Indie hitSpiritfarerfound ample success for its handling of death and the afterlife in a way that hasn’t really been done elsewhere in video games, but there may be more to its success than meets the eye. Namely, the game was revealed immediately afterCyberpunk 2077at 2019’s E3, and while some may feel that this would’ve stolen the indie title’s thunder, others have a different idea.
As reported by Screen Rant, ID@Xbox Director Chris Charla feels thatSpiritfarer’s success may have had something to do with the bombastic nature ofCyberpunk 2077’s E3 2019 showcase. Specifically, Charla spoke about Keanu Reeves' appearance on stage and how he energized the audience to an unprecedented level. Charla believes that Reeves' charming appearance propped up the next game showcase that came afterCyberpunk, which wasSpiritfarer.
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Spiritfarermay beCyberpunk 2077’s diametric opposite, so it may seem like the two games couldn’t possibly have anything to do with one another, least of all being their respective promotional efforts. Charla, however, claims that following up the brutal, gritty realism ofCyberpunk 2077with a somber transition toSpiritfarerwas his favorite E3 moment. Reeves' appearance at 2019’s E3 rapidly went viral, but attracted an immense audience as soon as the man appeared on stage. One could argue that such a huge following effectively guaranteed that there are as many eyes onSpiritfareras there could possibly be, which would substantially increase its own promotional outreach, in return.
Following its successful 2020 release,Spiritfarerproceeded to add free content updatesfor the duration of 2021 and beyond, featuring new spirits, quests, and other assorted tidbits. The game was praised not only for its subject matter but also for the rendition of its female protagonist, Stella, and the manner in which she interacts with the magical realm she found herself in.Cyberpunk 2077, in the meantime, wasn’t quite as lucky.
The mishandled launch ofCyberpunk 2077caused CDPR’s stock to drop 75%since the game’s release, and the game was widely criticized for its bugs and shoddy console performance. For all its hype,Cyberpunkended up being a major mishap for the developer of the almost universally praisedWitcher 3, and while it received a wealth of hotfixes and updates, there have been no major expansion packs just yet.
Whether Charla’s assessment ofSpiritfarer’s success is correct or not, the title ended up being one of themost wholesome video games on the market. Players get to experience a serene version of the characters' shared limbo, and help nudge them into the afterlife without any grudges, concerns, or other unfinished business. In that respect, it’s almost wholly unique, and getting as many eyes on it as possible was a stellar idea.
Spiritfareris out now for PC, PS4, Stadia, Switch, and Xbox One.
