Headbangers Rhythm Royale, developed by Glee-Cheese and published by Team17, has been exclusively announced with a world premiere trailer at the Future Games Show Summer Showcase Powered by Intel, and after seeing it you might have trouble getting those funky pigeons out of your head!

Rather than chasing down and eliminating opposing players in a battle royale to become the last pigeon standing, Headbangers Rhythm Royale will instead pit you against your rivals in a series of rhythm-based mini-games. Through these you'll need to demonstrate your dancing skills and dedication to the beat, in order to progress through the rounds and ultimately be crowned the Master Headbanger. There's a real party game vibe to proceedings, so it's likely we'll see power ups and other modifiers during these head to heads to spice things up while gaining a tactical advantage over your rivals.

It's clear from this initial reveal that character customization will play a big part in Headbangers Rhythm Royale, with a wide variety of avian appearances to choose from. Whether you want to be a Tyrannosaurus rex, a Day of the Dead Mariachi, a snail, a punk, or a blinged-up cowboy, there will be a look available to match your mood. To add to the fun, the quirky trailer is also crammed with references to iconic music videos, including Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody grouping, The Beatles' Abbey Road crossing, and Miley Cyrus' Wrecking Ball – did you spot them all?

Headbangers Rhythm Royale will be available on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and Nintendo Switch, and is targeting a release date some time this year.

If you’re looking for more excellent games from today's Future Games Show, have a look at our official Steam page.

When it comes to radio broadcasting, there is one golden rule. Keep talking. At all costs, you must avoid the dreaded so-called ‘dead air’. But, when it comes to Team17’s 80s-set horror puzzler, the term can very swiftly become dangerously literal. Killer Frequency is a neon-lit love letter to the slasher genre. Just prepare to be terrified the next time someone walks past you whistling. Tune your radio to KFAM 189.16 and I’ll explain.    

Somehow the name of the town of Gallow’s Creek didn’t put off ‘80s radio host Forrest Nash. We take control as he presents the overnight ‘The Scream’ shift on the local station. It’s almost cosily satisfying as we place records in first person, play and eject cassette tapes like it’s 1994, and chat to late night producer Peggy. That is, until the local 911 operator calls in and asks us to take over the line of the town’s emergency services because the sheriff has been stabbed by a masked killer. A masked killer who whistles to announce his arrival…

Suddenly, we’re at the frontline as the Gallow’s Creek falls prey to a legendary slasher villain. We’ve gone from taking occasional sleepy shout outs to calls from soon to be victims and are tasked with attempting to save them from being sliced and diced. And how do we do that? Well, while most of Killer Frequency is based at your mixing desk as you carefully choose conversation responses to callers, you can also explore the radio station offices where solutions to each murderous problem can be found. Want to help a screaming jogger jump start a car without keys as the killer lurks? Good thing there’s a show for petrolheads on the station and there might be something helpful around the presenter’s desk.

Scream too  

This feels gloriously like an interactive horror podcast. Killer Frequency is at its most terrifying when you press the answer call button on the desk, not to an oddly Scottish pizza parlour owner promoting his restaurant, but to hear laboured desperate breathing and a whisper of “he’s here”. The Whistling Man has found another victim and it’s down to us to try and help them survive. And that immediate sense of dread and terror? Yes, the entertaining vocal performances from everyone involved are a vital element but so is your own horror movie knowledge. 

You’ve seen this. At the start of every slasher movie, you’ve watched that unsuspecting innocent first victim. The one who has to die for the sake of the story. And suddenly, Killer Frequency puts you on the phone to them. You’re their only hope. If only you didn’t know how this could play out. At one point someone literally asks you not to let them die. Oh god, has he upgraded to a chainsaw…? 

And the fact that this is all happening in your head in audio form as you hunt down puzzle clues, carefully analysing sheets of paper at a radio mixing desk with that ON AIR sign ominously glowing, feels like horror genius. The immediacy and intimacy of radio as a medium is effortlessly transformed into terror.   

