Game development is a tough business, and it’s one where the models are always changing. For example, the old model of “delay a game to get it right” can only work for so long until your costs drastically start to outstrip your earnings potential. Such was the case for Toki Tori 2.
Originally slated for a Spring 2012 release, the game didn’t see the light of day for another year; first on the Wii U in April 2013, and then on Steam in July. This delay, combined with lackluster sales, has forced Two Tribes to close shop on its existing development company, Two Tribes B.V.
“When Toki Tori 2 ended up taking way longer than expected and not achieving the sales we needed, it basically took the company down with it,” reads a blog post on the company’s website. “There’s a lot to learn from what went wrong and what we could have done better.”
Game development is a tough business, and it’s one where the models are always changing. For example, the old model of “delay a game to get it right” can only work for so long until your costs drastically start to outstrip your earnings potential. Such was the case for Toki Tori 2.
Originally slated for a Spring 2012 release, the game didn’t see the light of day for another year; first on the Wii U in April 2013, and then on Steam in July. This delay, combined with lackluster sales, has forced Two Tribes to close shop on its existing development company, Two Tribes B.V.
“When Toki Tori 2 ended up taking way longer than expected and not achieving the sales we needed, it basically took the company down with it,” reads a blog post on the company’s website. “There’s a lot to learn from what went wrong and what we could have done better.”
Fear not, faithful reader. This isn’t the end of Two Tribes. Like a phoenix, a new game development company has formed from the ashes, complete with Two Tribes founders Martijn Reuvers and Colin van Ginkel. It’s also worth noting that their publishing wing, Two Tribes Publishing B.V., is still alive and well and happy to sell you their existing catalogue of games.
So how will this new development company differ from the old one?
The first game from the new Two Tribes will be a 2D sidescrolling shooter which, true to their plans, will use existing technology. In this case, the Toki Tori 2+ engine. There’s no hint of a release date on this one, but if the “make more games in less time” promise holds, we won’t have too long to wait.
