Braid Developer's Follow Up Game Debuted at PAX '10 Like This
by Carlos Macias, posted on 07 September 2010 / 718 Views
In a move that would be considered strange by most developers and publishers, Jonathan Blow (creator of Braid) hosted his new game, The Witness, at PAX in an unassuming, lonely booth as an experiment to announce his next project.
"I wanted to do something that is subtle, and a surprise — if you notice it, and decide to investigate, you find something unexpected," Blow posted on The Witness' game site.
"Also, I wanted people to be able to play the game for as long as they want, not feeling pressured to stop playing because of a huge line of antsy people waiting behind them."
Considering the status quo at trade events to "go big, or go home" when demonstrating games, Blow's approach at this year's fan-friendly Penny Arcade Expo is definitely a unique way to give gamers access to preview code for highly anticipated titles.
"PAX is a huge show, with tons of stuff to see everywhere; if the game could hold peoples’ attention under those conditions, purely on its own merits rather than by hype or pedigree, then I would know that it was really working," Blow said.
As a test to see how gamers honestly felt about what they played without the glitz and glamour of a fancy booth, it seems like it worked just as Blow wanted. We'll see if that translates to sales once The Witness launches in late 2011.
