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Sky (video game)

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Sky: Children of the Light
Official poster for the game, featuring two characters holding hands underneath the game's title
Official poster
Developer(s)Thatgamecompany
Publisher(s)Thatgamecompany
Director(s)Jenova Chen
Artist(s)Yui Tanabe
Jacky Ke Jiang
Writer(s)Jennie Kong
Composer(s)Vincent Diamante
EnginePhyreEngine (modified)
Platform(s)
ReleaseiOS
July 18, 2019
Android
April 7, 2020
Nintendo Switch
June 29, 2021
PlayStation 4
December 6, 2022
Windows
April 10, 2024 (early access)
Genre(s)Adventure, art game
Mode(s)Multiplayer

Sky: Children of the Light (shortened to Sky in-game) is a social adventure game by Thatgamecompany. It was first released for iOS on July 18, 2019.[1] An Android version was later released on April 7, 2020,[2] and a Nintendo Switch version was released on June 29, 2021,[3][4][5][6] followed by a PlayStation 4 release on December 6, 2022,[7] and a Microsoft Windows release via Steam Early Access on April 10, 2024.[8] A separate version of the game was released for Mainland China on Android and iOS devices that is co-developed and published by NetEase.[9]

Gameplay

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In Sky, players explore a once-prosperous kingdom using a cape that allows them to fly. The in-game world consists of seven unique realms, each with a variety of areas to explore, and a theme representing different stages of life. There is also Home, a small island which serves as the world hub and the starting point for the player. Throughout the world, players encounter "spirits" that allow them to unlock items in return for in-game currency, and "children of light" that give players "winged light." When a player has collected enough winged light, their cape level goes up, allowing them to fly farther.

The game places heavy focus on social mechanics. Players are able to meet and befriend one another, and can unlock new abilities such as chat and sending gifts as their friendship grows. There are also many cosmetic items to collect including capes, masks, hairstyles, hats, pants, shoes, playable musical instruments, expressions, and more. These items can be obtained using in-game currency or, in some cases, purchased with real money. Some cosmetics are only available to select players, such as the original beta cape, only available to those who played the beta version prior to the full release of the game.

Sky has multiple in-game currencies. "Candles" are the main currency of Sky, and are exchanged with spirits and friends in return for items and abilities. Candles are obtained by collecting pieces of light (called wax in game) and forging them, or by purchasing them for real money. "Hearts" are the social currency of Sky, and are obtained when players receive gifts from others, or can be bought directly from spirits with candles. Hearts are primarily used to purchase cosmetic items from spirits. "Ascended candles" are the rarest currency in Sky, which are rewarded to players for giving their winged light to "The fallen" at the end of the game. Ascended candles are exchanged with spirits for "wing buffs," which give players extra Winged Light, or can be used to upgrade friendship and purchase various spells such as height alteration and cape recharge. Another form of currency called "Event Currency", introduced in the 0.21.5 update, is a type of currency that is only available for specific events. Event Currency was created to bring equity to newer players and allow for event-specific in-game currency (IGC) items to be obtained easier.

Development

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The game was developed and published by American studio Thatgamecompany over the course of seven years, developing a custom game engine based on their previous work on PlayStation titles, to initially support the Apple Metal API, later expanding it to add support for other platforms as well.[10][11] The game servers are hosted on Amazon Web Services infrastructure (credited in-game as AWS),[12] with parts of the backend being written in Erlang in cooperation with Amber Studio.[13]

Seasons and events

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Sky features ongoing seasonal events, with new storylines and unique spirits and items. Seasons and events in the game follow a freemium strategy, where some of the cosmetics sold by spirits require a paid "Season Pass" or via microtransactions from the in-game shop. The seasons have a unique currency called "seasonal candles," which can be used to purchase seasonal items and are converted to regular candles when the season ends. Seasonal spirits may return as "Traveling Spirits" in the future, which players can give their candles and hearts to receive seasonal items for a limited time, albeit at a higher price.

