10 Years of Journey: A Week in Games Special

March 13, 2022

Hi all!

Welcome to the first Week in Games: Special Edition! A one-off issue celebrating 10 years of ThatGameCompany's masterpiece, Journey.

Released on March 13th 2012 and created in conjunction with Santa Monica Studio, Journey was the last of a three-game deal penned with Sony which previously saw Flow and Flower hit the PlayStation 3 in 2006 and 2009 respectively. Both were slow-paced 'non-games' with loose objectives and unique, relaxed gameplay. And both were stunning from an audio/visual point of view. This focus on aesthetics - alongside the sense of wonder found in Flow's growing organisms and in Flower's bursting colours - would reach its peak with Journey.

The entire game was designed with subtraction in mind - to remove as many elements as possible so that the core experience would be left to shine brightly. There are no mission markers, maps, quest lists, NPCs, cutscenes, or leader boards here. Nor are there items, weapons, or traditional combat. Only a stunning world, fluid controls, and visual cues to subtly guide you towards the game's end.

"We build our games like a Japanese garden, where the design is perfect if you cannot remove anything else. I think that by doing that, the voice of your work is more coherent. If you have a lot of clutter on top the work may be more impressive, but you won't really know what it's trying to say"

- Jenova Chen

Journey took everything that was good about the studio's previous titles and upped the scale dramatically. But it also added something that elevated the game far beyond its predecessors; co-op play. Of course co-op was nothing new at the time, but the way in which Journey integrates it into the game was what made it truly unique. Other travellers like yourself appear sporadically throughout the game, but there is very little to suggest that these are actually other players until a list of online user IDs that you have crossed paths with appears at the game's end. In keeping with the game's goal of subtraction, voice chat is not available, nor is there any form of in-game messaging save for the ability to call out short musical notes. It's an incredibly subtle and poignant addition, and the first discovery that these companions are actually other real-life players is one of gaming’s most surprising and affecting revelations.

"We wanted to create an environment where the cooperation is not forced... If you choose to cooperate, then that is the real essence of connecting two players."

- Jenova Chen

Although the finished product is a stunning example of minimalistic game-design, the development process was far from plain-sailing. Sony originally agreed to a one-year development time. This was extended to two when it became obvious the game was far from complete, and then again to a third-year when the team needed even more time to perfect the ending and to increase its emotional connection to the player. The studio fell victim to in-fighting and creative differences, and the extended delay even meant that the studio succombed to bankruptcy and couldn't afford to pay some of its developers during the final months.

Ultimately, the risks and hard work paid off. Journey won over 100 industry awards, its soundtrack was nominated for a Grammy, and it became the fastest-selling PlayStation Network game to date.

Journey is one of gaming's true masterpieces. More experience than game, its stunning art, score, and design combine to create something truly special. Something timeless.

NEWS

The Journey Vinyl soundtrack is back!

Austin Wintory's fully orchestrated score is a wild ride of desolate, haunting, rousing and uplifting music that perfectly encapsulates the mood and atmosphere of the game. It's a masterpiece itself, and was the first video game soundtrack nominated for a Grammy. This new pressing is due to ship in Q2 2023

Check out the soundtrack trailer:

And listen to the entire thing on Spotify!

Listen to Journey (Original Video Game Soundtrack) on Spotify. Austin Wintory · Album · 2012 · 18 songs.

Journey is on sale!

Whether it's to coincide with the game's anniversary or just by chance, Journey is currently on sale for the price of a London pint. It’s an absolute steal, so if you haven't played it yet, now's your chance!

£5.69 on Steam - Until March 17

£5.99 on PlayStation Store - Until March 23

£7.49 on Epic Games Store - Until March 17

GAMING ANNIVERSARIES

Journey is 10 years old!

In case you hadn't realised by now, Journey is 10 years old!

Click below to see what people on Twitter had to say about it...

RECOMMENDED READS

For this special issue of The Week in Games we have interviews with ThatGameCompany CEO Jenova Chen and many of the game's leads discussing its release back in 2012, a couple of recent retrospectives covering its impact, an incredible deep-dive into game design by Nick Harper for The Guardian, and a Eurogamer piece from 2018 discussing the making of the game with its creators.

Brendan Sinclair - GamesIndustryBiz (2022)

In this interview with Brendan Sinclair of GamesIndustryBiz, ThatGameCompany CEO and Journey creative director Jenova Chen discusses what the game meant to players and to himself, both personally and professionally.

Lewis Gordon - The Ringer (2022)

An excellent article and interview with many of the game's leads as they discuss the making of Journey and the impact it has had on the industry.

Johnny Cullen - Eurogamer (from 2018)

Jenova Chen, Robin Hunicke, and Kellee Santiago discuss the making of Journey with Eurogamer's Johnny Cullen.

Nick Harper - The Guardian (from 2012)

A remarkable article by then-Codemasters Design Director Nick Harper for The Guardian sees him analyse all aspects of the game's design. A must read for fans of both Journey and game design in general.

Dean Takahashi - VentureBeat (from 2012)

An illuminating interview with co-founder and then-president of Thatgamecompany Kellee Santiago conducted in March 2012 - just a few days before the game's release.

Ed Smith - GameDeveloper (from Gamasutra 2012)

The Thatgamecompany co-founder explains exactly how he thinks games need to change and why, at a small studio, he's confident he's in the right spot to innovate and bring artistic depth.

ART SHOWCASE

Official Journey concept art.

And that's it for this special edition of The Week in Games!

I'll leave you with a video of one of my favourite parts of the game; a sand-surfing sequence that perfectly encapsulates Journey's sense of flow and momentum - its Nintendo-like joy of movement, and its ability to unceremoniously dump you into some of gaming's most spectacular environments.

Please support The Week in Games!

If you enjoyed this issue, I’d be delighted if you would consider forwarding this email to anybody you think may like it, or by sharing this link on social media! Thank you :)

I'm always looking at ways to improve this newsletter, so if you have any comments, suggestions, or enquiries please reply to this email directly, write to [email protected], or catch me on Twitter!

Thanks again, and I hope to see you next week!