LEVEL UP
thatgamecompany spreads kindness through a mobile game, Sky: Children of the Light. by Jacqueline Cucco, associate editor he age-old argument that video games are breeding grounds for violence and trolls is still alive and well, but Sky: Children of the Light is here to counter that. In this social adventure game from thatgamecompany, players can fly through a dreamy sky kingdom where generosity and compassion light the way. The game focuses on developing relationships, completing quests, and, above all, spreading kindness. Gamers play as Sky Children, exploring a serene world above the clouds. As the Sky Children arrive on the mysterious Isle of Dawn, players will discover that the mythical kingdom has perished, along with its light and constellations. The goal of the game is to team up with other Sky Children to spread light back into the realms and constellations. Throughout the game, players
T
90 | Issue No. 4 | THE POP INSIDER
meet spirits who once inhabited the kingdom, and the story of the world unfolds as relationships build between the Sky Children and the spirits. Made by the creators of the game Journey, Sky launches this month as a mobile game for iOS. thatgamecompany is working to develop the game for Android, PC, and console as well. “While Journey is a focus on the ‘joys and hardships’ of life itself, we wanted to create a new game that was focused on gratitude and giving back to others,” says Eileen Hollinger, executive producer of thatgamecompany. “This was really the seed of the emotion of Sky, and how it grew to be a game that was centered around compassion and generosity in its theme, design, and gameplay.” Sky players can team up online to create
their own stories and explore the kingdom together. The game is designed around collaboration as players complete quests to uncover what happened to their civilizations, unlock expressions, and grow the abilities of their characters. Sky is free to download and play, with in-game purchases available to give away as digital gifts between players. “It was important to us to create a culture and economy built around gratitude and gifting,” Hollinger says. “In that spirit, our primary in-game purchases are candles that can be gifted to other players (three candles can be offered as a rare heart in the game).” When players gift a candle, they are rewarded by receiving a heart, which can be used to obtain items. Players can connect their candles to other players’ to “spread light.” Sky will also offer seasonal content
Sky: Children of the Light is a social adventure game about spreading kindness.