Portland, Oregon’s Rose City Games and San Francisco-based anime/manga powerhouse VIZ Media are joining forces to deliver original, narrative-driven games and introduce new and diverse voices from the indie games realm to the publisher’s pop culture-savvy audience. First on the docket will be a supernatural action-adventure game titled The World Next Door, developed by Rose City and featuring character designs by illustrator Lord Gris, published by VIZ.
“It’s no secret that anime and manga fans love video games,” said Brad Woods, Chief Marketing Officer, VIZ Media. ”We’re excited to be able to bring an entirely new offering to our audience. VIZ Media has always been fan-first, and the team at Rose City is the perfect fit for developing games that our audience will love.”
VIZ has been on the edge of this realm for a while, publishing graphic novel adaptations for hit games including Pokemon, Splatoon, The Legend of Zelda, Homestuck and Monster Hunter, among others.
“We’re very excited to collaborate with VIZ Media and the amazing creators in our indie game communities,” sayid Will Lewis and Corey Warning, Co-Directors and Co- Founders of Rose City Games. “The ability to pursue multiple original titles as independent developers is huge for us, and this partnership presents the potential to expand the worlds we’re creating beyond games.”
The World Next Door is a narrative-driven game that centers around Jun, a rebellious teen girl trapped in a parallel world inhabited by magical creatures. Inspired by the emotional storytelling and thrilling action of both anime and indie games, players can expect to meet and develop friendships with an eclectic cast of characters while uncovering the mysteries hidden within this world.
Jun’s adventure is currently in full production, with a plan to release on PC — you can keep abreast of progress at www.theworldnextdoor.com and on Twitter @worldnextdoor. VIZ is slated to release two more Rose City games in the next few years, and is accepting publishing inquiries from developers with projects at all stages of production.
