With Bloober Team prepping for The Medium‘s release at the end of the month, Bloober Team’s Jacek Zięba, producer, sat down with WCCFTech to discuss a variety of topics, including the topic of console exclusivity, and The Medium‘s Dual Reality feature.
The title’s touted Dual Reality feature, which according to Zięba, isn’t just a feature, but is “the very foundation” upon which the game is built, allows the player to interact between two worlds simultaneously. This was briefly covered a few months back by the team, but Zięba makes a point to say that the feature “allows a greater focus on player exploration as the unique viewpoint creates new opportunities for us as designers”.
Zięba also makes it a point to mention that The Medium focuses on storytelling, rather than action. “While action is prevalent throughout The Medium, it’s not the focus of the game. Instead, we use it to punctuate and enhance the story we are telling.
“We really want players to experience and feel the mystery alongside [the game’s protagonist] Marianne as she unravels it. Our action sequences are more about Marianne’s survival than combat, so lean closer to those in Amnesia than something more action-focused, like Resident Evil. As such Marianne’s powers are primarily there to aid in her defense and help her escape the enemies she encounters.”
When the topic turns to console exclusivity (as The Medium is available only on the Xbox Series at the moment), Zięba states that the decision was based on Bloober Team’s relationship with Microsoft, as well as the necessary hardware needed for the game, which is found in the Xbox Series. In addition, the team’s “development process” aligned with Microsoft’s plans for its new generation of consoles, which was also a factor.
“The bottom line is that we’re really excited to be launching The Medium as one of the first Xbox Series X|S titles. The game is coming to Xbox and PC in January, and we’re not currently concentrating on any other platforms.”
The Medium arrives on the Xbox Series and PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store on January 28, 2021. The title will also be available via Xbox Game Pass for Console and PC.