I’m unsure if this is good news or bad news, but Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs has been delayed into early 2013. Creative director Dan Pinchbeck of thechineseroom broke the news in an interview with GameZone.
“The quality of the game is the absolute first, last, and always with this development, and we felt it could do with a few more months' work to make sure that's really going to happen,” he said.
thechineseroom was also responsible for the spooky, beautiful Dear Esther from earlier this year.
Pinchbeck confirmed the delay to me in an email this morning, and teased the next couple of months.
“The fat just ain't dripping off the bones yet,” he told me. “But we'll definitely have more to show in the not too distant future.”
Clearly, Pinchbeck pushed back A Machine for Pigs because I haven’t written about Amnesia yet. (Soon.)
It’s part of my job to know about games, even when I’d like to join the chorus of people in a media blackout. A Machine For Pigs is a game that falls into that camp for me, and while I’m not actively avoiding it, I’m also not interested in knowing every detail prior to its release. It’s why the reason A Machine For Pigs exists surprised me.
“Frictional are working on a new game but wanted to get another Amnesia out and didn't have time to do it, so they were looking for a studio to take it on,” said Pinchbeck. “We know each other anyway, mutual fans, and we just got talking. It cemented over a few beers at GDCE last year, and we got cracking. Frictional are executive producers for the project, and we're making the game. It's a lot of fun.”
Yes, fun. That describes Amnesia. Fun.