Sideway coming exclusively to PS3 in 2011, first concept art

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Greetings PlayStation.Blog! I’m the studio director of Playbrains, and I’m here today to announce the awesomesauce that is Sideway, a unique adventure platformer set in and around the oh-so-gritty streets of New York City. The characters and story have been birthed from a fantastic world created by the quasi-evil geniuses at Fuel Industries and W!ldbrain.

Sideway for PS3 Poster

To that point, we are inviting folks to come to New York Comic Con on October 8th (at 2:15 in Room 1A21) where we will officially announce the title as a Sony Online Entertainment exclusive to the PlayStation Network. Yes, that means that I am announcing the announcement here, which I guess makes this a “pre-announcement” to you PlayStation.Blog readers!

Sideway for PS3

We are in sooper-deep development at the moment (please send pizza and beer), which means that the belts are coming off and we’re settling into our coding chairs for winter in order to get things all sparkly for a 2011 launch. We’re not ready to spill the beans on some of the really cool features and unique gameplay elements in the game just yet, so until then, take a gander at some early concept pieces and composites from the game that should give you an idea of the world you will be tooling around in as an underground street artist in NYC. It will be an awesome game and we’re excited to be making it.

Sideway for PS3

Come on over and follow us at Twitter.com/Playbrains if you want up-to-the minute news on concept art, development updates, and to learn what Canadian celebrities we are standing behind in grocery store lines.

Sideway for PS3

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348 Comments

364 Author Replies

  • Cool art style! Look forward to seeing it in action.

    • Thanks, we do, too.

      The guys at Fuel and Wildbrain have been awesome to work with, and the concept stuff primarily comes from them.

  • Dear Lord, please, let it have ONLINE MULTIPLAYER. Thank you.

    • We haven’t ruled it out, yet (which is why we’re sneakily not announcing the final feature set), but i already know online MP is going to be a stretch. We’ll be play testing to see what works and what doesn’t, of course, but we definitely would like it to have some MP elements, even if it’s just couch co-op. Get them fingers crossed…

  • Pictures arent loading for some reason. Links are broken. lol oh well. I’ll check it out when you fix it though. :D

    • Now I am paranoid since I missed @40.

      As such, I am going to comment on this just so when I reload the page I can see “X Comments, X Replies” and know that I am covered and haven’t missed anybody.

      Even those who have fixed their picture problems.

  • Errr, k, nevermind, maybe it’s just me…

  • Looks cool. Maybe some similarities with jet set radio?

  • Looks promising! Will any of these images resemble in-game activity?

    • We’re trying to get it as close to what you see here as possible. We’re building on the Emergent Lightspeed engine, and it’s allowing us more freedom on the art than we might have expected. It is looking pretty sweet already.

  • Wow, can’t wait, if theres one thing I don’t mind is getting some bad bum exclusive games, look kinda like scott pilgrim meets little big planet meets the warriors. :)

  • Looks cool, but if it’s not on a disc, it’s not worth buying.

    • Boooo! I know there are lots of reasons why a physical disc is desirable, but speaking as an indie studio, there is just no way we could get this game out to retail. PSN gives us a ton of freedom to make compelling and immersive games over download. I wouldn’t be so quick to judge our book by it’s (lack of) cover, so to speak. Ha!

  • Will the game be playable? I will be at the New York City Comic-con this Saturday….

    Hay Jeff,
    Will there be a PlayStation booth at Comic-on in NYC?

    • Sorry, way too early for public playable. But there will be punch and pie at the panel*.

      *- note: Punch and pie will not be served.

  • I just love the amazing artstyle in here. I mean… Jesus!

  • Cool concept art, but I don’t understand what the game is supposed to be.

    • It’s an “Action Platformer”, so lots of platforming mixed with combat and puzzle solving.

      In short, it is supposed to be awesome.

  • Wonderful visual style. I love it.

  • @Scott Simpson
    thanks for the reply Scotty :)
    What kind of pie will there be?

  • Will it be 2D or 3D in terms of gameplay?

  • Wow looks like a cross between LBP and GTA4. were those two games of any inspiration to you guys? Need a great Beta Tester. I’m currently seeking employment but would gladly volunteer for the position. Work for Free. Considering you are all “Sooper-Deep” in Development. get it “Sooper”. Sounds like I’d be sooper-perfect.

  • “Exclusive”, it’s the new Black.

    On topic: I love the artstyle, you can tell there’s a lot of your collective personalities thrown into it. I’m looking forward to see how this game evolves.

