Developer promises quicker turnaround for next game

The developer of the popular indie game Animal Well, Billy Basso, has announced that his next project will not take as long to develop as his first game, which took seven years. Animal Well was released in May 2024 and quickly became a standout among indie games, earning several nominations at the Golden Joystick Awards, including PC Game of the Year. Despite facing competition from major titles like Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, the game’s charm and innovation won over many fans. Basso began working on Animal Well in 2017 and became known for handling all aspects of the game's development, including programming, art, and music. After years of anticipation, the game was finally released and received positive feedback. In a recent interview, Basso expressed excitement about his next project. He mentioned he is in a creative phase where he can work independently without external pressures. He believes this new game will appeal to fans of Animal Well but will also have its own unique identity. While details about the new game remain under wraps, Basso confirmed that it will take place in the same universe as Animal Well, but it will not be a direct sequel. In other news, former developers from CD Projekt Red and Techland are working on a new survival horror game inspired by the PS1 era.