PlayerUnknown Productions is set to launch its latest survival game, Prologue: Go Wayback!, marking the beginning of an ambitious journey toward creating a comprehensive digital metaverse. As the gaming community anticipates its early access release, the developers aim to establish a foundational platform that extends beyond traditional gameplay, integrating advanced technological solutions for future expansion.
Past releases from PlayerUnknown Productions have primarily focused on expanding existing game universes, such as PUBG. This new project diverges by introducing a long-term vision centered on multiple digital worlds and addressing complex technological challenges. Unlike previous titles that built upon established success, Prologue: Go Wayback! ventures into uncharted territories with the goal of innovating the metaverse concept.
What Are Brendan Greene’s Long-Term Goals?
“The bigger vision is creating an Open Source Engine to create digital places,” Brendan Greene, creator of PUBG explains. “Like multiple digital worlds for everyone. The three steps or three games are basically solving technology challenges, the first being the terrain.”
Greene envisions a three-phase approach starting with terrain development, followed by testing massively multiplayer environments, and ultimately integrating these elements into a unified 3D internet. He estimates this ambitious project will take approximately 10 to 15 years to realize fully.
How Is ‘Prologue’ Different from Other Survival Games?
Prologue: Go Wayback! distinguishes itself with its challenging survival mechanics, including harsh weather conditions and stringent hunger systems. Unlike many survival games that incorporate narrative elements, Prologue focuses purely on survival and objective completion, aiming to serve as a technological showcase rather than catering to a broad audience.
What Are the Funding Strategies for the Project?
“We’re looking to raise some funding so we insulate the team from having to turn a profit too soon,” Greene states. “If Prologue doesn’t do well, I want them to be insulated. It happens to too many studios, the vision gets lost because they have to make something that turns over profit.”
To sustain the long-term development, Greene is seeking various funding sources to ensure the team remains focused on innovation rather than immediate profitability, thereby preserving the project’s original vision.
The developers plan to maintain financial stability by securing adequate funding, allowing them to refine Prologue without the pressure of monetizing prematurely. This strategy aims to prevent the project from being compromised by commercial demands, ensuring that the team’s creative and technical objectives remain intact.
PlayerUnknown Productions intends to release multiple updates post-launch, similar to the approach taken by No Man’s Sky, to continually enhance the game based on community feedback. This commitment to ongoing development underscores the company’s dedication to building a robust and evolving digital environment.
By prioritizing technological advancements and community-driven improvements, Prologue: Go Wayback! aims to set a precedent for future projects. The focus on an open-source engine and extensive scalability could provide valuable insights and frameworks for other developers exploring similar digital frontier ambitions.
