Transmedia is blurring the line between the worlds of video games and movies. Illustrative of that is the launch of the animated feature The Two Embers: Part One in Thatgamecompany's massively multiplayer online adventure game Sky: Children of the Light.
While many video game franchises have adaptations for the big screen or streaming, The Two Embers takes a different and more exciting approach, merging rather than crossing the two forms of media.
In a first-of-its-kind fusion of film and gameplay, the cinematic in-game movie introduces new playable content and uses innovative in-game streaming for a collective simultaneous viewing experience (see our picks of the best game development software and the best animation software if you want to make your own transmedia masterpieces).
The short wordless animated film tells the origin story of Sky’s universe, a once-thriving kingdom of stars nestled in the clouds. Produced by Light & Realm along with Illusorium Studios and Orchid, it makes use of Thatgamecompany's proprietary video streaming technology. An early look at the film premiering in the new in-game Sky Cinema, where thousands of players can gather and watch together, simultaneously, in a shared virtual space.
The film follows the journey of an orphaned child and a wounded manatee as they navigate a world unraveling under the threat of darkness. The universal emotions of the story – grief, anger, and the power of kindness – mean there's no need for language, and the piece likely to resonate with audiences of all ages as it invites viewers to imagine a more compassionate world.
The story is crafted in thatgamecompany’s signature visual style and will continue in a second installment. Together, the two films follow the parallel journeys of two children separated by time but with deeply intertwined fates that will shape the destiny of the crumbling kingdom.
The developer described the project as its most ambitious transmedia storytelling endeavour to date: a "theater experience, reimagined in a virtual world."
"Players will not only watch the origin story but can step into it since each chapter will be accompanied by all-new in-game content, designed to deepen the emotional and narrative resonance of the film through exploration and play," it says. "Unlike traditional video game adaptations, The Two Embers and Sky exist simultaneously, enriching the other in a living, breathing world built to be experienced together."
“It’s the kind of story that stays with you—one that may leave you in tears, and grateful to hold your loved ones, and maybe even your pet, just a little closer,” Executive Creative Director and CEO Jenova Chen says.
In-game streaming in Sky was first demonstrated with a concert by AURORA at Gamescom 2023, where the technology connected over 10,000 players on a single server, earning Sky: Children of the Light two Guinness World Records and laying the foundation for The Two Embers. The AURORA concert will return in June for a limited re-run.
Sky: Children of the Light is available to play on PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4/5, the App Store and Google Play Store.
