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In 2016, developer Playdead released what, in my opinion, is one of the best narrative games ever created. Without any dialogue, puzzle-platformer INSIDE told the dark, riveting story of an unnamed boy’s journey through a nightmarish dystopia. The incredible game expanded on the foundations laid by indie darling, Limbo, released in 2010. Eight years ago, Playdead revealed it was working on its next game. But since then? Almost nothing. So what exactly has happened to Playdead’s eagerly-anticipated follow-up title?
Stuck in Limbo
Playdead is clearly a developer that likes to take its time. And, when you consider the astonishing, highly polished quality of its releases, it’s hard to take exception to the approach. But it’s nevertheless surprising that we’ve heard so little about the next game following INSIDE‘s acclaimed release.
Way back in January 2017, Playdead revealed that, hot on the heels of INSIDE‘s launch, it was working on its “next adventure.” The accompanying image depicted a helmeted figure traversing a barren, snowy landscape.
On Playdead’s website, you can find a few more details on the next game. Specifically, it will be “a 3rd-person science fiction adventure set in a remote corner of the universe.” Apparently the game is being created in Unreal Engine 5 and will be published by Epic Games. Notably, unlike Limbo and INSIDE, the game will be open-world, suggesting that it’ll be a fully 3D rather than 2.5D experience. Other than that, though, we know very little.
As I’ve discussed extensively in the past, it’s a worrying time for the video games industry. Mass layoffs, project cancelations and funding withdrawals are, sadly, typical at the moment. For a developer to be almost silent about a project for eight years, therefore, is definitely cause for concern.
It’s also worth noting that one of Playdead’s co-founders, Dino Patti, left the studio immediately after INSIDE‘s release. It’s pure speculation, of course, but it’s not unreasonable to wonder if that major change in leadership affected the studio’s dynamic and development momentum.
At the very least, the radio silence suggests that the studio may have had some difficulty adjusting to the change in perspective and sheer scale of the world. Going from a constrained, highly-polished 2.5D linear platformer to an open-world, 3D adventure must be challenging. And to keep the keen sense of atmosphere and subtle worldbuilding that made INSIDE so iconic, even more difficult.
Playing Dead?
To be clear, though, it’s not all doom and gloom. There are still reasons for optimism regarding Playdead’s next game. For one, the studio itself openly acknowledges its insular nature. On its website, it states that it “rarely participates in interviews” because it wants to “stay focused on development.” In short, it’s not like Playdead is one of those developers that regularly shouts about upcoming titles, only to unexpectedly fall silent.
The other indication that Playdead’s next game may still be in development, if taking longer than hoped, is the fact that, at the time of writing, it has 12 open positions. This may suggest that the studio is struggling to attract the talent it needs to fulfill its vision, particularly as relocation to Copenhagen is required. But, at least, it implies that the game is still in active development.
As for when we may finally get more details on Playdead’s next game, sadly your guess is as good as mine. Playdead’s last post on X was back in 2020, so we can’t get our hopes up too much. We’ll reach out to Playdead and see if we can talk to them about its upcoming adventure. Frankly, we’re desperate to know more. If it’s anywhere near as immersive and thought-provoking as INSIDE, then it deserves to be on everyone’s radar.
In the meantime, I think I’ll just go back and play INSIDE again.
