Aardman Animations, the creative studio behind Wallace & Gromit and other iconic stop motion series, is developing a new open-world video game based on an original IP.
The game will focus on "inventive mechanics and compelling characters," according to various job postings on the studio's website, and is described as a "crazy, open-world" game that settles on "3D action-adventure." .
Job postings make a lot of mention of the game's original intellectual property and world-building, and the team strives to create "incredible, fun, surprising, and diverse characters" with a definite lore. Elsewhere, the game is described as emphasizing storytelling and the same "humour, love and craft" for which Aardman's animations have become known.
The listings suggest that the unannounced game will be developed for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
Aardman partnered with a "major publisher" to produce the game. Although no details were given, the studio announced in late 2020 that it had partnered with Bandai Namco to develop an "all-new IP"; the same language used to describe this title.
The three main roles announced are Gameplay Programmer/Technical Designer, Narrative and Level Designer, and Character Artist.
Analysis: A claymation epic based on a story?
Aardman seems to have set the bar very high for this unannounced title. Creating an original IP rooted in a world rich in characters, captivating stories, and the lore that surrounds it is no easy task, and a task that becomes even more difficult when it comes to capturing the charm and humor of the animations well: studio sweethearts.
But Aardman is no stranger to video games. He previously co-developed the narrative adventure game WW1 11-11: Memories Retold, which released in 2018 to positive reception.
As an action-adventure game, this new project seems like quite a different beast that could go in many directions. Unfortunately, as appealing as a full stop-motion video game from the minds behind Chicken Run and Wallace & Gromit might sound, that's probably too much to expect from a small studio.
The unannounced game is unlikely to appear any time soon. Development won't have gone very far if the studio recruits several more senior positions and creates its narrative universe.
If you're desperate for a dose of charming British wit on the small screen, there are plenty of Wallace & Gromit games to play in the meantime. Developer Elite: Dangerous Frontier created the game Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit in 2005, and Telltale developed an episodic series of Wallace & Gromit adventure games in 2009.