Killer Frequency’s puzzling too is devilishly inventive. At one point a newspaper editor hides in his office as the killer methodically searches room by room, meaning that we’re left with staring at a helpfully faxed map trying to work out where to send the panicked man next. Every call has a solution somewhere in the radio station, and while you can just guess the responses - who are you, Norman Bates? - the chances of your caller seeing daylight the next day will improve dramatically if you go looking. 

And it’s not all endless stress. There’s a carefully pitched narrative flow here. It’s understood that we’ll need time to breathe and the conversations between Forrest and Peggy the producer - who sits in silhouette form on the other side of the studio glass - are always a pleasing source of gentle dark comedy. And switching out records, which was once so cosily satisfying at the start of the game, remains a reassuring activity. Take call… save a life from a masked maniac… spin some sweet ‘80s synth to calm down. It’s an exceptionally satisfying loop. Even if you did feel like you were about to choke on your own heart five minutes ago. 

Killer Frequency knows its source material as well as you do. This is a game in love with horror movies, and slasher movies in particular. Nearly every street name is a director or famous scary locale. But importantly, this isn’t just full of references and nods. It makes use of key tropes too. And, unlike the many asymmetrical multiplayer games dedicated to the slasher genre, where only emergent moments can deliver those perfect horror movie feelings, this tight narrative can constantly hit you with slasher movie intensity. 

And that’s because, as every good Shape or Ghostface knows, the killer always gets back up. Even if you feel like you’ve trapped them or churned them through a grinder, the killer is always back for one good scare. Good luck.     

Killer Frequency is out now on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch. For more recommendations, be sure to check out our Indie Spotlight series, or head on over to our upcoming indie games list for a roundup of future releases. 

There is no shortage of survival, strategy or city-building games out there, but one that combines them all in a Slavic folklore-inspired setting and comes from developers with the likes of The Witcher 3 and Frostpunk on their resume, now that's something very special indeed.

That game is Gord, and in it, you must lead a group of tribespeople as they attempt to survive in grim and unforgiving forbidden lands. As you might expect from a city builder, this involves constructing and expanding your settlement and catering to the needs of its inhabitants, but here you'll have to defend your flock against all manner of threats, from rival tribes to fearsome monsters and otherworldly powers.

But this isn't just a city-building sim as you'll also be able to venture beyond your settlement and "take on a wide variety of quests and random encounters that will lead you deep into the wilderness to hunt legendary creatures, uncover ancient secrets, and vanquish deadly scourges."

To add to the challenge, you'll have to keep your settler's sanity in check, as Gord also has a Darkest Dungeon-esque sanity meter. Everything from a grumbly belly to the death of a loved one has an impact on a settler's mental state, and if they're pushed too far, they can suffer a breakdown or flee and, most likely, get gobbled up by monsters. 

Gord is the first game from Covenant, a Polish game studio with developers who previously worked at the likes of CD Projekt RED, 11 bit studios, and Flying Wild Hog. It's set to arrive sometime this summer on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X. You can check it out for yourself in the video below or head on over to Steam to add it to your wishlist.

See all the great titles headed your way in the coming month with our guide to new games 2023.

Seafaring roguelite Ship of Fools just celebrated its launch with a new trailer at the Golden Joystick Awards 2022.

In an attempt to counter the upcoming Aquapocalypse brought about by the Everlasting Storm, you'll set sail - either solo or with a friend in online or local co-op - aboard the Stormstrider, your valiant (if slightly cobbled-together) ship.

Team17's pirate adventure launches today. That's right, the same day as the Golden Joystick Awards, November 22, 2022.

You'll need to use that ship to chart your way across the Archipelago that makes up your home, evading monsters and fighting off enemies who try to board your ship. To help with that, you'll have to jump between jobs as you progress; at one moment you might be manning the cannons, another mending the damage that a stray tentacle might have done to your hull. With each run, each Fool will help out with their own heirloom - Shelbie's soothing shell increases fire rate, but Finley's handy hat offers extra rewards every time you repair Stormstrider. Those heirlooms and a robust upgrade system help contribute to an endlessly replayable experience as you unlock new items and new Fools in your attempt to turn back the Aquapocalypse.

