EGX - Sum Up

EGX ended more than a week ago but we are still recovering from the onslaught of positivity poured over us since. Eurogamer named us one of their top 10 games of the show floor, Indie-Credible’s Lewis Woodhouse said: “No doubt about it, Forgotten Anne is my game of EGX,” and numerous others voiced their love of the game. We could not be more excited or feel more fortunate.

EGX was our biggest show yet. We had six consoles on which players could give Forgotton Anne a try and those were busy the whole show with lines forming on either side of the waist-high wall the first day. The wall, for those who weren’t there, was very close to the consoles and meant that if someone was sitting with a backpack on (a pretty common occurrence at a video game convention) no one could pass behind them. That is why we had the wall removed overnight. With the space open, people felt more comfortable approaching the monitors to look at others play and sat down immediately once a console opened up. I also felt less trapped behind the wall and could more easily approach people as they admired the game. All-in-all a much better setup.

As a former games journalist myself, I know that people want to see as many games as possible in the short time they have at these shows. That is why they will often sit down, play a game until they have a rough idea of the gameplay feel and the type of narrative on hand, and then put the controller down and move on to the next game.

As a presenter, this can be discouraging: especially if the majority of players do that. It happens to every game and every presenter takes it to heart. It’s inevitable. The pleasantly surprising thing at EGX was how many chose not to. Even people who seemed to be in a hurry or had others waiting for them played till the end of the demo, which was not short by any means - a good 20-30 minutes. Of course, some people did stand up and walk away, but they were such a small minority that I couldn't help but smile at them and thank them for giving the game a try while admiring the ways the others kept finding new ways to experience Forgotton Anne.

At shows like these, you start getting an idea as to what the game’s major selling points are likely to be. With Forgotton Anne, the visual aesthetic style is what initially hooks you. As you start playing, however, the world and the story sink their talons into you and take flight. By the time the demo ends, you’re so hooked that the ambiguity of the release date feels like freefall. Fear not, however. We’ll have an announcement in that regard coming very soon. ;-)

For now, thank all of you who gave Forgotton Anne a try at EGX and especially those of you who have shared your positive thoughts about it on websites, blogs, social media, and with your friends and family. We truly appreciate it.