Hello there. My title is Julián, and I’m the lead developer of Despelote – a slice-of-life journey about childhood and soccer in Quito, Ecuador within the yr 2001. Myself and the workforce are glad to cease by the Xbox Wire at the moment to announce that our sport is coming to Xbox Collection X|S in 2024. We’re additionally in a position to announce at the moment that Despelote might be a part of Tribeca’s 2023 Pageant Choice and that the sport might be printed by Panic, who helped carry Untitled Goose Sport and Firewatch to the world.
Whereas Despelote could be very a lot a sport about soccer, you received’t actually end up enjoying a full soccer match and even needing to grasp the principles. As a substitute,our sport focuses on the inherent enjoyable of being a child, simply kicking round a soccer ball with your folks whilst you’re out and about, speaking about your day in school… and perhaps annoying your neighbors within the course of.
It’s the yr 2001, and Ecuador is on the verge of qualifying for the World Cup. Ecuador had by no means certified for the World Cup earlier than, and as a rustic simply recovering from a large monetary disaster, the thought of qualifying has stuffed the neighborhood with hope and optimism. Studying concerning the individuals of Quito as you play soccer with your folks, and feeling that vitality out of your neighborhood as you discover is what Despelote is all about.
Along with my buddy and artist Sebastián Valbuena we got down to make a sport that’s not solely visually distinctive, but in addition one which communicates a powerful and particular sense of place. That is partly as a result of Despelote is a semi-autobiographical sport, as I grew up in Quito, Ecuador round this time, so it was essential to me that we get it proper. You additionally play as a younger boy named Julian, however he’s indirectly a one-for-one mirror of me!
To offer gamers a real image of Ecuador, we took pictures and recorded audio throughout journeys to Quito that at the moment are used within the sport for gadgets similar to constructing textures and conversations you’ll hear as you discover the streets. Sebastián can be doing an unbelievable job of hand drawing our characters, in addition to the animals you’ll run into throughout your time in Quito. The sport can be totally voice acted in Spanish, with localized subtitles relying in your desire.
In order that’s Despelote: a bittersweet and generally dreamy semi-autobiographical story about how soccer can influence a spot and its tradition. We hope you cease by and go to Quito when it’s launched on Xbox in 2024. ¡Garcias, y cuidense!
