The world of video games benefits a lot from collaborations that bring talented minds and creative forces together to make cool projects.
In 2023, we’ve seen amazing collaborations that have transformed the gaming experience and impressed players around the world. From unexpected partnerships to AAA projects, these 5 video game collaborations were the best of the year:
FINAL FANTASY XVI (Square Enix & Sony)
When Final Fantasy XVI was revealed in 2020 as a PlayStation 5 exclusive, it showed that Square Enix and PlayStation were working closely together to bring this highly anticipated game to fans. This collaboration was evident in various showcases, State of Plays, and even PlayStation Blogs, highlighting the importance of Final Fantasy XVI for Sony.
During a visit to Square Enix’s Tokyo offices, producer Naoki Yoshida explained how developer Square Enix approached the game’s exclusivity and its impact on development. Yoshida emphasized that they don’t start game development with the intention of limiting it to one platform or company. They explore different options and offers from various platforms and companies.
After considering all the offers received, Square Enix ultimately chose PlayStation’s offer as the best fit for Final Fantasy XVI. The long-standing relationship between Square Enix and PlayStation, along with the provided benefits, played a significant role in the decision-making process.
The decision to make Final Fantasy XVI exclusive to the PlayStation 5 was driven by Sony’s compelling offer and its dominance in the realm of JRPGs. Sony’s status as a Japanese games/technology company, its extensive global and domestic market presence, and its willingness to invest in game projects and provide closer access to console technology all contribute to its strong position in the genre.
Coreborn (Blankhans & RetroStyle Games)
In the vast world of Ultracore, Blankhans game studio presents Coreborn, a social survival game where players build, expand, and defend their cities. Together with familiar and new friends, you’ll go on an adventure against the elementals and Sorgoth’s enemy attacks.
RetroStyle Games, 3d outsourcing studio, brought their expertise in 3D modeling to bring the world of Coreborn to life. Theit skilled game artists add to the visual attractiveness of this game.
Open-world multiplayer games are definitely today’s trend. Just remember the inspirations of Coreborn games such as Rust and ARK: Survival Evolved. These games were super popular a few years ago and still have their own fan community.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (Respawn Entertainment & Electronic Arts)
Respawn Entertainment, founded by Jason West and Vince Zampella, is an American video game development studio known for its notable works in the industry. In 2014, Respawn released their debut game, the first-person shooter Titanfall, followed by other successful titles such as Apex Legends and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.
Since 2017, Respawn Entertainment has been owned by Electronic Arts (EA), a prominent publisher in the gaming industry. At the same time, we must admit that many players consider EA a “monster” in the game industry. The main problem is that the publishers from Electronic Arts often demand to make lower-quality games in order to maintain regular titles. Microtransactions in most of their games are also a big issue.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is an action-adventure game and the sequel to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (2019). Set five years after the events of the first game, it follows the journey of Cal Kestis, a young Jedi Knight, and his companions as they fight against the oppressive Galactic Empire in their quest for survival.
Developed in collaboration between Respawn Entertainment and Electronic Arts, brings back familiar gameplay mechanics from its predecessor while introducing new elements.
Jedi: Survivor introduces larger and more expansive maps compared to old games from Respawn Entertainment.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Nintendo & Hidemaro Fujibayashi)
The collaboration between Nintendo and Hidemaro Fujibayashi brings forth the highly anticipated game, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, an action-adventure game released in 2023, serves as the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch, this installment builds upon its predecessor’s foundation while expanding the open-world setting of Hyrule. Players once again assume the role of Link as he embarks on a quest to find Princess Zelda and prevent the Demon King from plunging the world into chaos.
Hidemaro Fujibayashi, a renowned Japanese video game designer and director working for Nintendo, has made significant contributions to The Legend of Zelda franchise throughout his career.
Hogwarts Legacy
Warner Bros. Games and Avalanche Software have joined forces to bring fans an exciting new action role-playing game, Hogwarts Legacy. More specifically, Warner Bros. Corporation bought out the studio a few years ago
Developed by Avalanche Software and published under the Warner Bros. Games label, this highly anticipated game is set in the late 1800s, a century before the events of the beloved Harry Potter novels.
Players assume the role of a student enrolled in the prestigious Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, delving into the world of magic and embarking on a journey to uncover an ancient secret hidden within the wizarding world.
Within two weeks of its launch, Hogwarts Legacy sold over 12 million copies worldwide and generated $850 million in sales revenue. By May 5, 2023, the game’s revenue surpassed $1 billion, with 15 million copies sold globally. Critically, Hogwarts Legacy received favorable reviews, with praise for its combat mechanics, cool world design, well-crafted characters, and faithfulness to the source material. However, critics also highlighted technical issues and a lack of innovation in open-world games.
Summary of 2023 game year
In 2023, the gaming world witnessed incredible collaborations that made a lasting impression on players around the world. These partnerships have brought talented minds and creative forces together, resulting in some extraordinary projects. We were able to play interesting games on different topics from top gaming companies.
Collaborative projects like Coreborn have demonstrated the power of teamwork and the ability to create extraordinary experiences for gamers. Each project brought something unique to the table, fascinated players, and left a lively impression on the gaming community.
