Little Nightmares 3: A Developer Shift and Fresh Perspectives
Little Nightmares 3 is on its way, and developer news is coming straight from the Little Nightmares 3 Gamescom event. While Little Nightmares 3 is no surprise, the developer shift is quite unexpected. However, this change-up shows that the gaming industry is growing and changing, and it helps to open the door for fresh perspectives on established series.
Taking place at Gamescom’s Opening Night Live, Bandai Namco unveils Little Nightmares 3 with a trailer showcasing the familiar Horror atmosphere that we’ve come to expect. Little Nightmares 3 promises to be just as creepy and atmospheric as its predecessors, with small children navigating a scary world and a creepy giant baby.
While this trailer subtly reveals Supermassive’s involvement, I do think it would benefit from emphasizing the studio’s horror expertise, especially given Little Nightmares’ history. However, I can understand why this change-up would surprise fans, as it’s a bit unusual in the gaming industry.
Why Little Nightmares 3 is Surprising
Usually, a smaller studio takes over from a more established one to continue a successful IP that the bigger studio has started. For example, Horizon Zero Dawn and Shadow of the Beast were both developed by much smaller teams than the studios that made the original games.
However, Supermassive Games is itself a well-established studio, having developed both Until Dawn and The Dark Pictures Anthology, as well as handling the next-gen port of Little Nightmares 2. So, it’s surprising to see Little Nightmares 3’s development shift from Tarsier to Supermassive, especially given Supermassive’s own success and reputation.
However, there is a connection between Tarsier and Supermassive, as the latter handled the next-gen port of Little Nightmares 2. Perhaps there was a relationship there that led to Little Nightmares 3’s development shift.
While it’s uncommon for this to happen, there have been a few instances in the past. For instance, Rockstar took over from Vancouver Studios to develop Max Payne 3, which was met with mixed reactions from fans, though the game itself was well-received.
Regardless, it’s definitely a different move than what we’re used to seeing, and Little Nightmares 3 is definitely something worth keeping an eye on.
I’m personally excited to see what Supermassive is able to do with the series. If they can bring their own touch while still keeping the series’ identity, then we’re in for a real treat. And who knows, maybe this means that Little Nightmares could come to the PS5?
We’ll just have to wait and see. In the meantime, check out all the other big Gamescom announcements that you might have missed. You can also take a look at some of our favorite games from last year, as well as all the upcoming games that you can expect in the near future.
