Bloober Team, riding high on the positive reception of their Silent Hill 2 Remake, is determined to prove their recent success wasn't a fluke. This article explores their next project and their ambitious vision for the future.
Bloober Team's Continued Ascent
Building on Success
The overwhelmingly positive response to the Silent Hill 2 Remake from both gamers and critics has been a significant boost for Bloober Team. Despite the substantial changes made from the original, the remake exceeded expectations. However, the team acknowledges past skepticism and aims to use this success to dispel any lingering doubts about their capabilities.
At the Xbox Partner Preview on October 16th, Bloober Team unveiled their next horror title, Cronos: The New Dawn. Conscious of avoiding being defined solely by their Silent Hill work, Game Designer Wojciech Piejko emphasized their desire for a distinct project, stating to Gamespot, "We don't want to make a similar game." He revealed that development on Cronos began in 2021, shortly after the release of The Medium.
Director Jacek Zieba described Cronos: The New Dawn as their "second punch" in a two-hit combo, with the Silent Hill 2 Remake being the "first." He highlighted their underdog status, acknowledging the initial doubts surrounding their ability to handle such a beloved franchise. Zieba noted, "Nobody believed we could deliver, and we delivered. That was a big honor...as horror creators, we love Silent Hill." The studio's public plea for patience during development further underscores this journey.
Their efforts culminated in an 86 Metacritic score. "They made the impossible possible," Piejko commented, reflecting on the online criticism and the immense pressure they faced.
Evolution: Bloober Team 3.0
Piejko positions Cronos: The New Dawn as a testament to their ability to create compelling original IPs. The game features a time-traveling protagonist, "The Traveler," navigating the past and future to save lives and alter a dystopian future ravaged by pandemic and mutants.
Leveraging their Silent Hill 2 Remake experience, Bloober Team aims to evolve beyond their earlier titles like Layers of Fear and Observer, which had less extensive gameplay. Zieba explained that "the basis for Cronos...was there thanks to the Silent Hill team."
The Silent Hill 2 Remake marks a pivotal moment, representing "Bloober Team 3.0." Encouraged by the positive reception of the Cronos reveal trailer and the Silent Hill 2 Remake's success, they are confident about their future.
Zieba's vision is to establish Bloober Team as a leading horror studio, stating, "We want to find our niche, and we think we found our niche, so now we just—let's evolve with it." Piejko added, "We gathered a team that loves horror...so I think, for us, it would not be easy to switch [to other genres], and we don't want to."