Outward – Interview with Nine Dots Studio for Outward

Hello and thank you for taking the time to answer our questions! First, could you introduce yourself to our readers and tell us about your journey in the industry?

Hello, my name is Guillaume Boucher-Vidal, I am the founder of Nine Dots Studio and I have two roles within the company: CEO and creative director. Before the company launched 13 years ago, I worked in a testing division withinActivision.

For those who missed the information, could you explain to us in a few words what Outward is?

Outward is an open-world role-playing game in which for once, we do not play as the child of the prophecy or the last of the ancient tribe, but rather a normal person trying to get by in a hostile fantasy universe. As a simple human, the danger is much higher and the approach to take is more vigilant. It's not just marauders and creatures that are dangerous: hunger, thirst, temperature, illness are just as many obstacles during this journey for our reckless adventurers.

The game has been out for a few years now (2019), could you tell us about its evolution? Any changes made in recent years?

We have made several additions, some free and others as paid DLC. We added 2 entire regions with their city and dungeons, an enchantment mechanic for weapons and armor, an ambient corruption mechanic thematically linked to the Aurai universe, lots of hidden fights for the end game against bosses , unique enemies in the majority of dungeons, a colony construction mechanic after the main quest, three skill trees, diseases and defeat scenarios better intertwined with our game mechanics, as well as a host of improvements for make the experience more

What do you think makes Outward successful? What are the key words to get players to buy the game?

I believe that most role-playing games focus on providing a feeling of power, when what players in this genre seek first is immersion. Outward offers something much more human, much more personal, and it requires the player to understand and adapt to a universe that we find truly threatening. It's sometimes a little more difficult as an experience, but each story is enriched with personal adventures. Additionally, it's rare for a game of this genre to have a two-player cooperative mode.

On March 28, you launched the game on Switch with a “Definitive Edition”; what motivated the choice of the Nintendo console and why today?

If we could have been available earlier on the Switch, we would have gladly done it! On the other hand, Outward was not originally designed for this console, which required colossal optimization work. The Switch is a very important platform in the video game ecosystem to this day and there will always be a point of honor in being able to offer one of our games on a console. Nintendo.

What motivates the choice to offer only solo/co-op and not a mode focused more on multiplayer (with more than two players) like other survival games?

The emotional intention behind Outward was to create a threatening world. I believe that when we play surrounded by our friends, the group dynamic buries the feeling of tension and discovery that we wanted to convey to the players.

What is the player's place in the creative process of Outward and in its evolution? Do you discuss (social networks, Discord, etc.) with the community to gauge player expectations and evaluate potential new developments in the game?

We had a very clear idea of ​​what we wanted to create as an experience. It's always positive to get feedback from players, but first and foremost, we wanted to create a type of game that we couldn't find on the current market. Player reaction influences our intentions for future games more than the one they criticize. That being said, we have a good bond of trust with our players, especially on Discord, because we manage to justify our decisions and what we have prioritized, and we still listen to players' complaints. Often we share the same criticisms of our own game.

A criticism we often find from players is the lack of reward from exploration compared to the dangers it entails. Do you agree with this and is this something you have tried to improve?

I don't agree that this feedback is common about Outward. I do believe that players who enter battles without proper preparation will face attrition that is difficult to manage, but this is intentional.

You recently announced Outward 2; what are your ambitions and the changes you would like to make to this new component?

We are focusing on four areas of improvement. We want to improve combat by making it more flexible, fast and responsive. Next, we are improving the player's character creation and development options. In addition, we make the Aurai universe more alive by filling more regions and cities with events, environmental elements and a variety of encounters. The last big focus is centered on our storytelling tools, in order to better deliver the stories that inhabit this universe.

Any juicy information to reveal to us?

We currently have 2 other games in development in addition to Outward 2 ! Our team has grown and we now have two development teams in addition to financing and publishing a third product. We are maximizing the success of Outward to offer even more to our audience. I hope that we will succeed in gaining the trust of our players by always focusing on providing experienced gamers with the qualities they are looking for in our wonderful medium.