Obliteracers

Factsheet

Developer:
Space Dust Studios / Varkian Empire
Based in Melbourne, Australia

Release date:
2016

Platforms:
PC (Steam)
Xbox One
PlayStation 4

Website:
obliteracers.com

Regular Price:

USD14.99

Description

Intergalactic party racing mayhem! Obliteracers is an award-winning same-screen party racer for up to 16 players. Race brutal-cute aliens on exotic planets, using weapon powerups and physics-based vehicles to annihilate your competition in frantic round-based combat. Connect spare gamepads, laptops and smart devices as extra controllers. Stragglers will be eliminated... only one alien shall prevail!

History

Obliteracers (formerly Space Dust Racers) was an inevitable project. The studio directors grew up with couch multiplayer classics like Micro Machines, Mashed, Crash Team Racing and Mario Kart. Now with children of their own, they wanted to relive those golden gaming experiences and bring their kids along for the ride. During gaming nights with close friends, the team also noticed a distinct lack of same-screen combat racing games that supported more than 4 players. They saw an opportunity to create a product that met the needs of both audiences, and began work on their debut game, allowing smartphones and laptops to be used as extra controllers. Taking reference from titles like Worms and Ratchet & Clank, they refined a "brutal cute" art style that would appeal to family gamers and core gamers alike. The studio began prototyping Obliteracers, leveraging their past AAA experience with multiplayer, smartphone tech, sci-fi and vehicular gameplay. They then pitched to investors within Australia and abroad. Their concept was approved by Film Victoria Australia, allowing them to produce a "vertical slice" demo which featured one track and two characters from the final game. This caught the attention of Microsoft and Sony at GDC, who registered them shortly after as developers for Xbox One and PlayStation 4. While Obliteracers is in production, the team are blogging candidly about their workflow and challenges.

Features

• Addictive combat racing for all ages featuring brutal-cute aliens, exotic locations and absurd weapon powerups
• Squeeze 16 local players onto the same screen using gamepads, laptops and smart devices as extra controllers (PC only)
• Battle friends and family on the couch, compete against others online, or play solo in career mode
• Highly-customisable party game modes with dozens of gameplay modifiers and presets for endless variety
• Simple controls for newcomers, with advanced strategies for veteran players
• Drop-in drop-out multiplayer for parties