Today's launch comes off the back of an excellent showing at the MEGAMIGS awards in Canada, where it claimed prizes for best audio and music, best art direction artistic achievement, and best game design. To celebrate launch, Ship of Fools is available at a 10% release discount - you'll be able to play for 10% off on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam until November 29.

Discover the best games of 2022 at the best prices by checking out the Golden Joystick Awards Steam sale page

Team17 brought a ton of goodies to today's Future Games Show Powered by Mana, airing a highlight reel that includes new game announcements, release dates, and so much more. We've got a lot to cover, but we promise you won't be disappointed. Check out the Team17 Future Games Show line-up below, and read on for more. 

• Wishlist these Team 17 titles on Steam now

First, the Team17 reel announced Moving Out 2, a sequel to 2020's Moving Out. The chaotic and hilarious co-op game will be out soon, according to the trailer, but we know exactly what kind of vibes it will be bringing with it. It looks like Moving Out 2 will feature new characters, as the original game's main characters may be mysteriously missing. It's unclear what's going on there, but we know that the game will include tons of goofy physics and fast-paced moving puzzles, so make sure you get your team of friends ready.

Age of Darkness: Final Stand is out now via Steam Early Access, so you may want to check that out if you're a fan of dark fantasy and survival real-time strategy. The game tasks you with building and defending humanity's last stand against swarms of Nightmares (that doesn't sound good).

The Knight Witch, an upcoming Metroidvania about, well, a Knight Witch, has gotten a release date window, and it's coming just in time for Halloween: Fall 2022. The beautiful art style an adorable titular character can cast card-based spells and make important decisions to help save her home from an invasion of War Golems (which also doesn't sound good). 

Marauders, an upcoming tactical FPS where you play as a space pirate, also officially got a release window - and it's also coming in October. You can work alone or squad up with up to three other players to loot up, craft weapons, and salvage necessary things to ensure your survival in the final frontier. 

We already knew Bravery and Greed was coming in Fall 2022, but it's great to get another look at the retro side-scroller that features four-person co-op. We also already knew that Hokko Life, the Animal Crossing lookalike that was previously only available in Early Access Steam, would launch on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch this September. But it's still lovely to see all of the features the full launch boasts, including incredibly involved clothing customization and adorable animal friends. 

The Team 17 reel at the Future Games Show also included point-and-click adventure Sunday Gold news (a game that debuted in the Future Games Show in June 2022), the release of gruelling action-RPG Thymesia, and much, much more. 

If you're on the prowl for more games to check out that were featured in today's Future Games Show, have a look at our official Steam page.

Indie publisher Team 17 just showed off not one, not two, but nine of its upcoming games at the Future Games Show powered by Mana. A new trailer was a whistlestop tour through a whole suite of titles, offering a little something for everyone.

If you've seen everything that The Lands Between has to offer, first up is Thymesia, a pestilence-themed Soulslike in which you wield diseases captured from your enemies as the tools of your arsenal. Its suitably-gothic world is filled with equally gothic monsters, and you'll be able to dive in for yourself on August 9 via PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. 

Just in case Soulslikes aren't your thing, then you might want to check out The Unliving, heading to Steam Early Access on October 31, a rogue-lite in which you must wield your necromantic powers to level entire cities. Alternatively, there's Ship of Fools, which takes the dread to the high seas, though this time there'll be a friend at your back thanks to its co-op gameplay, dropping on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch later this year.

For the noir fans, there's Autopsy Simulator, coming to Steam in November, letting you get up (very) close and personal with a spate of missing persons cases, and Sunday Gold. Also headed to Steam later this year, you'll guide a trio of criminals through the underworld of a near-future London as you attempt to take down an evil megacorp. 

Elsewhere, there's steam-powered city builder Sweet Transit, tasking you with building a railway empire when it arrives on Steam Early Access on July 28, or via its demo, available as part of Steam Next  Fest 2022. Metroidvania shoot-em-up The Knight Witch and interplanetary action RPG Batora: Lost Haven are coming to PC, Xbox Series X|S, PS5, PS4 and Nintendo Switch later this year, bringing fast-paced action from two very different perspectives.

Finally, VR enthusiasts get their first glimpse at Killer Frequency. The VR horror game, coming soon to Meta Quest 2, showed off a stylish glimpse of its gameplay, which is inspired by 80s slasher films.