  • Cool artstyle. Hopefully there’s a good game behind it! You know, that one element that gamers really want. :)

    • Agreed, my friend. We’re working on it. We promise the gameplay will end up being at least 38% awesomer than the art style (measured by volume).

  • @4, Scott Simpson-
    Lol yeah sorry about that. My internet likes to suck and stuff. xD

    Anyway, now that i’ve seen it, it looks pretty awesome. About as awesome as concept art can be lol.
    Definately keep updating on the blog, cause from the sounds (and looks) or it, i [and other people] want moar “action platforming” games. :D
    Any possibility of a more in-depth description? xD Is it more like Uncharted, or is it more like Shank? or is it more like… etc.
    lol any hints? >.> pl0x?

  • Looks cool. Loving all these indie games on PSN (we need more of them imo). Can’t wait to try this out in 2011.

  • it looks cool what games have they done before plz thanks

    • For downloadable console and PC, Playbrains put out the “trust me, it’s awesome” “Madballs in…Babo:Invasion” last year. Of course, lots of our folks have worked on great games in past lives as well…

  • Hints, like Jameson’s, get me in trouble.

    Keep your eyes and ears open…we’ll start dropping more hints soon enough now that we “exist”…

  • look cool

  • @21: Lame. I wanna know what this is. rofl.
    alright fine. xD

  • Is this a 3D platformer, or a sidescroller? I’m confused because all you said to someone above was “Yes”. Lol, nice artwork btw.

  • I’m loving the bunny vomiting half naked rabbit very original I gotta say :D

    btw When might we be able to see gameplay?

    • The half-naked, vomiting bunny is, of course, meant to symbolize freedom. And he’s darn cute to boot.

      Gameplay is coming. We need it to look pretty representative of the final product before we’ll release it.

  • OHH looks so good.. I’m a ratchet and clank fanboy admittedly.. I love platformers and if this plays anything like R&C then consider me sold.. I just beg that you all add online co-op please! I was elated to learn that ratchet and clank all 4 one will have online co-op.. I’ve never had so much fun then games I can hop online and play with a buddy… Sony get it done!!

    • We all love RnC as well, so you are sure to see some influence from it in the game.

      See @2 for appropriate feature waffling…

  • This looks fantastic! Wildbrain is good people.

  • If that game will be just half that hilarious than you and your replys are, i definitely gonna buy it…

    I just love that fresh and unconventional game style!

  • I’m really liking the art style and it looks like it will be a lot of fun and I will more than likely pick this up.

  • Looks a bit like LBP :\

  • Looks interesting. In the second picture, the character on the bottom left kind of looks like those vinyl toy figures.
    I hope the game is geared a little towards the more “mature” gamer.
    is there an estimated price range for this yet?

    • It is definitely not intended to be a kiddie game there will definitely be a lot of edge to the game you can’t see, yet.

      As for pricing, I am suggesting $187.50, but I think SOE might cut that down a bit before release

  • I’ve gotten so bored of gaming, everything looks the same I’ve done it all before and it’s rare when a game catches my eye. I guess it’s normal when you play hundreds of games, but there’s so much room for variety in level design and I’m so bored of what’s on offer. There’s so few well developed settings these days and the 90’s were a lot more creative. I’m so sick of generic platforming level design. But this looks really intriguing, I’m liking the new york theme.

    • Glad we’re here to talk you down from the gaming ledge!

      We’re all avid gamers too, and we are really trying to make different games that we want to play.

      That being said, I do think there’s a lot that’s “different” and cool out there, especially in the indie/downloadable space (take *that* @6!).

      Hope we live up to your expectations. You can kick me in the shins if we don’t…

  • @30
    Ehh, not even close. I don’t see craft materials or knit little guys anywhere.
    Is/Will this be part of the Play, Create, Share genre? It looks good enough and it looks like it could work.

    • Nah. We’re more of a “Play. Destroy. Brag” kind of game.

      We never were good with sharing toys as children.

  • Glad that adventure games are still being made, can’t wait to see more of this, art style looks wicked.

    • We were actually going for “wikkid awesome” for the art style, but then realized we weren’t from Boston, so it got tones down to “wicked”. Hope it’s as adventure-y as you desire!

