Butterflies Come to APICO 2.0, Beasts of Maravilla Island Coming to PlayStation, and More in October’s News Round Up
Beasts, bees, and Britt Dye are among the headlines for this month’s Whitethorn Games news round-up! The cozy, casual indie publisher has several updates for its published and upcoming titles, as well as the company as a whole that they are excited to share with you today.
The Beasts of Maravilla Island Have Been Captured on PlayStation Consoles
What’s this? It would appear that bird-monkeys and otter-crocodiles are heading to a new habitat! Players can find them in their new home on November 3, 2022, when Beasts of Maravilla Island launches on PlayStation 4 & 5!
The protective magic of Maravilla Island is waning, and the only way to save it is to restore humanity’s belief in the magical. Assume the role of Marina Montez, an aspiring wildlife photographer who is armed with her grandfather’s journal of Maravilla and his camera. To save Maravilla Island, you must climb, explore, and solve puzzles with the island’s flora and fauna to find and photograph its fabulous beasts.
A full press kit, including logos and screenshots, can be found here: https://uberstrategist.link/Beasts-of-Maravilla-Island-Press-Kit.
APICO 2.0 Has More Bees, More Books, and… Butterflies?
What’s that gentle flapping in the distance? Could it be a flutter of majestic butterflies making its way to Port APICO?
Version 2.0 of APICO arrives this November! The first of three planned content updates, APICO 2.0 introduces plenty of new things to bee excited about! Discover species of butterflies flittering around the islands, solitary bees that exist without a hive, fancy new flowers with new environmental effects, new friends from the mainland, and new dialogue options! Plus, make and sell incense and candles with the power of Alchemy, decorate with new items, chase after 16 new achievements, and jam to new music from Mothense!
Combining resource gathering, biology, and minigames with ideas from both real-life and fantasy beekeeping and gardening, APICO will teach players about the ins-and-outs of maintaining a healthy hive and the importance of our irreplaceable pollinating pals.
A full press kit, including logos and screenshots, can bee found here: https://uberstrategist.link/APICO-Press-Kit.
Britt Dye, Whitethorn’s Accessibility and Useability Specialist Speaks at GAconf USA
This week, Whitethorn Game’s own Accessibility and Useability Specialist Britt Dye spoke at GAconf USA. Hosted by the IGDA’s accessibility group, the conference featured a wide range of speakers from across the gaming industry, all speaking on accessibility in gaming; the current state of it, its future, and everything in between.
In her talk, “Prioritizing Accessibility: How an indie publisher threads empathy, responsibility, and education to support accessibility in their titles,” Britt discussed in detail how Whitethorn Games works closely with all stakeholders — developers, players, and communities — to enable and support accessibility across all of its games.
A Look at the Inner Workings of Whitethorn Games
Did you know that Whitethorn’s CEO Dr. Matthew White earns $75,000 USD a year? Well, you can read about that, and much more in the transparency and publishing documents the company made public this month.
Whitethorn Games is tired of the secrecy surrounding the video game industry, so, in an effort to set a new standard, the company has done away with all the smoke and mirrors! You can learn more by reading the full transparency and publishing documents.
Whitethorn Games is Streaming for Extra Life
On November 4, Whitethorn Games will stream for Extra Life, raising money for Change Kids’ Health to Change the Future. Donations go to member children’s hospitals to fund critical life-saving treatments and healthcare services, along with innovative research, vital pediatric medical equipment, and child life services. Watch the stream on their Twitch channel, and donate here.