Music

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Sky features an orchestral score composed by Vincent Diamante, with some tracks performed by FAME'S Macedonian Symphonic Orchestra.[14][15] Norwegian singer Aurora also provides the vocals for the game's intro and outro songs.[16] The game utilizes FMOD for dynamic music and sound playback.[17]

Four volumes of soundtrack albums have been released. The first volume covers more recognizable music from the base game cycle.[18] The second volume contains mostly ambient background music, and the third includes various pieces composed for Sky's Seasonal Events.[19]

Charity

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In 2020, Thatgamecompany held some in-game events in support of charity. First was the "Days of Nature" event, in celebration of Earth Day, during which a unique IAP (in-app purchase) was available. Proceeds from each purchase of the IAP were used to plant one tree per purchase, in partnership with the OneTreePlanted charity. This event resulted in a total of 40,576 trees planted across the Amazonian and Australian forests damaged by wildfires.[20] In April 2021, Sky hosted its second "Days of Nature" event, using the game to promote awareness towards plastic pollution of the ocean.[21]

In May 2020, Thatgamecompany hosted a "Days of Healing" event to help raise money for the Médecins Sans Frontières organization,[22] after which Thatgamecompany donated US$719,138 to the MSF COVID-19 Crisis Fund.[23] For the event, Thatgamecompany also joined the World Health Organization's #PlayApartTogether campaign.[22]

In June 2020, Sky held its first "Days of Rainbow" event, featuring colorful rainbow items and spells as a way to celebrate pride month. The second "Days of Rainbow" event the following year gathered funds for The Trevor Project and the Global Fund for Women, with players raising $794,420 in total.[24]

Reception

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Review aggregator Metacritic awarded the game an 82 out of 100 based on 18 reviewers, as well as awarding it the number one shared iOS game of 2019, number three most discussed iOS game of 2019, and number 13 best iOS game of 2019.[33]

Game Informer scored the game an 8.5 out of 10 stating "Sky is a refreshingly moving and robust game on the iOS platform, and one best shared with others – especially folks who might not normally pick up a video game."[25] GameSpot scored the game an 8 out of 10, giving exceptional praise to the visuals, animations and musical scores, however admitting that "return visits to previous environments aren't nearly as captivating as your first trip."[26] IGN scored the game an 8.5 out of 10, likening the game to its predecessor as "a bigger and bolder follow-up that expands on what made Journey so great."[27] Destructoid, like many other reviewers praised how it's a game that "most everyone should experience", was however highly critical of the touch controls and the lack of control it gave of your character, going as far to suggest that "most everyone should wait for a console or PC release" to play the game.[34] Nintendo Life scored the Switch version 8 out of 10, sharing the same praise as other reviewers, though highlighting that the simplistic gameplay may not keep players engaged in the long term, and how the option to toggle the FPS from 60 to 30 is objectively worse and provides only minor improvements.[29]

Accolades

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The game won Apple's iPhone game of the year for 2019.[35] On October 5, 2020, Gamasutra reported that the game had topped 50 million downloads worldwide.[36] Pocket Gamer awarded it the People's Choice award in 2020.[37] At Gamescom 2023, it won Games for Impact and Best Mobile Game.[38]

Sky additionally holds two Guinness World Records for "Most Users in a Concert-Themed World" and "Most Players Emoting Together at the Same Time in a Video Game". These records were set as part of a virtual concert featuring Norwegian singer Aurora, in which thousands of players could interact with the concert and each other simultaneously.[39]

Year Award Category Result Ref
2019 2019 Golden Joystick Awards Mobile Game of the Year Nominated [40]
The Game Awards 2019 Best Mobile Game Nominated [41]
2020 New York Game Awards A-Train Award for Best Mobile Game Nominated [42]
23rd Annual D.I.C.E. Awards Portable Game of the Year Nominated [43]
NAVGTR Awards Game, Original Family Nominated [44]
Original Light Mix Score, New IP Nominated
Game Developers Choice Awards Best Mobile Game Nominated [45][46]
Audience Award Won
SXSW Gaming Awards Mobile Game of the Year Won [47]
18th Annual G.A.N.G. Awards Best Music for an Indie Game Nominated [48]
Best Sound Design in a Casual/Social Game Nominated
Best Music in a Casual Game Nominated
Best Original Song ("Constellation") Nominated
Webby Award Apps, Mobile, and Voice: Best Visual Design - Aesthetic Won [49]
Apple Design Awards Outstanding Design and Innovation Won [50]
International Mobile Gaming Awards Grand Prix Won [51]
Games for Change Awards Best Gameplay Won [52]
G4C People's Choice Award Won