• Wishlist Thymesia on Steam
• Wishlist The Unliving on Steam
• Wishlist Autopsy Simulator on Steam
• Wishlist Sweet Transit on Steam
• Wishlist Killer Frequency on Steam

For more awesome games featured during today's Future Games Show, check out our official Steam page.

Team17 came prepared for the Future Games Show Powered by Mana, arriving with a World Premiere for Sunday Gold. 

Sunday Gold is a new narrative-driven adventure game set in a dystopian 2070’s London. Oh yeah, and it looks absolutely awesome. In Sunday Gold, you'll be charged with taking control of a group of rag-tag criminals as they attempt to expose the dark underbelly of a mega corporation which is profiteering from vicious dog races. And hey, if the trio of playable characters can make a little cash to spend along the way, that wouldn't hurt either. 

As for how you'll do this, well, Sunday Gold is a smart confluence of gameplay styles and ideas. For starters, movement and exploration is rendered in the classic adventure-game style – a lot of pointing, and a lot more clicking – while you'll navigate conflicts through intricate turn-based combat. 

• Wishlist Sunday Gold on Steam now

With three characters to control, each will help you navigate the challenges presented by Sunday Gold's world in their own little way. There's Sally 'The Activist' Wheeler, Gavin 'The Disgruntled Ex-Employee' Dorsey, and Frank 'The Vengeful Ex-Con' Barber. Between them, you may just have what it takes to destroy your foes, uncover the truth, and survive Sunday Gold's kinetic blend of escape room-style puzzles and punishing turn-based combat. 

GamesRadar+ will have more information on Sunday Gold in the coming days. But in the meantime, join us as we watch this reveal trailer on repeat. With a unique visual style, exciting confluence of ideas, and a great coming together of classic game genres, Sunday Gold looks like one to watch in the months ahead.

For more awesome games featured during today's Future Games Show, check out our official Steam page.

Team17 returned to the Future Games Show to showcase an undoubtedly fantastic lineup of upcoming releases for 2022 and beyond. 

With nine of its games packed into the Future Games Show – Spring Showcase, where should we even begin? How about with Marauders, the newly announced hardcore looted shooter from developer Small Impact Games and publisher Team17. This first-person, multiplayer-focused shooter is set to launch into Steam Early Access and Game Preview via PC Game Pass later this year, giving players an opportunity to try its thrilling multiplayer showdowns set in a '90s dieselpunk alternate future. 

Space pirates have a habit of stealing the spotlight, but that wasn't the only awesome game Team17 had to show off. It was great to see more of The Serpent Rogue, which is a beautiful-looking ARPG with roguelite elements coming from Ukrainian developer Sengi Games – who reaffirmed a release date of April 26, 2022. 

Speaking of action-RPGs, we got an update on Thymesia from OverBorder Studio. With its fast-paced combat, intricate weapon systems, and the ability to shift into an awesome-looking raven form during battles certainly makes this one to watch for this year. The same can be said for Batora: Lost Haven, the long-awaited hack and slash ARPG from Stormind Games that continues to delight with its tight combat loop and energetic visuals. 

We were impressed with Trepang2 when it was shown during our August 2021 Future Games Show showcase, and a fresh look at this flashy, slow-mo infused, and hyper-intensive first-person shooter has only confirmed our suspicions – don't take your eyes off of this one. We're taking a similar approach to the intense, dark, and single-player strategy action of Gord and to the seafaring cooperative antics of Ship of Fools (the roguelite looks as delightful as ever). 

Team17 closed out its fantastic Future Games Show segment with brand new looks at the isometric carnage of The Unliving, which will have you leading an undead army into an endless fight against the living, and the relaxing rhythms of Sweet Transit – a strategic city builder that's set in a world where the only means for transportation are trains… what a delight!

Team17 packed a lot of great-looking games into one segment on the Future Games Show, and you can find out more about each game (and add them to your Wishlist to keep up to date with new announcements) by visiting the Steam pages for each game below. 

