After years of development, a couple of re-designs and a few public gaffes later, Fez is finally done.

Designer Phil Fish announced last night on Twitter that Fez would be released via Xbox Live Arcade on a rather appropriate date: April 13. You’ll only be paying 800 Microsoft Points ($10) for it, too.

Fez was first revealed all the way back in 2007, and loosely had a release window several times, only to be delayed over and over again. The game was a source of controversy at this year’s Independent Games Festival, as Fez won for “Excellence in Visual Art” in 2008, which also came with $2,500, and the “Seumas McNally Grand Prize” this year, which came with a much bigger pot: $30,000. The rules on entering twice may change next year.

Fish also made waves around the same time for deeply criticizing Japanese video games during the Q&A session for Indie Game: The Movie, following a question from a Japanese designer in the audience.

In a few weeks, though, we'll have the best way to judge a designer: their game.

After years of development, a couple of re-designs and a few public gaffes later, Fez is finally done.

Designer Phil Fish announced last night on Twitter that Fez would be released via Xbox Live Arcade on a rather appropriate date: April 13. You’ll only be paying 800 Microsoft Points ($10) for it, too.

Fez was first revealed all the way back in 2007, and loosely had a release window several times, only to be delayed over and over again. The game was a source of controversy at this year’s Independent Games Festival, as Fez won for “Excellence in Visual Art” in 2008, which also came with $2,500, and the “Seumas McNally Grand Prize” this year, which came with a much bigger pot: $30,000. The rules on entering twice may change next year.

Fish also made waves around the same time for deeply criticizing Japanese video games during the Q&A session for Indie Game: The Movie, following a question from a Japanese designer in the audience.

In a few weeks, though, we'll have the best way to judge a designer: their game.

Really excited to play this.

looks like a nice game

*throws money*

Take it, please. And $10? A steal.

Finally? Hopefully it'll come to Steam/PSN.

Whoop-de-doo.

::running softball pitch of a wad full of money:: Finally! Gonna play the shit out of this game.

Yes. 10 bucks hell yeah.

Would sure like to give these dudes my ten dollars if the game were say...on other platforms

Sooo yes its turns around and then ? what is this game about ?

GOT HYPE

GREAT PRICE

BEEN WAITING FOR THIS FOR NEARLY 3 YEARS

<3

I guess I'll be buying it in a year when the XBox exclusivity agreement expires and it comes to Steam. A year is too long to hold these games hostage to a single platform. :(

The game's visual style is amazing. I still don't really know how it plays though.

Meh. I have no intention of rewarding Fish's inflated hipster ego.

Looks neat, too bad Phil Fish is a douchebag.

so how much for the PSN version?

oh... what?

Ten bucks you say? Yes I will be buying this.

cant wait to play this. just a shame its not on PC.

Then Japanese game developers said all Phil Fish games suck.

I look forward to not buying this

@Sweetz: I read some of his comments and it seems he doesn't want to do a PC version.

I really want to play this game.

I also feel like this game has received more push, probably unintentionally, from journalists than any other game I can remember in a while. Is it because Phil Fish is always available to say something bananas? Is it entirely because of the game? There's mess talk about how GB was too close to the Bastion, but it feels like the entire media is too close to Fez.

finally! it looks really interesting.

Disasterpeace makes fantastic music. I feel like he should be getting much more recognition than he is for his work on this game.

$10? Crazy awesome! Even shitty and/or short XBLA games these days get the $15 treatment most of the time. I was gladly going to pay $15 for this - $10 sounds like a steal.

Even if Phil acted like a dick, I'll still buy this game. I just want to play good games, so here's hoping Fez was worth the wait.

For anyone so inclined, the achievement list is out too. Yes it's "just" 200 points. Wasn't worth another delay to double it. :)

Wait. It's only for XBL? Bring it to Steam, jesus.

@smokyexe said:

Wait. It's only for XBL? Bring it to Steam, jesus.

he believes this is a game where you should play it with a controller so it's not coming to steam

there are no such things as controllers for PC games you see

I don't know about you guys but I don't approve of the shit Phil Fish likes to run his mouth about and as good as that game looks there is no way I would spend money on it.

