Latest news with #BillyBasso
WIRED
19-03-2025
- Entertainment
- WIRED
The Creator of the Smash Indie Game ‘Animal Well' Is Already Working on His Next Project
Mar 19, 2025 7:00 AM Billy Basso talks about the seven years he spent developing his hit game, and what he's up to next. Billy Basso, creator of Animal Well , at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco on March 17, 2025. Photograph: Darrell Jackson Billy Basso was glued to his computer. It was launch day for the Chicago developer's debut solo game, a surreal Metroidvania called Animal Well , and he couldn't stop reading reviews online and watching people play the game. He'd pulled off the impossible: breaking through a turbulent industry to create a hit game that would grow to be a critical and commercial success. He just didn't realize how big of one it would be quite yet. Most successful video games are made by teams of people that vary in size from a half dozen to somewhere in the hundreds. Basso had made Animal Well entirely on his own, start to finish. Music, art, story—it was all his, dictated by the singular goal to finish the game. He thought it would take six months. It took seven years. 'My entire life has completely changed since the game has come out,' Basso, 36, says. This year, Animal Well is up for five awards at the Game Developers Choice Awards, including prizes for Best Design, Best Audio, and Best Debut. The awards are being handed out this week at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, where Basso is also a featured speaker. At a talk on Monday detailing the nitty gritty of how he made the game, from coding to describing the game's lighting, Basso held court in front of a rapt audience packed to the brim. Attendees laughed and 'ooh'd' his presentation. While describing some of his more homebrew methods of development, one developer in the audience whispered 'this guy is the GOAT.' After his talk, a circle of fans surrounded Basso to offer praise and ask questions. Basso had arrived. It just took some time to get there. Basso meets with his fellow developers after his talk on Monday afternoon. Photograph: Darrell Jackson Basso wasn't a new developer when he started Animal Well . He'd worked at large companies before, including a stint at NetherRealm working on mobile versions of Mortal Kombat . He was working at a medical startup that created mobile games for doctors—'as weird and niche as you might expect'—and tinkered with his own projects at night. He'd spent a decade of his career with 'the desire to make something that I would actually be a fan of.' For four years, Basso worked on a primitive version of Animal Well in his free time, supporting himself with his day job. 'It was very clearly a self-indulgent side project for myself,' he told me in an interview. But as the game grew more sophisticated, and Basso invested more time into it, he started to think of it differently. 'It gradually started to seem more like something I could actually release, that I could maybe make a living off of,' he says. Basso gathered his confidence and plotted an exit from his day job. His family didn't quite understand his ambitions. 'My dad didn't want me to quit my job to work on it,' Basso says. 'They were worried that I should keep a full-time job.' Animal Well fans peppered Basso with questions. Photograph: Darrell Jackson They also listened attentively. Photograph: Darrell Jackson Then, in 2021, a turning point: Basso got in touch with Dan Adelman, an industry vet known on the business development side, for help. 'I was kind of an introverted person that doesn't feel very comfortable posting things online and marketing the game,' Basso says. Adelman is well known for running Nintendo of America's indie program and championing small developers. 'Luckily enough, he was into the project,' Basso says. 'He wanted to start working together and then, from that point forward, I felt like I just became a much luckier person.' Basso and Adelman began applying to events like Day of the Devs, an indie showcase, to let people see the game. Their efforts paid off, with Bigmode—the publisher run by YouTuber videogamedunkey—signing Animal Well . 'A little less than a year after working with Dan, I had saved up enough money and had a road map to finishing the game,' Basso says. He quit his job to focus on Animal Well full-time. 'It ended up still being about three years until it was done,' he says. Over the many years of Animal Well 's development, friends urged him to release what he had when interest seemed to be high. 'I knew where the quality bar was for myself and what people expect out of a game,' Basso says. He didn't like the idea of 'cashing out' on what he felt wasn't a complete project, despite the long years that had gone into it. 'It was hard to explain how much work actually goes into releasing a polished game,' Basso says. 'You can't just kind of put pencils down at any point and click the release button on Steam.' How his game debuted mattered. If people like it, 'they'll trust you in the future to buy one of another game.' During his GDC talk, Basso walked through the years of development that went into Animal Well . Photograph: Darrell Jackson His bet had paid off. With Animal Well 's success, Basso says he's now able to 'make whatever arbitrary thing I want and not really have to worry about whether it will sell well or not.' All that matters, he says, is 'I find it fun.' In the game industry of 2025—where funding has been scarce, even studios with popular projects close down, and devs are being laid off en masse—that kind of freedom is a rarity. 'There's so much pressure to chase trends and put AI in your game,' Basso says. 'Or, if you're trying to raise money, you kind of have to pander to a different crowd of investors that are totally out of touch.' Basso is already working on his next project in earnest—a 2D sidescroller that will share some elements of Animal Well —though he's only about six months into it. He says that while it won't be a direct sequel, 'I think it's something people who enjoyed Animal Well will also enjoy. It will have its own identity.' It's too early to share much else about the game, to Basso's relief. 'I'm back in the good, pure phase where I just get to make something on my own, without sharing it with anybody. I guess I'll relish that for the next few years.' Still, Basso says he finds it flattering when people ask about his next game, which he says will likely be even more ambitious. ' Animal Well took seven years,' he says. 'I don't think this next project will take nearly as long. Hopefully.'