• Wishlist Thymesia on Steam 
• Wishlist Trepang2 on Steam 
• Wishlist Gord on Steam 
• Wishlist Ship of Fools on Steam 
• Wishlist The Serpent Rogue on Steam 
• Wishlist The Unliving on Steam 
• Wishlist Sweet Transit on Steam 
• Wishlist Batora: Lost Haven on Steam
• Wishlist Marauders on Steam

Renowned publisher Team17 has shown off a host of games from its present and future in a new montage during the Future Games Show powered by AMD.

Some of the games in the montage are available to play right now. Greak: Memories of Azur puts you in control of three siblings using their unique powers in tandem to escape from the forces invading their home, and is out now on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch. Crown Trick, a roguelike RPG defined by turn-based combat in an ever-changing labyrinth, is available, alongside its DLC, on PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam. And Hammerting, a mining colony sim that puts you in charge of a collection of dwarves digging deep to help their allies in their war on the surface, is currently available in early access, with a full release planned for the near future. Hell Let Loose, which arrived just last month, puts players in huge WW2-inspired battles. It's out on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC.

Other titles are a little further out. Honey, I Joined a Cult, set to release on September 14, is a management game that tasks players with winning people over to their scam divine cause. Sheltered 2, a sequel to the 2015 original, is another, very different, management sim, where you'll need to keep your inhabitants alive in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. It's out on September 21. The Unliving, set to release some time in 2021, lets you flex your necromantic prowess, raising hordes of undead to fight through on your behalf.

There might be plenty of Team17 games out right now, and others just over the horizon, but you'll be well catered to into the future as well. Broken Roads is another trip to the post-apocalypse - the narrative-focused RPG will see a host of survivors exploring its Australian setting in late 2021 on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. Finally, Batora: Lost Haven is a hack & slash set across a dazzling array of planets where every choice you make could change the fate of the universe.

The new trailer only scratches the surface of what Team17 has produced in recent years, with the likes of My Time at Portia, Golf with Your Friends, and the beloved Worms series also under its belt, ensuring you'll always have something to play.

• Wishlist Honey, I Joined a Cult now on Steam
• Wishlist Sheltered 2 on Steam
• Wishlist Broken Roads now on Steam
• Wishlist Batora: Lost Haven now on Steam
• Wishlist Unliving now on Steam

Team 17 has showcased a whole range of games during today’s Future Games Show Spring Showcase.

In a montage during the event, we got a look at franchises new and old. Overwatch! All You Can Eat made an appearance, after recently launching on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, showcasing the full variety of what you get in the bumper edition of the couch co-op favorite. Worms Rumble also appeared during the show, with the nostalgic gem coming to Nintendo Switch and Xbox One later this year - with the PS4, PS5, and PC version launching last December.  

On top of that, we got a look at seven new titles from the indie publisher. Chief among them was Ready or Not, a realistic PC tactical shooter game that comes from new developer Void Interactive. The game, which is coming to Steam Early Access soon, will see players take control of a team of operatives who must breach areas to save civilians, with players needing to carefully consider the tactics and gear they use. 

Other Steam Early Access games in the pipeline include Honey, I Joined A Cult, where players have to manage the day-to-day workings of a cult, and Hokko Life, which will launch later this year and should delight Animal Crossing fans with its focus on starting a new life in an idyllic village. 

We also got to see the hilarious Epic Chef, an “anti-life-sim” that is heading to PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, where players will take part in literal food fights while leading around main character Zest across the island of Ambrosia. If that didn’t whet your appetite, then King of Seas surely might, where you explore a procedurally generated world as an aspiring Pirate King, looking for treasures, fights, and hijinks on the high seas. With a PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch launch this May, as well as a demo on PC and Nintendo Switch in April, you won’t be landlocked for too long. 

Rounding out the showcase, we got looks at the dark fantasy RPG Thymesia and Narita Boy. Thymesia will see your character siphon disease from enemies and use them in their quest to uncover the mysteries that are hidden within their head. PC players will be able to reveal the secrets within Thymesia when it launches later this year, while Narita Boy, a story-driven, retro Metroidvania that has a sleek ‘80s aesthetic, is set to launch on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch on March 30.

