It has been a busy week for UK developer Compulsion Games. First, it announced that its popular action adventure title, We Happy Few, was poised to leave Early Access and launch on April 13th. It also announced that it was now coming to PS4 in addition to Xbox One and PC, and had picked up a publisher in Gearbox Publishing. On top of all of this, it also revealed a Season Pass, pre-order bonuses, a retail release, a new trailer, and more.
It was a slab of announcements that showcased the developer’s growth and ambitions with the title, growth and ambitions that have been helped by its successful time in Early Access on PC and Xbox One.
In an interview with Engadget, Compulsion Games’ founder Guillaume Provost divulged that the money generated in Early Access enabled the team to bring on veteran staff from industry heavyweights such as Ubisoft, PlayStation, Square Enix, and Warner Bros.
The increase in staff wasn’t just a marginal one either, as the team’s headcount has grown from a humble seven people to far more ambitious 40 people.
Provost reveals the following to the aforementioned outlet:
“Early access didn’t just help shape the overall direction and focus of the game, it shaped the very fabric and makeup of our team. It allows us to bring the game’s story campaign to a level of sophistication and depth that would have otherwise been out of reach.”
As you may know, We Happy Few first garnered buzz back in 2015, thanks to a successful Kickstarter where the developer raised $334,754 across more than 7,000 backers. According to Provost, the team spends more than that $334,754 sum each month — another testament to how much it and its ambitions for its game have grown.
We Happy Few will cost $59.99 USD when it hits PS4, Xbox One, and PC. It will be available at both retail and digitally, and also will be obtainable via a $149.99 USD Collector’s Edition.