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Astro Bot, Black Myth: Wukong and Animal Well Lead Finalists for the 25th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards
Winners of the Leading Peer-Based Annual Award Show in Games Will Be Announced on Wednesday, March 19 During GDC 2025 SAN FRANCISCO, January 28, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The 25th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards (GDCA), the leading peer-based video game event celebrating the industry's top games and developers, has announced the list of finalists for each of the ceremony's prestigious categories. The winners in each category will be honored at this year's Game Developers Choice Awards ceremony, which will be taking place on Wednesday, March 19. This celebration of the top games from the past year, as well as the developers who created them, takes place each year at the Game Developers Conference (GDC). The GDC, now in its 39th edition, will be held at San Francisco's Moscone Convention Center from March 17 - 21. The GDCA is held in conjunction with the Independent Games Festival Awards (IGF Awards). All GDC 2025 pass holders will be available to attend these award shows. Those at home can also tune in via the official GDC Twitch channel. The Game Developers Choice Awards is the leading video game awards that are nominated by, voted on, and decided by video game developers within the industry. This year, the GDCA nominations are led by Astro Bot (Team ASOBI / Sony Interactive Entertainment) and Black Myth: Wukong (Game Science), each of which received seven nominations total. Both are nominated for the highly coveted Game of the Year Award alongside Balatro (LocalThunk / Playstack), Helldivers 2 (Arrowhead Game Studios / PlayStation Publishing LLC), Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (Square Enix) and Metaphor: ReFantazio (ATLUS / SEGA / Studio Zero). Indie hit Animal Well (Billy Basso / Bigmode) also received a high degree of praise, earning nominations in five categories. Astro Bot, developed by Team ASOBI and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, is a 3D platforming title that was released alongside PlayStation's 30th anniversary and is a love letter to the many iconic characters and worlds from PlayStation's wide roster of franchises. It has been praised by fans and critics alike for its unique and energetic level design, incredible soundtrack, smart integration with the PlayStation 5's hardware and charming aesthetics. Black Myth: Wukong, developed and published by Game Science, is an action role-playing game rooted in Chinese mythology and inspired by the literary classic 'Journey to the West.' The game features skill-based combat and challenging gameplay that fans of the "soulslike" subgenre have come to appreciate. Also leading the pack for category nominations is Animal Well, developed by Billy Basso and published by Bigmode. The Metroidvania title involves puzzle-solving and exploration, encouraging the player to think outside of the box to find solutions forward. Any video game that was released and made publicly available during the 2024 calendar year is eligible for free nomination for the 2025 Game Developers Choice Awards. All nominees and winners are selected by the Game Developers Choice Awards-specific International Choice Awards Network (ICAN), which is an invitation-only organization, composed of leading game creators from all parts of the industry. In addition to the categories listed below, the Audience Award welcomes the GDC audience to cast their vote for their favorite game of the year from all 18 of this year's GDCA finalists. The public can cast their vote from the Audience Award ballot here. The complete list of nominees for each category of the 25th annual Game Developers Choice Awards, including honorable mentions, are as follows: Best AudioAnimal Well (Billy Basso / Bigmode)Astro Bot (Team ASOBI / Sony Interactive Entertainment)Black Myth: Wukong (Game Science)Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (Square Enix)Senua's Saga: Hellblade II (Ninja Theory / Xbox Game Studios) Honorable Mentions: Balatro (LocalThunk / Playstack), Lorelei and the Laser Eyes (Simogo / Annapurna Interactive), Metaphor: ReFantazio (ATLUS / SEGA / Studio Zero), Neva (Nomada Studio / Devolver Digital), Silent Hill 2 (Bloober Teams SA / KONAMI) Best Debut1000xRESIST (Sunset Visitor / Fellow Traveller)Animal Well (Billy Basso / Bigmode)Balatro (LocalThunk / Playstack)Pacific Drive (Ironwood Studios / Kepler Interactive)Tiny Glade (Pounce Light) Honorable Mentions: Manor Lords (Slavic Magic / Hooded Horse), Mullet Madjack (HAMMER95 / Epopeia Games), The Plucky Squire (All Possible Futures / Devolver Digital), Tiny Glade (Pounce Light) Best DesignAnimal Well (Billy Basso / Bigmode)Astro Bot (Team ASOBI / Sony Interactive Entertainment)Balatro (LocalThunk / Playstack)Black Myth: Wukong (Game Science)Lorelai and the Laser Eyes (Simogo / Annapurna Interactive) Honorable Mentions: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (Square Enix), Helldivers 2 (Arrowhead Game Studios / PlayStation Publishing LLC), Satisfactory (Coffee Stain Studios / Coffee Stain Publishing), The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (Grezzo, Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development / Nintendo), UFO 50 (Mossmouth) Innovation AwardAnimal Well (Billy Basso / Bigmode)Astro Bot (Team ASOBI / Sony Interactive Entertainment)Balatro (LocalThunk / Playstack)Black Myth: Wukong (Game Science)UFO 50 (Mossmouth) Honorable Mentions: Helldivers 2 (Arrowhead Game Studios / PlayStation Publishing LLC), Lorelei and the Laser Eyes (Simogo / Annapurna Interactive), Thank Goodness You're Here! (Coal Supper /Panic), The Plucky Squire (All Possible Futures / Devolver Digital), Tiny Glade (Pounce Light) Best Narrative1000xRESIST (Sunset Visitor / Fellow Traveller)Black Myth: Wukong (Game Science)Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio / SEGA)Metaphor: ReFantazio (ATLUS / SEGA / Studio Zero)Mouthwashing (Wrong Organ / Critical Reflex) Honorable Mentions: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (Square Enix), Frostpunk 2 (11 bit studios), Life is Strange: Double Exposure (Deck Nine Games / Square Enix), Neva (Nomada Studio / Devolver Digital), Senua's Saga: Hellblade II (Ninja Theory / Xbox Game Studios) Best TechnologyAstro Bot (Team ASOBI / Sony Interactive Entertainment)Black Myth: Wukong (Game Science)Helldivers 2 (Arrowhead Game Studios / PlayStation Publishing LLC)Senua's Saga: Hellblade II (Ninja Theory / Xbox Game Studios)Tiny Glade (Pounce Light) Honorable Mentions: Animal Well (Billy Basso/ Bigmode), Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (Threyarch, Raven Software, Beenox, High Moon Studios, Activision Shanghai, Sledgehammer Games, Infinity Ward, Demonware /Activision), Dragon Age: The Veilguard (BioWare / Electronic Arts), Satisfactory (Coffee Stain Studios / Coffee Stain Publishing), Tekken 8 (Bandai Namco Studios Inc / Bandai Namco Entertainment) Best Visual ArtAnimal Well (Billy Basso / Bigmode)Astro Bot (Team ASOBI / Sony Interactive Entertainment)Black Myth: Wukong (Game Science)Metaphor: ReFantazio (ATLUS / SEGA / Studio Zero)Neva (Nomada Studio / Devolver Digital) Honorable Mentions: Balatro (LocalThunk / Playstack), Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree (FromSoftware Inc. / Bandai Namco Entertainment), Senua's Saga: Hellblade II (Ninja Theory / Xbox Game Studios), Tiny Glade (Pounce Light), Ultros (Hadoque / Kepler Interactive) Social Impact1000xRESIST (Sunset Visitor / Fellow Traveller)Astro Bot (Team ASOBI / Sony Interactive Entertainment)Frostpunk 2 (11 bit studios)Life is Strange: Double Exposure (Deck Nine Games / Square Enix)Neva (Nomada Studio / Devolver Digital) Honorable Mentions: Closer the Distance (Osmotic Studios / Skybound Games), Distant Bloom (Ember Trail / Kina Brave), Dragon Age: The Veilguard (BioWare / Electronic Arts), Tales of Kenzera: Zau (Surgent Studios / Electronic Arts) Game of the YearAstro Bot (Team ASOBI / Sony Interactive Entertainment)Balatro (LocalThunk / Playstack)Black Myth: Wukong (Game Science)Helldivers 2 (Arrowhead Game Studios / PlayStation Publishing LLC)Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (Square Enix)Metaphor: ReFantazio (ATLUS / SEGA / Studio Zero) Honorable Mentions: Animal Well (Billy Basso / Bigmode), Helldivers 2 (Arrowhead Game Studios / PlayStation Publishing LLC), Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio / SEGA), Satisfactory (Coffee Stain Studios / Coffee Stain Publishing), UFO 50 (Mossmouth) View source version on Contacts fortyseven communicationsHiro Itogdcpress@