Wishlist all seven new titles on Steam right now: 

• Ready or Not on Steam
• Honey, I Joined a Cult on Steam
• Hokko Life on Steam
• Epic Chef on Steam
• King of Seas on Steam
• Thymesia on Steam
• Narita Boy on Steam

Team17, the acclaimed developer and publisher of more than 100 games, is celebrating its 30th anniversary in December. To mark that milestone, as well as the company's induction into the Golden Joystick Awards Hall of Fame, you can check out a potted history of Team17 in the video above.

Team17 officially began on December 7, 1990, when British publisher 17-Bit Software and Swedish developer Team 7 joined forces. Its first game, Full Contact, released in 1991, but many, many more have followed, and in 2018 the company oversaw the launch of its 100th game, Planet Alpha. Charting the last three decades of Team17, the trailer shines a light on many of the intervening games that helped turn the company into the indie powerhouse that it is today.

• Pre-purchase Worms Rumble on Steam today

From classics like Body Blows and Alien Breeds to more recent indie hits, Team 17's impressive back catalogue offers something for you no matter where your gaming interests lie. In the past decade alone, the company has helped bring to life a suite of celebrated indies, from chaotic couch co-op titles like Overcooked and Moving Out, to retro offerings like The Escapists and Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair, recent years have seen a huge number of games pass through Team17's doors.

It is, of course, impossible to talk about Team17 without referencing its most famous creation, which is also being inducted into our Hall of Fame. Worms first released in 1995, and in the past 25 years has become one of the most recognisable series in videogame history, spawning 13 mainline titles and a whole bunch of spin-offs, with more than 70 million copies sold. Given that track record, it's only right that a history of Team17 should pay tribute to its most famous invertebrates, who receive a dedicated (and explosive) section in the trailer.

Worms developer Team17 has just announced new content for Worms Armageddon… 21 years after the turn-based tactics game was first released. 

The patch – which has reportedly been in development for over seven years –  "includes 370 fixes, 45 changes, and 61 new features".

"It's been 21 years and they're still fighting!" developer Team17 says in the video description of a new teaser (thanks, Digital Trends) that shows off the new features in their glory. "Jump into Worms Armageddon now and enjoy a whole host of improvements and additions in a free new update that includes CPU in online matches, expanded scheme options, further localisation, and additional compatibility."

"Worms Armageddon version 3.8 is finally released!" the team said on its Steam page. "It’s been a long time coming, and we hope you’ll enjoy all the features, changes, and bug fixes that made it into this update."

The update includes 70 new scheme options for match customisation, improved frame rate, windowed mode, enhancements for streaming, and translation to seven new languages – Finnish, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Swedish – with four more reportedly "on the way".

"Our thanks go to all the hardworking members of the Worms Armageddon community who helped make this update a reality. And for the full list of what’s new, check the Update Documentation included with this update!"

Team 17 also recently announced a new Worms game is coming in 2020, just in time for the original game's 25th anniversary. 

Looking for something new to get stuck into? Here are the best PC games right now.

Moving Out launches on April 28, Team17 has announced. The chaotic co-op game inspired by Overcooked asks players not to cook in a busy (and highly flammable) restaurant but rather to move unwieldy furniture out of a house and onto a moving truck. 

Lugging oblong couches through narrow door frames is typically one of the worst ways to spend a weekend, but Moving Out’s co-developers at SMG Studio and DEVM Games think they’ve cracked the code and made moving fun. It will be playable entirely in local co-op for up to four players. Players will be able to choose from several characters including cats, dogs, humans, and toaster-headed friends. You can see the game in action in its new release date trailer.

The game will also offer a range of accessibility options at launch, which the publisher has detailed in a new blog post. Moving Out’s Assist Mode includes options to increase time limits, reduce the difficulty, and make objects disappear when they make it to the truck, saving you and your co-op partners from needing to Tetris the bulk of it once you get out the door. Players will also have the opportunity to skip levels upon failing them and make two-player items lighter and easier to carry around.

The developers have really stressed inclusivity in Moving Out and to that end they’ve also ensured the game offers dyslexic friendly UI options, a scalable UI, and subtitles. Players will have several controller maps to choose from on consoles, while those playing on Steam will be able to fully remap their control schemes however they see fit.

