This Philly-made game goes live on Xbox One this year

You’re a beam of light soaring through a darkened world. No, it’s not 2017: it’s Gossamer Games’ Sole, launching on Microsoft’s Xbox One this year.

The company announced Friday that its flagship game will be launched on the console in 2018, precise date still to be determined. It was a complex process: Gossamer had to apply, submit a demo and screenshots. The Drexel spinout then received developer kits to start working on the Xbox-specific build of its graphic adventure game.

“There’s a high barrier of entry to getting games on consoles,” said cofounder Thomas Sharpe of the application process, which started in December. “This will let us have more exposure and get more people playing the game.”

(Other Philly-made games on consoles? There’s Cipher Prime’s Splice or Cluster Puck 99 from PHL Collective, among others.)

Earlier this month, the videogame company showcased Sole before some 4,000 people over a four-day festival called MAGFest in Maryland. The version showcased and played by some 250 folks was the one built on Xbox One. “It helped to make sure it was stable,” Sharpe said.

The five-level game, Sharpe said, can be played through in a couple hours on first pass but, he hopes, will draw players to continue exploring. Once launched, it will be available on the Xbox digital market for $10.

Here’s the official trailer on Xbox’s YouTube channel: