Unraveling the Excitement of Stage Fright: Innovative Co-Op Gameplay Awaits
Stage Fright is an upcoming title that focuses on cooperative gameplay, infusing Overcooked-style madness into a captivating array of escape room settings reminiscent of the eerie world from Luigi’s Mansion. Although a specific launch date has yet to be announced, you can add it to your wish list on Steam right now.
An Evolution in Cooperative Gaming
The Overcooked series has undeniably invigorated the co-op gaming scene in recent years, delivering frenetic kitchen action that becomes even more enjoyable—and hilariously chaotic—when played with friends. While Overcooked allows for local multiplayer action, its sequel expanded this feature to include online collaborations. Stage Fright embodies the collective insights Ghost Town Games gleaned from their experience with these iconic titles, featuring both local and internet-based gameplay options.
“When Overcooked debuted, there were no games quite like it; Stage Fright retains that spirit of innovation but takes a distinct approach,” remarked Tim Woodley, publishing lead at Hello Games.
A Small Yet Mighty Development Team
Ghost Town Games boasts a dedicated team consisting of just three key individuals: co-founders Oli De-Vine and Phil Duncan, along with writer Gemma Langford. They have been working on Stage Fright under the internal codename Project Attic—aptly named since development takes place in their attic space—and their website also mentions six additional contributors. The collaboration extends further with Hello Games playing an influential role.
Image Source: Ghost Town Games
Ties That Bind: Collaborating with Hello Games
The connection between De-Vine and Duncan and the Hello Games team—a group that includes founders Sean Murray and Grant Duncan—has spanned numerous years. Following Hello’s triumph with Joe Danger back in 2010, they facilitated Ghost Town’s link to Team17, which eventually published Overcooked when it launched in 2016—a hallmark moment for cooperative gaming.
“Phil and Oli initially approached us nearly ten years ago looking for feedback on one of their earliest demos for Overcooked,” recounted Woodley. “We fondly remember our four-person team enthusiastically critiquing that demo while shouting about onions—it was clear right away this was something remarkable.”
Hello Games’ Future Ventures
Presently engaged in developing Light No Fire—a collaborative survival adventure set within an expansive fantasy realm comparable to Earth—Hello Games continues to support its acclaimed franchise No Man’s Sky through frequent updates and expansions (with significant success evident). With Stage Fright marked as its first venture into third-party publishing territory , it’s essential to note this does not signify a complete transition away from game development.
Image Source: Ghost Town Games
A Shared Passion for Creativity
“While we can offer various forms of support based on our extensive experience at Hello Games,” Woodley noted candidly,” it genuinely excites us to collaborate creatively with such talented individuals we thoroughly enjoy being around.” Upon experiencing an early iteration of Stage Fright, they felt echoes of excitement similar to what they had when first approaching Overcooked all those years ago—it’s clearly a project they’d like involvement in moving forward.
The Road Ahead: Anticipate More Updates Soon!
Keen gamers should stay tuned as further information regarding Stage Fright is expected over the next year.