If you need more co-op chaos in your life, it looks like Overcooked 2 is teasing something new.

This interview was conducted by Xbox: The Official Magazine

For a small studio that was first founded in 1990 and was best known for creating the Worms series, Team17 has made some seriously impressive leaps into the spotlight in recent years, helping bring the likes of Overcooked and Yooka-Laylee to gamers around the world. But just how have they gone from the team behind Worms to the indie superstars they are today? We speak to CEO and co-founder Debbie Bestwick, creative director Kev Carthew and senior producer Ian Pickles to find out what makes their team so strong.

OXM: Team17 feels like it’s grown hugely over the last few years – what do you think that’s down to?

Debbie Bestwick (DB): Our vision and the sheer passion and determination of all of our team. We’ve all worked incredibly hard to establish our games label. We recently celebrated signing our 20th game to the label, Yoku’s Island Express, a stunning hand-painted pinball platformer featuring pint-sized protagonist dung beetle Yoku. Here’s a funny, outstanding fact – when we released Yooka-Laylee in April, it was Team17’s 90th game.

Kev Carthew (KC): I think it’s a mixture of keeping Worms successful over the years and embracing new business ideas. We’re always tinkering with its design to bring something new to it, and Worms has been able to find a new audience as new platforms have emerged and new markets have opened up. We were quick to bring our games to the likes of Xbox Live Arcade and the App Store, and that’s helped to bring them to a new generation of gamers.

OXM: What inspired you to transform Team17 from the studio behind Worms into the successful publisher you guys have become today?

DB: We originally started life back as a publisher when Team17 was founded in 1990, working with the likes of Housemarque on Super Stardust and Epic on Silverball. Towards the end of 2013, I was looking for a new challenge and wanted to be able to help give something back to help build future development studios and help existing development teams. Team17 was doing really well and we were in a very fortunate position with a wealth of personal experience to share. We wanted to raise awareness for new IP creation and aid building new independent studios that retain creative control and ownership of IP. It’s something that’s very close to our hearts and something we stand up for.

OXM: How has that changed the dynamic within the studio?

DB: We’ve definitely ended up utilising our internal development team more than we anticipated. This has been really interesting and has allowed our internal team to be in a fortunate position of keeping refreshed. They get the opportunity to work on such a wide variety of games. Staffing has increased in excess of 25% and we are actively recruiting in many areas. We even implemented our own incubation programme, which enables developers to work out of the Team17 offices with a full dedicated team supporting them to realise their game’s full potential. This is a unique offering which benefits newer or smaller developers especially. Having a dedicated and experienced support team to call on for advice can be invaluable.

So far we’ve incubated solo indie developer Sherida Halatoe of Tiger & Squid, who moved across from the Netherlands during the development of Beyond Eyes and had an entire team of Team17 staff support her for a full year on the game. Likewise we incubated indie duo Unicube Studios, comprised of Sonny Meek and Dean Foster. When they launched Sheltered on Kickstarter, we signed it within 24 hours. They held jobs in Screwfix and Cineworld at the time, so joining us allowed them the freedom to quit their jobs and move to be incubated within the studio for a year where they learnt Unity and created Sheltered.

We worked closely with Chris Davis, the solo indie dev of Mouldy Toof Studios on The Escapists. I fell in love with the game the moment I saw it. It was instantly funny and allowed you to be cheeky and that’s definitely something I look for in a game! When we met with Chris, we found he was a roofer by trade and had developed The Escapists in Multimedia Fusion, a program he initially got for free on the front cover of a PC magazine as a child, and had stuck with! We immediately created a team internally for him at Team17 and began recreating the game from scratch in Unity to be able to bring it to Xbox One.

Ian Pickles (IP): The ability to utilise our own development team across internal and games label titles is a real boon to us and something that sets the games label apart from traditional publishers. Our development staff support all of our titles where we can provide assistance, and games label titles really feel part of the ‘family’ because of this. This also means our team gets to work on a great variety of titles and engines/ technologies and gains knowledge in many fields. Owing to this, we’re constantly expanding and looking for new members of the team. We also strongly believe in developing our guys, and use support and mentoring as well as training to ensure career development is always possible. A fun fact is that right now every member of our senior production team started out as Team17 QA!

