[Interview] Moon Studios on the process of bringing Ori and the Will of the Wisps on Switch; iam8bit talks collector’s edition, reception, more

How did iam8bit first get involved with Moon Studios and the Ori games?

Jon: Just like everyone else, we were big fans of Ori and the Blind Forest upon initial release, so we reached out to Moon and Microsoft about releasing the soundtrack on vinyl. That was many moons ago – no pun intended – and our relationship has only grown since then. We’ve now released the Ori and Will of the Wisps soundtrack on wax, in addition to publishing the game on Switch digitally and physically.

Everything we create at iam8bit is based on relationships. Just because a game is super popular doesn’t mean it makes sense for us to work on, because for us, it’s not just a business decision – it’s a choice about creative collaboration. We get along very well with our pals at both Moon and Microsoft, and have relished the opportunity to help introduce Ori to more fans.

What went into deciding the goodies to include in the Ori Collector’s Edition such as the glass style art piece?

Amanda: We knew that, together with Moon, we’d be able to create something very special, unlike anything that’s been part of a collector’s edition before now. Our mission at iam8bit is to always make things that add to the mythology of a brand, rather than to just create what we call “shelf drivel” – you know, the stuff that collects dust on your shelf because once it arrives to you, it goes on your shelf, never to be touched or admired again. There are way too many items in collector’s editions that are just carbon copies of everything else on the market – we like to be more original than that.

The reason we’re able to bring artifacts like this to life is because we spend a ridiculous amount of time and energy prototyping and developing ideas. That approach simply doesn’t make sense for most companies, who only have their eye on the bottom line.. We care so much about what we release, because collecting shouldn’t just be about having “a thing,” but instead, should be about cherishing an object because it’s an intimate and meaningful extension of your own special relationship with a game.

TL;DR Figuring out how to make a stained glass style art piece as part of the Collector’s Edition was impossibly challenging, because no one had ever done it before. At the end of the day, we’re so very proud of the hard work that the iam8bit and Moon teams put into this, to ensure that holding it in your hands was a massively cathartic moment.

iam8bit has been known to put out special physical versions of games, but now the company has gone full publisher by also working on the digital release of Ori and the Will of the Wisps. Can you talk more about the move into the publishing space?

Jon: We’re celebrating 15 years of iam8bit in 2020, and if you look at the history of the company, while it all seems to make sense in retrospect, we’ve come out of left field on a lot of things that are now commonplace.

iam8bit was the very first pop culture art show ever, and a lot of people told us we were crazy for thinking that anyone would buy a painting of a video game character. Now there are hundreds of pop culture art shows a year around the world, but we started that trend.

Same thing with vinyl soundtracks. Outside of a composer like Jim Gutherie who was personally funding the release of his own albums on vinyl, there were no labels dedicated to game soundtracks on wax when we started doing it 10 years ago. Now there are dozens of specialty labels dedicated to game tunes, but iam8bit took the plunge first, before others felt it was safe to enter what was once considered a very niche market. Now our albums are charting on Billboard!

So while a lot of people warned us that publishing was hard, we’re not taking a standard approach. We’ll continue working with our friends at Annapurna Interactive and other indie devs to publish physical games for years to come, but when it comes to digital publishing, our intent is to carve our own path for games that feel at home with iam8bit. We aren’t going to publish a lot of games – we’re being very selective about what makes sense – and the games we do publish are going to be uniquely special to our DNA.

We’ve signed a few games that we’re really excited about, and when we eventually announce them, you’ll be, “Oh yeah, that totally makes sense for iam8bit!”

Having Ori and the Will of the Wisps close out a Nintendo Direct must have been pretty exciting. How has it been working with Nintendo on releasing the Ori games for Switch?

Amanda: We’ve been collaborating with Nintendo since iam8bit began 15 years ago, and our relationship has evolved naturally, through time. It started as a marketing relationship, where we helped produce community events for things like the Nintendo DSi launch or different Mario and Zelda anniversaries through the years.

Then we started publishing physical games on a Nintendo platform, which was in itself, such a cool thing! But being featured in a Nintendo Direct, especially with our very first game as a digital publisher – well, heck – that’s a dream come true!

We couldn’t ask for a better partnership from Nintendo, as they’ve truly supported Ori and the Will of the Wisps on a global scale, to an audience of fans who are really excited about the game.

A very special round of applause is owed to the Nintendo publishing team members around the world, because they are the invisible champions who often get overlooked. Their hard work and tireless hours are what make sure the eShop is populated with rad games. It takes an army to launch a game globally, so imagine how much work it is to launch hundreds upon hundreds of games each year. The Nintendo publishing, marketing and PR teams are warriors!

On a similar note, how supportive has Microsoft been of having the Ori titles on Switch? Were any sort of approvals needed to get the ball rolling on these ports?

Jon: Microsoft has always been an awesome partner, from collaborating on marketing projects through the years to physical releases with Rare like Battletoads, Banjo Kazooie, Conker’s Bad Fur Day and so many others.

Since we already had a relationship and had collaborated on the Ori and the Blind Forest vinyl soundtrack, the conversation happened very naturally regarding bringing Ori and Will of the Wisps over to the Switch. It was, however, quite complicated to get the game to perform optimally on Switch, which Moon will spare no detail in explaining. It’s truly an engineering marvel that it plays as well as it does on Switch – a real showpiece for the console, not just for 2020, but overall. Its 60fps is a sight to behold!

How have the Ori games been selling on Switch? Are you happy with the reception from new fans playing on the system?

Amanda: We are VERY happy with the reception. Sales have been wonderful and continue at a steady pace. It’s been a tremendous success across the world.

Also, Ori and the Will of the Wisps is tied for the “Best Switch Game of 2020” on Metacritic with a score of 93, which is incredible!