Animated adaptation

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On March 27, 2022, during AnimeJapan 2022, an animated project was announced.[53]

On August 26, 2023, IGN published an article[54] announcing a teaser to the animated series, and the name, Sky: The Two Embers.

References

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  1. ^ "Sky: Children of the Light Is Out Now!". thatgamecompany Official Blog. July 18, 2019. Archived from the original on April 11, 2020. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  2. ^ "Sky: Children of the Light Out on Google Play Now!". thatgamecompany Official Blog. April 7, 2020. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  3. ^ "Promising New Game Sky: Children Of The Light Prepares Its Nintendo Switch Debut With This Trailer – NintendoHill". nintendohill.com. June 22, 2021. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
  4. ^ "Sky: Children of the Light's console release starts on Nintendo Switch". thatgamecompany Official Blog. March 17, 2020.
  5. ^ "Sky: Children Of Light On Switch Is The Latest Game Delayed By COVID-19". GameSpot. August 26, 2020.
  6. ^ "Sky: Children of the Light for Switch launches June 29". Gematsu. June 10, 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
  7. ^ "Indies highlights coming to PS4 & PS5 in December 2022". December 1, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  8. ^ "Sky: Children of the Light Soars Onto PC". April 10, 2024. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
  9. ^ "How can I play Sky on an Android device in China? — Sky: Children of the Light Help Center". thatgamecompany.helpshift.com. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  10. ^ "Behind the Design: Sky: Children of the Light". Apple Developer. July 17, 2020. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  11. ^ "[ICYMI] We look back at 'Sky: Children of the Light' as the game achieves 50m global installs". MCV. October 6, 2020. ISSN 1469-4832. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  12. ^ Stevenson, Matt; Kolekar, Hetal (December 5, 2023). "How thatgamecompany Fosters Human Connections Through Innovative Technology & Developer Mindset | AWS for Games Blog". aws.amazon.com. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
  13. ^ "Sky - A Custom Engineering Case Study". amberstudio.com. August 14, 2019. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
  14. ^ "Sky: Children of the Light". FAMES. 2021. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  15. ^ Diamante, Vincent [@vincentdiamante] (August 1, 2020). "The game's soundtrack comes from many different places. Ten of the Vol. 1 tracks were recorded with FAME'S Macedonian Symphonic Orchestra, but other tracks were performed and recorded by me on my computer, often with some live instruments individually recorded" (Tweet). Retrieved September 11, 2021 – via Twitter.
  16. ^ Chan, Trevor (August 3, 2020). "Soundtrack to Sky: Children of the Light available now". Gaming Audio News. Wordpress. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  17. ^ "Using sound design to tell a story". fmod.com. September 16, 2019. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  18. ^ Diamante, Vincent [@vincentdiamante] (August 2, 2020). "If you've been keeping track: yes, there are a LOT of game tracks that didn't make the leap from the game to this particular volume of soundtrack. Part of it is consistency of tone and arc of listening experience, so we omitted the more 'ambient' BGM that players come across" (Tweet). Retrieved September 11, 2021 – via Twitter.
  19. ^ "Sky Original Game Soundtrack Volumes 2 & 3 as Sky Celebrates Second Anniversary". Sky. thatgamecompany, Inc. July 14, 2021. Archived from the original on September 20, 2021. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  20. ^ "UPDATE on 'Days of Healing' and 'Days of Nature' Events!". Sky. thatgamecompany, Inc. July 27, 2020. Archived from the original on July 31, 2020. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  21. ^ "Launch Update: Days of Nature". Sky. thatgamecompany, Inc. April 15, 2021. Archived from the original on June 15, 2021. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  22. ^ a b "Sky: Days of Healing Event". thatgamecompany. thatgamecompany, Inc. May 13, 2020. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  23. ^ "Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Update". Sky. thatgamecompany, Inc. April 13, 2021. Archived from the original on June 15, 2021. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  24. ^ "Days of Rainbow 2021 Charity Update". Sky. thatgamecompany, Inc. July 5, 2021. Archived from the original on September 11, 2021. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  25. ^ a b Miller, Matt. "Sky: Children Of The Light Review – The Next Logical Leap". Game Informer. Archived from the original on July 19, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  26. ^ a b Barbosa, Alessandro. "Sky: Children Of The Light Review - Flying Free". GameSpot. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  27. ^ a b Jagneaux, David (July 20, 2019). "Sky: Children of the Light Review". IGN. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  28. ^ mrderiv (July 28, 2019). "Sky : Children of the Light est-il le digne successeur de Journey ?". Jeuxvideo.com (in French). Retrieved May 26, 2021.
