metacritic rating of 80/100, taking it to the top 25 of best released Switch games this quarter. It’s 60fps handheld mode is a testament to the dedication of both myself and Stefan Wijnker (responsible for porting the game) to responsive high fps gaming.
The game has also grown exponentially in content and diversity. I’ve worked furiously to keep the community satisfied; (I hope!), with a string of free content updates which included adding wreck diving and exploration missions, flyable drakes, guided rockets, pirate mechanics and pirate missions and eventually a fully-fledged DLC “Edge of the World” that added 3 mini campaigns, new weapons and mounts to the game. It may be one year old, but the Falconeer evolved way more than that.
I wonder if all of that would have happened the way it did if the world had been in a different place over the last 12 months?
I’m grateful for the collaborations and friendships I’ve been a part of, especially the talented Benedict Nichols who created a unique score for the game. And we all get to celebrate this anniversary as it coincides with the pre-orders of the Double Vinyl OST of the game going live, another brilliant milestone, and a truly epic addition to any record collection! Go buy it here 😉
But most of all, I am incredibly grateful to the players who’ve played the game and have let me know over the past year how much they did, and those that still participate to form the wonderful community of Falconeers. My heart is warmed by their energy, creativity and passion for the game. I read every comment and every day I am surprised by the sheer out pouring of love for it. This made all the blood, sweat and tears worthwhile.
As for the upcoming year, the story of the Falconeer is far from over. I’ve already spoken to the community about the building/RTS spinoff of the game that will be my next focus. And there’s also a big box with a VR kit in my studio waiting for me to see if the Falconeer can be VR!?. So, there’s plenty to look forward to this anniversary!
Thank you once again.
Viva le Falconeer!
Tomas Sala – Creator of The Falconeer
