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Combine your biggest loves: your children and Double Fine 15 Feb, 2011 / 34 comments

In a move that's sure to delight parents with a taste for the fine wine that is Double Fine, it's been revealed that the next game to come from Tim Schafer's unstoppable studio is Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster.

The game is being developed exclusively for Kinect, Microsoft's creepy body-reading device for the Xbox 360, which means you get to not only enjoy the exquisite experience of playing a Double Fine game with your children — or by yourself should you be particularly into The Muppets — but you also get to look like a dong get fit while doing so!

On a slightly more forward-thinking note, hopefully Double Fine getting more well-known licenses under its belt will give it the funds and clout it requires to develop more of the kind of games we've all been gagging for the studio to develop (Psychonauts 2).

Whether or not this game is part of the infamous 'Amnesia Fortnight' collection is unclear. Considering Ron Gilbert's experience with children's games it's very much possible he's leading this project, meaning we could still see the promised four games in addition to Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster.

Source: Destructoid

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34 Comments

  • Avatar
    black_sheep on 17 Feb, 2011, 04:50…

    Threepwood42

    BTTF EP 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=998eR-7bxgA&feature=player_embedded !



    It's out! Downloading as I type!!

    Something tells me that they weren't suppose to release it tonight, but it kinda happened. It's out in steam as well.
  • Avatar
    Threepwood42 on 17 Feb, 2011, 02:08…
    BTTF EP 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=998eR-7bxgA&feature=player_embedded !
  • Avatar
    Ascovel on 16 Feb, 2011, 21:39…

    Metallus

    Ascovel

    I wonder how the two-headed baby image will gel in with the Sesame Street muppets. It's a bit too creepy I think.



    http://images.wikia.com/muppet/images/3/3d/Frank_N._Stein.jpg



    Yeah, that would be interesting approach - weaken the shock of seeing a friendly two-headed freak baby through the character of a friendly two-headed dragon.
  • Avatar
    elTee on 16 Feb, 2011, 20:17…
    I'm not so hot on the Kinect, really. It's a cool toy, but I wouldn't buy one, even if I had the money. But DF will do fine out of this, I still remember the tickle-me-Elmo insanity.
  • Avatar
    Remi on 16 Feb, 2011, 18:27…
    Didn't the Kinect sell 8 million units in 2010? With only a few months availability I'd hardly call that a "niche." Heck, I have one. It's awesome.
  • Avatar
    Capn_Nacho on 16 Feb, 2011, 18:07…
    I think this is pretty clearly an Amnesia Fortnight game, so no worries about Ronzo's talents being "wasted".

    monkeyboobs

    Come on, guys. One box on the kotaku christmas card left, GREEN and BARB WIRED. What else than a Psychonauts game??!?


    I one-hundred-percent guarantee you the last Amnesia Fortnight game is not a Psychonauts game.

    Thrik

    I think it's fair to say this game will hit a decent audience, especially with it being one of few games aimed towards the younger types and it being Sesame Street. Which is good because that means monies for Double Fine!


    Completely agreed! I'm beginning to wish I could rent a Kinect or something to check this out myself when it releases...
  • Avatar of the CEO
    Thrik on 16 Feb, 2011, 16:03…

    The Tingler

    Do kids even have or care about Kinect? Actually, young kids maybe. Licence or not, this still seems a bit niche.


    Well the Kinect has sold extremely well, and from what I've gathered the majority of buyers aren't your typical mainstream gamers — they're parents and the so-called 'expanded audience'. I've also seen no end of younger people going crazy over the Kinect demo booths in game shops and stuff.

    I think it's fair to say this game will hit a decent audience, especially with it being one of few games aimed towards the younger types and it being Sesame Street. Which is good because that means monies for Double Fine!
  • Avatar
    GozzoMan on 16 Feb, 2011, 11:20…
    Ronzo twits:

    " OMG! Double Fine is making a Sesame Street game!?! I really need to get out of my office more. http://bit.ly/h1jSPj "

    That leads to believe this is not his game.
  • Avatar of the CEO
    Thrik on 16 Feb, 2011, 09:07…

    Diduz

    I assume DF didn't get the license, Warner did.
    After all, Telltale never bought a license to CSI, they're working for Ubisoft.


    That's usually how developer/publisher relationships work, really. Most studios (Telltale not included) rely on publishers for the vast majority of development funds, licensing, etc. DF did get the license because Warner would have negotiated it for them after a successful pitch by DF.

    CSI is one of the few cases where Telltale has worked like an ordinary developer. Otherwise Telltale is more akin to an indie developer. :)
  • Avatar
    haydenwce27 on 16 Feb, 2011, 07:59…
    What? It's not April 1st YET!
  • Avatar
    jp-30 on 16 Feb, 2011, 07:13…

    monkeyboobs

    Come on, guys. One box on the kotaku christmas card left, GREEN and BARB WIRED. What else than a Psychonauts game??!?



    Generic WW2 shooter.
  • Avatar
    monkeyboobs on 16 Feb, 2011, 06:25…
    Come on, guys. One box on the kotaku christmas card left, GREEN and BARB WIRED. What else than a Psychonauts game??!?
  • Avatar
    Sopabuena on 16 Feb, 2011, 04:49…

    black_sheep

    Judging from the christmas card seen here in kotaku here it looks like its the big red box with the eyes on it, ELMO's eyes, meaning it is from amnesia fortnight. I though about the similarities of the box and elmo's eyes at first, but discarded it right away, guess I was wrong.



