We're not going to spoil anything here, but what made you choose the specific break in the story to define where Part 1 ended?īrian: In every Jurassic World film, there's a point where what was already a dangerous situation suddenly gets so much worse, usually through a combination of hubris, chaos, and dinosaurs just doing what comes naturally! We knew there would be several pivotal moments where Mia and Sam's situation goes from bad to worse, to almost impossible to survive. The extra time allowed us to pour far more dinosaurs, cool sequences, and impactful story moments into the project than we ever initially planned. So rather than create something rushed, we made the joint developer-publisher decision to create a shorter, polished experience for the initial release, then start fresh on Part 2 with more development time and greater scope. However, the pandemic and subsequent shift to remote work hamstrung our ambitious production schedule, and even though we had the ideas and gameplay to sustain the playtime, it became clear we could no longer deliver on the quality that players expected, or frankly, the franchise deserved. Jon: The game was conceived in 2019 as a single 6-8 hour VR experience, with a complete story signed-off.

When you were developing the game, did you know you were going to break it off into two parts ahead of time? Or was that more a decision made in development? There were a number of locations and spots on the timeline that were considered, so we helped Coatsink narrow in on a story that weaves in bits of established Jurassic World lore but also gave them room to create a wholly new experience. They had a clear vision of the type of game they wanted to create, but we also wanted to ensure it fits within the established Jurassic World narrative and didn't put any dinosaurs or familiar characters in places or situations that would conflict with what fans already knew. What was it like to initial work on the game and be able to branch off the newly formed universe that Jurassic World had created?īrian: When Coatsink first approached us, it was clear that they're huge fans of the franchise and understood what makes our dinosaurs both awe-inspiring and terrifying.

In particular, it's been extremely gratifying to read so many comments about the art style – how certain players didn't initially think a game with these visuals could be scary, only to put on a headset and be proven so, so wrong.

Our goal was always to try and create the closest possible experience to actually standing on Isla Nublar, combining the wonder and tension of the movies into an unforgettable thrill ride, and the team absolutely delivered. Fortunately, the help and support we received from Brian and the team at Universal Games and Digital Platforms were second to none, and the reception to our new characters and scenarios was positive all around. For my part, it was incredibly daunting creating an original story for one of the world's most beloved franchises, particularly with all the constraints and technicalities of VR while recognizing the dedication and expectations of the fanbase. Jon: The reception to the initial release was fantastic. What's it been like to see the success of the game prior to Part 2 being released?

Jurassic world aftermath