  29. ^ a b Reynolds, Ollie (July 3, 2021). "Review: Sky: Children of the Light - An Experience That Soars On Switch". Nintendo Life. Retrieved July 4, 2021.
  30. ^ Sullivan, Dann (July 22, 2019). "Sky: Children of the Light review - "Transcends the standards of the platformer genre"". Pocketgamer. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  31. ^ "Sky: Children of the Light for iPhone/iPad Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  32. ^ "Sky: Children of the Light for Switch Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  33. ^ "Sky: Children of the Light for iPhone/iPad Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  34. ^ "Review: Sky: Children of the Light". Destructoid. July 28, 2019. Archived from the original on September 28, 2019. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
  35. ^ "Apple celebrates the best apps and games of 2019". Apple Newsroom. December 2, 2019.
  36. ^ Kerr, Chris (October 5, 2020). "Sky: Children of the Light has topped 50 million installs worldwide". Gamasutra. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
  37. ^ "The winners of 2020". Pocket Gamer. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
  38. ^ "gamescom award: the award for the best games of the year". b2b.gamescom.global. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  39. ^ Rees, Lewis (September 12, 2023). "Sky: Children of Light sets two new world records with in-game Aurora concert". pocketgamer.biz. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  40. ^ "Golden Joystick Awards 2019". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on September 28, 2019. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
  41. ^ Winslow, Jeremy (November 19, 2019). "The Game Awards 2019 Nominees Full List". GameSpot. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
  42. ^ Sheehan, Gavin (January 2, 2020). "The New York Game Awards Announces 2020 Nominees". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
  43. ^ Chalk, Andy (January 13, 2020). "Control and Death Stranding get 8 nominations each for the 2020 DICE Awards". PC Gamer. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
  44. ^ "2019 Nominees". National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers. January 13, 2020. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
  45. ^ Shanley, Patrick (January 8, 2020). "'Death Stranding' Leads Game Developers Choice Awards Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 8, 2020.
  46. ^ Makuch, Eddie (March 18, 2020). "Untitled Goose Game Wins Another Game Of The Year Award". GameSpot. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  47. ^ Watkins, Gary (March 24, 2020). "Announcing the 2020 SXSW Gaming Awards Winners". South by Southwest. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  48. ^ "Awards Archive". Game Audio Network Guild. August 2, 2023. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  49. ^ "Webby Awards: Sky: Children of the Light". The Webby Awards. May 19, 2020. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  50. ^ "Apple honors eight developers with annual Apple Design Awards". Apple Newsroom. June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  51. ^ Partleton, Kayleigh (August 3, 2020). "Call of Duty: Mobile takes home two accolades at International Mobile Gaming Awards". pocketgamer.biz. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  52. ^ "G4C Awards". Archived from the original on June 14, 2021. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  53. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (March 27, 2022). "thatgamecompany's Sky: Children of the Light Game Gets Animation Project". Anime News Network. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  54. ^ Bankhurst, Adam (August 26, 2023). "Sky: The Two Embers Teaser Shows Off the Animated Series Based on Sky: Children of the Light". IGN. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
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