  • O yeah, if this is even possible on a downloadable title, please ( I MEAN REALLY! PLEASE!) Implement custom soundtracks off our PS3’s HDD. Thats kinda a big thing. It makes a game 10% better! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE with a sideways S on top! =B

    • 10%, eh? I’ll make sure it’s in the wish list. I promise if we have >= 11% of the budget left when the higher priority features are done, it will be in the game. Otherwise, no promises…

  • Pay very GOOD attention to comment #35! XD

    • Was that the one about the resurgence of Communism in the Eastern Bloc? If so, don’t worry, I got it.

  • @ 32 it definitely looks original and I know that they have spent a lot of time on the level design just form the pictures. As long as the controls are solid and frame rate is good i can see this game being a hit

  • Coolio. This looks awesome
    Uhhhh, is that bunny throwing up pink…blood…?

  • You know what? I’m just gonna say it! This looks AWESOME, GREAT, WONDERFULL!

    PS. #35 had a good question. *teehee* (^-^)

    • @35 is a liar and a scoundrel*. Do not listen to @35.

      * – note: neither of these things are (probably) true.

  • LMAO @ Scott Simpson! You must be related to Homer Simpson because you sir are funny!

    • We are only related by looks and physique.

      I am, however, slightly less yellow and have five fingers on each hand.

      Totally different dudes.

  • I really appreciate the fact that you’re spending lots of time answering the community questions. Thank You :)

    • You’re very much welcome.

      What is potentially 8% more impressive is that I am doing this in the dark on a phone at a GDC party in Austin. I am shocked that I have not been punched in the face for being “that guy” who spends the whole party texting away in a corner. I hate those guys…which is to say, I hate me.

  • great art style & character design are some of the things i look for in games before i buy them, this looks amazing. Also looking forward to that new game by ‘thatgamecompany’. That also looks beautiful. Hope sony is locked in an exclusive partnership with them.

    • Thanks for the comments. and I will pass your feedback on to thatgamecompany. I know thebigcheese there very well (that being said, I know hisnephewthestockboy a little better than him).

  • I’m loving the art style, assuming you can keep it at the same quality (1080p) for release. (Streaming in higher-res textures based on distance from camera would make it even better than Deathspank, which already looked pretty great.)

    Another vote for local co-op :)

    What kind of puzzles? Like adventure-game puzzles where you talk to characters, gain/combine/use items, etc? Or move the boxes to create a staircase and stand-on-the-switch puzzles? or both? I prefer the former, as it usually makes for puzzles that have more cohesion with the story.

    Are there any gay/trans characters in the game? playable or non-playable?

    • OOPS! I blame my phone (and/or my stupidity).

      Ummm…yep, trying to make it as graphically rich as we can and still hit a minimum of 30fps.

      *noted on the couch co-op (my fave, too!)

      As for the puzzles, you’ll have to wait and see, but it’s likely that there will be more of the latter than the former (there I go disappointing you again…)

      The rosters are not set, so I can’t say for sure, yet. I can say that there will only be a limited number of playables, though.

      Sorry for the tardiness! TOTALLY TECHNOLOGY’S FAULT*.

      * – not true. Scott’s fault.

  • @37/Scotts reply
    Please make more appearances on the blog because you are too funny! As I said earlier in comment #40.

  • Wait! Are those tiny pink bunnies in the pink bunny vommit?

  • Wow, replying to everyone, eh? Game definitely has captured my interest, be sure to give it a demo so I can give it a spin when you guys are ready to release it ;)

  • Can you guys consider having Home Rewards

    • Definitely possible. We think Home is an under-utilized part of the PlayStation platform. There’s lots of fun we could have there.

  • This looks pretty sweet

  • +1 follower on twitter. As plenty of others have pointed out it *looks* neat so hopefully you can keep me interested when you finally decide to announce more about the features/gameply. I noticed one person mentioned online multiplayer but please please PLEASE make sure you don’t abandon local multiplayer for online multiplayer (see reasons I refuse to buy dead rising 2). The vomiting bunny reminds me of Zim and nearly everything else just screams vinyl.

    Also, you say 2011 but I didn’t catch anything more specific. Can we get a specific quarter or maybe even a first/last half of the year?

    • We’ll definitely try to fit in everything we can, but we are restricted by budgets (of course) and gameplay. It’s possible that the game doesn’t play well with multiple, though as I said before, we’re going to try it out and see how it feels. Just setting expectations, my friend.

      Hey, give us 10% of the budget of DR2 and you’ll definitely get online multiplayer!

  • Wait– that’s all you guys got?!?

    *shadowboxes in corner

    *raises arms in triumph

    *returns to puzzled looks at the bar

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