We really liked Contrast, Compulsion Games’ previous game about a young girl and her (probably) imaginary friend in the circus. The We Happy Few game looks to be for an older audience, but the concept is intriguing. It’s set in alternate-universe England in the 1960s, in a town that was occupied by Nazis during WWII and is still suffering the psychological aftereffects of that experience. Its people have been taking some kind of drug to improve their mood. Those who do not take the drug—downers—are not well received by society.
We Happy Few is coming to Xbox One and will launch on Xbox One preview this winter. The final game will be released in 2016, said Chris Charla, director of the ID@Xbox indie program, at Gamescom this week. The game will also be available on Windows PC, Mac, and Linux.
Gamescom claims to be “the world’s largest event for interactive entertainment.” It’s in its seventh year, and it’s going on now (ending August 9th) in Cologne, Germany. The huge conference has more than 800 exhibitors from more than 45 countries. Besides the trade show, Gamescom offers game demos and conference sessions. Topics include youth media literacy, media law, business, and gaming culture and research.
