Weird West - Interview @ WellPlayed

WellPlayed interviewed WolfEye Studios.

The Accidental Immersiveness Of Shovels In Weird West

We chat with WolfEye Studios about their upcoming western

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WellPlayed: Having worked in large studios before, how has the team handled the transition to a smaller one?

Raphaël Colantonio: Both Julien and I were there at the very beginning of Arkane, back in 99 so it felt pretty familiar, to be honest. Start with the core team, it’s the most fun part of the project – quiet, efficient, we can pick and choose the best elements… it feels amazing.

WP: Do you feel there are inherent creative freedoms in smaller team structures? 

RC: Yes, simply because what’s at stake is not comparable with a big AAA team. The budget to recoup in a AAA studio encourages you to do what’s familiar and safe.

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WP: Devolver Digital has amassed something of a cult following in the industry over the past few years, how has it been working with the irreverent publisher?

RC: It’s been perfect. Devolver is amazing to work with; competent, great communicators, fun, fast to make decisions, flexible… a dev’s dream.

WP: Can you talk a little about the inspirations for the game? Other media, personal aspirations to create something in the Western genre and so on. 

RC: We see it as our take on a fantasy version of the wild west, which seemed like a cool creative opportunity. A bit of horror, a subtle bit of supernatural stuff. I personally was a big fan of the HBO show “Carnival” that had an amazing balance between reality and the supernatural. References are always a touchy topic because what I see in there might not be what you see, it’s all filtered through perception.

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