It’s official: Wildflower Interactive, the studio Straley founded, will unveil its first game this Thursday, December 11th, live during the show.
A Naughty Dog Legend Goes Indie
For those unfamiliar with his incredible resume, Bruce Straley is a titan in the industry. During his long tenure at Naughty Dog, he served as co-director on certified masterpieces like Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, The Last of Us, and Uncharted 4: A Thief's End. That is a hall-of-fame career right there.
After leaving the AAA grind behind in 2017, Straley re-emerged in 2022 to announce the formation of Wildflower Interactive. His goal was to create a different kind of studio: fully remote, collaborative, and focused on making "small-ish, creatively-charged, uniquely-stylized games." This new direction is precisely what makes this TGA reveal so exciting. We're not getting another gritty cinematic blockbuster; we're getting something entirely new and "unlike any you've played before," as he's hinted.
What the Teaser Tells Us
TGA host Geoff Keighley recently dropped a short 30-second teaser confirming the announcement. While short on concrete details, it gave us a tantalizing glimpse into the game’s aesthetic and atmosphere:
Cel-Shaded Style: The visuals feature a beautiful, painterly, cel-shaded art style, a huge departure from the hyper-realism of The Last of Us or Uncharted.
Atmosphere: The clip focuses on a vibrant forest, with the sounds of wind and wildlife, and a bird perched on a wooden sign.
A Whisper of a Character: The only hint of humanity is a faintly heard voice encouraging someone to "come on," suggesting a narrative component is still very much at the heart of the experience.
This teaser definitely points toward an indie-style adventure, perhaps a narrative-driven exploration game, which is totally in line with the studio's mandate of focusing on unique, creatively charged experiences.
The Game Awards is Absolutely Stacked
Straley’s reveal joins an already packed schedule for The Game Awards 2025. Not only are we getting a look at Wildflower's debut, but we've also got new trailers for big names like the PS5 exclusive Saros and Capcom's highly anticipated Resident Evil Requiem.
While some fans were hoping the reveal would be a complete surprise, the early teaser has only amplified the hype. All eyes will be on the main event, which kicks off this Thursday, December 11th, at 7:30 PM Eastern with a 30-minute pre-show.
It’s an incredible moment for Straley and his new team. After years of hard work, they finally get to show the world what happens when one of gaming’s greatest minds steps away from the blockbuster machine to create something truly different.
What are your predictions for the title and genre of Wildflower Interactive's debut game? I'd love to read your theories in the comments!
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