Interview with Compulsion Games

So recently I have been playing ALOT of We Happy Few (you can check out my preview here). I have been playing it so much that I had a few questions for the Developers of We Happy Few so I emailed them and asked them if they would answer a few questions so that all of you guys could learn more about We Happy Few and give it a try. I managed to get in contact with Sam Abbott who is the COO for Compulsion Games he was kind enough to answer my questions for all of you guys so I hope you enjoy.

What is it like to be one of the first few titles to be announced for the Xbox Game Preview Program?

Exciting!  It’s been a bit of an adventure talking to Xbox players about the Game Preview model – it’s entirely different compared to, say, Early Access on Steam.  We’re still trying to figure out the best way to talk to players, but getting regular feedback from console players is super helpful for development.

What is it like to have a game that is never the same playthrough?

It’s definitely complicated, but it gives us a bunch of creative and production opportunities that you might not ordinarily have.  Creating quest chains that stand alone, and making sure everything works towards the same universe but gives you different challenges and outcomes, depending on your playthrough, is a lot of fun.  Even if our designers are pulling their hair out from time to time.

What was your inspiration for the setting and the feel of Wellington Wells? 

Our Art Director, Whitney Clayton, decided on the 1960s English setting due to its rich history, and that era’s interest in new technology over old world architecture and mentality.  The optimism for the future and technology – present in concepts such as retrofuturism – set against very real social problems gave us a rich playground to create a world in.

How long is We Happy Few planned to be in early access for?

6-12 months.  

What are the future plans for We Happy Few

Well, we’re not quite a month in so far, and have just published our first update to address community feedback (particularly about survival needs, combat balance and quest/crash bugs and fixes).  We have a lot planned for future updates, and are pretty excited about the next few months!  The next update will focus on world generation, to add further to the immersion created by the world.  We publish development journals weekly, so feel free to check those out on Steam and on our website to see what’s coming up.  
Let us know what you think of We Happy Few in the comments below or over on our forums.