@Hailinel said:

Meh. I have no intention of rewarding Fish's inflated hipster ego.

I feel like this is an incredibly hipster thing to say.

@Sweetz: It's not coming to steam. Phil has said that this is a console game and will never come to steam because it "is something you sit on a couch on a saturday morning and relax with. It is not a PC game" We'll see if that holds, but knowing him, he'd rather die than have his game go somewhere else for money.

@Animasta said:

@smokyexe said:

Wait. It's only for XBL? Bring it to Steam, jesus.

he believes this is a game where you should play it with a controller so it's not coming to steam

there are no such things as controllers for PC games you see

Ah, of course. Silly me, for owning a PC and not an Xbox 360. I've been entirely unable to play all of those controller-based games for years!

@Hailinel said:

Meh. I have no intention of rewarding Fish's inflated hipster ego.

I feel like this is an incredibly hipster thing to say.

Been looking forward to this game for while. Can't wait to play is when it comes out. :)

Don't visit the link on his twitter post unless you want free seizures.

@Hailinel: Im sure he will be on street corners soon without your support.

I don't care for this game, trololololo

@BisonHero said:

@Animasta said:

@smokyexe said:

Wait. It's only for XBL? Bring it to Steam, jesus.

he believes this is a game where you should play it with a controller so it's not coming to steam

there are no such things as controllers for PC games you see

Ah, of course. Silly me, for owning a PC and not an Xbox 360. I've been entirely unable to play all of those controller-based games for years!

Makes sense to me. I assume that Steam wouldn't want to release a game that requires you to own a controller to play it without allowing for any kind of keyboard control (disclaimer:no facts were consulted in the making of this assumption), so then the only option would be to not release it.

I mean, the whole notion that you can only enjoy the game with a controller, on your couch, in front of a TV, seem kinda dumb but as long as you buy into that it's what he believes, then it makes sense.

@Hailinel: Im sure he will be on street corners soon without your support.

Game looks very interesting but I don't think it will live to the hype. Also Phil Fish is a fucking asshole so there's that.

Oh yay, the trailer still shows no gameplay.

i still don't get it what exactly is this game about?

@Hailinel said:

@Mesoian

@Hailinel said:

Meh. I have no intention of rewarding Fish's inflated hipster ego.

I feel like this is an incredibly hipster thing to say.

Think that if you like, but I have no desire to support him.

As you wish. It's fine as long as you're doing it out of disinterest or apathy rather than out of spite against any words against the glorious ideals of the infallible or unflappable nippon. Though he said what he said in a pretty jerky way, I think he was 100% correct. Most of the Japanese developers who are still making things worth playing seem to agree as well.

Oh yay, the trailer still shows no gameplay.

@Hailinel said:

@Bourbon_Warrior

@Hailinel: Im sure he will be on street corners soon without your support.

I don't care one way or the other.

Yet you commented on this to let the people know that your not buying it. Heil Halinel

@RockmanBionics said:

@BisonHero said:

@Animasta said:

@smokyexe said:

Wait. It's only for XBL? Bring it to Steam, jesus.

he believes this is a game where you should play it with a controller so it's not coming to steam

there are no such things as controllers for PC games you see

Ah, of course. Silly me, for owning a PC and not an Xbox 360. I've been entirely unable to play all of those controller-based games for years!

Makes sense to me. I assume that Steam wouldn't want to release a game that requires you to own a controller to play it without allowing for any kind of keyboard control

You mean like all modern console games after they've been ported over? *ba-dum-tsh*

@Hailinel said:

@Mesoian

@Hailinel said:

Meh. I have no intention of rewarding Fish's inflated hipster ego.

I feel like this is an incredibly hipster thing to say.

Think that if you like, but I have no desire to support him.

As you wish. It's fine as long as you're doing it out of disinterest or apathy rather than out of spite against any words against the glorious ideals of the infallible or unflappable nippon. Though he said what he said in a pretty jerky way, I think he was 100% correct. Most of the Japanese developers who are still making things worth playing seem to agree as well.