    It appears you are right, even the ribbon is the same orange as Elmo's nose.
  • Avatar
    clone2727 on 16 Feb, 2011, 03:46…

    Metallus

    http://images.wikia.com/muppet/images/3/3d/Frank_N._Stein.jpg

    Damn it. You beat me to posting the image :P
  • Avatar
    Metallus on 16 Feb, 2011, 03:40…

    Ascovel

    I wonder how the two-headed baby image will gel in with the Sesame Street muppets. It's a bit too creepy I think.



    http://images.wikia.com/muppet/images/3/3d/Frank_N._Stein.jpg
  • Avatar
    The Tingler on 16 Feb, 2011, 03:06…
    Do kids even have or care about Kinect? Actually, young kids maybe. Licence or not, this still seems a bit niche.
  • Avatar
    Capn_Nacho on 16 Feb, 2011, 03:00…

    Jason

    I wonder if one of the four Amnesia Fortnight prototypes was just some sort of Kinect-specific gameplay idea that the Sesame Street license got married to later, or if Double Fine was actively pursuing Bert and Ernie from the get-go.


    I've been wondering this myself! If it really is just based on a prototype Kinect gameplay conceit, then I'm excited to see what they came up with! And if Sesame Street was the plan all along then it's just plain old adorable.
  • Avatar
    Jason on 16 Feb, 2011, 01:13…
    I wonder if one of the four Amnesia Fortnight prototypes was just some sort of Kinect-specific gameplay idea that the Sesame Street license got married to later, or if Double Fine was actively pursuing Bert and Ernie from the get-go.
  • Avatar
    Logic on 15 Feb, 2011, 23:39…
    "the kind of games we've all been gagging for the studio to develop" - PC games, right? :p
  • Avatar
    Diduz on 15 Feb, 2011, 22:36…
    I assume DF didn't get the license, Warner did.
    After all, Telltale never bought a license to CSI, they're working for Ubisoft.
  • Avatar
    Ascovel on 15 Feb, 2011, 22:24…
    I wonder how the two-headed baby image will gel in with the Sesame Street muppets. It's a bit too creepy I think.
  • Avatar
    Kroms on 15 Feb, 2011, 21:18…
    Hear, hear! What Melancholick speaks is the truth! This could be very significant for Double Fine!
  • Avatar
    Melancholick on 15 Feb, 2011, 20:04…
    Gentlemen, gentlemen. Let's take a moment to appreciate the underlying appeal of this development, as Thrik touched on it.

    Double Fine is a studio that has, classically, lost a TON of money on its projects. Unfair, yes. Fact? Absolutely.

    Sesame Street is a global brand. We lament that the game is "you know, for kids." However, the kids aren't the ones shelling out their sheckels for it.... no, that honor goes to their parents, whose options in seeking out Kinect-related console games which feature Sesame Street are woefully limited.

    Essentially--and again, let's agree that this may not be fair on a level of basic principle, but nevertheless--Double Fine can now claim to have the market cornered on a bonafide branding juggernaut.

    Which, a Thrik noted, is a good thing. As loathe as I am to mumble it under my breath, the fact stands that most companies with DF's track record (But sans the ownership of a card-carrying industry icon) would have been run into bankruptcy, by now;. As such, the most solvent thing that they can do is to lock up a license like this... one game that many of us overgrown man-children may not play, but whose existence will guarantee plenty of quality future titles that we WILL be running out to grab.

    /end speech
  • Avatar
    ThunderPeel2001 on 15 Feb, 2011, 19:47…
    Miserable sods. So it's a children's game... at least it's something awesomely cool like Sesame Street!
  • Avatar
    black_sheep on 15 Feb, 2011, 19:38…
    Judging from the christmas card seen here in kotaku here it looks like its the big red box with the eyes on it, ELMO's eyes, meaning it is from amnesia fortnight. I though about the similarities of the box and elmo's eyes at first, but discarded it right away, guess I was wrong.
  • Avatar
    Capn_Nacho on 15 Feb, 2011, 18:40…
    I know I'll never even want to play it, especially since I would never waste money on a Kinect, but for some reason I am really fucking excited about this. Double Fine and Sesame Street seems totally perfect somehow.
  • Avatar
    MKZY on 15 Feb, 2011, 18:27…
    :'(
  • Avatar
    Ascovel on 15 Feb, 2011, 16:45…
    Sesame Street fits Double Fine style of games like a glove... Or maybe not.
  • Avatar
    Jeo on 15 Feb, 2011, 16:28…
    You're not kidding. Hmm. Well, this game clearly isn't meant for me, but I guess that's okay. Little kids need games too. Probably.

    I think I'm going to pass on this one even though I've bought all Double Fine games so far. It'll sell well enough without my help.

    This just feels weird. But yeah, that's how it goes. Telltale has its CSI-series too. I hope Double Fine can get back to making those "big" games as soon as possible.
  • Avatar
    Remi on 15 Feb, 2011, 15:41…
    Huh... I can't even pretend like I'm excited by this.

    I'd be surprised if this was the title Ronzo was working on -- I believe GozzoMan is correct about that one being an original title.
  • Avatar
    GozzoMan on 15 Feb, 2011, 15:37…
    Mmmmh... weren't we lead to believe that Ronzo's new game was something original devised by Ronzo himself?
  • Avatar
    Bankotsu on 15 Feb, 2011, 15:19…
    Oh, come on!
    There was so much hype about Ron and Tim together again, I can't believe this! I reeeeaally hope that this game is neither Amnesia Fortnight (still hoping for Psychonauts 2) nor Ron's project
  • Avatar
    Kroms on 15 Feb, 2011, 14:53…
    I think this is one case where a PC version seems even more unlikely than usual.
  • Avatar
    clone2727 on 15 Feb, 2011, 14:41…
    Yay! Børk! Børk! Børk!

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