Hi there. My identify is Julián, and I’m the lead developer of Despelote – a slice-of-life journey about childhood and soccer in Quito, Ecuador within the 12 months 2001. Myself and the workforce are completely satisfied to cease by the Xbox Wire right now to announce that our sport is coming to Xbox Series X|S in 2024. We’re additionally capable of announce right now that Despelote might be a part of Tribeca’s 2023 Festival Selection and that the sport might be revealed by Panic, who helped convey Untitled Goose Game and Firewatch to the world.
While Despelote may be very a lot a sport about soccer, you received’t actually end up enjoying a full soccer match and even needing to grasp the foundations. Instead,our sport focuses on the inherent enjoyable of being a child, simply kicking round a soccer ball with your mates when you’re out and about, speaking about your day in school… and perhaps annoying your neighbors within the course of.
It’s the 12 months 2001, and Ecuador is on the verge of qualifying for the World Cup. Ecuador had by no means certified for the World Cup earlier than, and as a rustic simply recovering from an enormous monetary disaster, the thought of qualifying has crammed the neighborhood with hope and optimism. Learning concerning the folks of Quito as you play soccer with your mates, and feeling that power out of your neighborhood as you discover is what Despelote is all about.
Together with my pal and artist Sebastián Valbuena we got down to make a sport that isn’t solely visually distinctive, but in addition one which communicates a robust and particular sense of place. This is partly as a result of Despelote is a semi-autobiographical sport, as I grew up in Quito, Ecuador round this time, so it was necessary to me that we get it proper. You additionally play as a younger boy named Julian, however he’s indirectly a one-for-one mirror of me!
To give gamers a real image of Ecuador, we took images and recorded audio throughout journeys to Quito that are actually used within the sport for gadgets reminiscent of constructing textures and conversations you’ll hear as you discover the streets. Sebastián can also be doing an unimaginable job of hand drawing our characters, in addition to the animals you’ll run into throughout your time in Quito. The sport can also be totally voice acted in Spanish, with localized subtitles relying in your desire.
So that’s Despelote: a bittersweet and typically dreamy semi-autobiographical story about how soccer can impression a spot and its tradition. We hope you cease by and go to Quito when it’s launched on Xbox in 2024. ¡Garcias, y cuidense!