OXM: What were some of the greatest challenges you faced along the way?

DB: The real challenge we faced at the start was proving ourselves. We had this amazing idea, and we all knew we would put our all in to see it through and make it work. But it was a case of showing what we could do, that we should be taken seriously, and changing the outside mindset that we’re predominately just known for Worms. So how did we fix that? We ensured that when we announced the games label in November 2013, we already had our first signing.

To date we’ve now launched 14 games successfully on the label, including the award-winning sandbox prison-escape game The Escapists, which has been downloaded over four million times across all platforms; Beyond Eyes, which saw Sherida take to the stage during Microsoft’s E3 conference in 2015; Sheltered, which was one of the first Xbox One Games Preview Program games; the Bafta award-winning Overcooked; and most recently the highly anticipated Yooka-Laylee.

OXM: What are your proudest achievements?

DB: There have been so many over the years! It’s a fantastic feeling to be able to give back to the games industry and community. Helping other developers on their journey and enabling them to set themselves up as sustainable businesses is really rewarding, and we’re loving being able to share their journeys with them. Highlights include watching Chris Davis be named as a Bafta Breakthrough Brit, seeing Phil Duncan and Oli Devine collect Best British Game and Best Family Game at the Baftas, being honoured with an MBE for services to the video games industry, and just generally getting to meet a lot of genuinely fantastic people and play some great games!

IP: For me it’s seeing the level of titles and partners eager to work with us growing so quickly. Debbie and the team managed to quickly grow from smaller indie titles to us attracting the interest of some of the most experienced teams around. Our games label web form is inundated with teams from all around the world. Additionally, the focus on maintaining our commitment to choosing incubation partners for the label makes me so proud. The ability to assist young developers and help them gain true development experience while getting a real product out into the wild is amazing and always makes us proud to have helped in the creation of another developer.

KC: Honestly, it sounds really corny, but just joining Team17 was an incredibly proud achievement for me. Everything on top of that is a bonus! I grew up playing Team17’s games, I was a huge fan of all of the early Amiga titles and then Worms came along and was really, in my eyes, that platform’s swansong. To be able to make games for a living was something I never thought would have been a serious career option growing up, and now to have been here for so long at a developer that I idolised is really something special.

OXM: How do you go about deciding which games you’d like to add to your label?

IP: One of the real benefits is that we don’t have to look for specific genres or strategic types of games. Our evaluation team personally looks at everything that is submitted to the label but also bring the majority of the games we look at in themselves. I spend my evenings browsing the indie gaming subreddits and various discussion sites to hunt for promising titles and other members of the team actively search to submit games for review that we think would be a great fit for the label. It’s great to see teams that truly know what makes their game special, how it fits into the market and differs from its competitors. Also, it makes my life a lot easier when teams have properly considered their development plans, how long they need and what support a partner can bring.

OXM: Which games have surprised you the most about their success?

DB: Success can be defined in many different ways. For Team17 our partners becoming sustainable businesses is how we define success. When we first worked with indie duo Unicube Studios, they had no offices of their own – now they do and have set up their own team. Many of the studios we’ve worked with have now become self-sufficient and are able to fund further projects and keep making games. That’s the goal for us.

IP: A recent incubation partner of ours managed to quit their day job and find a small office and become a full-time developer after talking to us for a couple of months – regardless of the journey ahead that is a major success and something we’re always proud of.

OXM: How do you approach things if they don’t look like they’ll work out?

DB: We work incredibly closely with our partners and make ourselves available at every step of the way to help. Having the development office, again, I think can be a big help here. If developers have encountered a stumbling block then our team are always there to bounce ideas off or jump onto the build and help with solutions and suggestions.

OXM: What advice would you give indie developers who would like to be supported by Games Label?

DB: Contact us! We love to hear from developers. Being developers ourselves, we’re used to seeing games in all stages so we understand early development and wouldn’t be put off by fledging prototypes. Tips wise, don’t plan to make games to get rich, most games fail. Sustainability can happen with overnight hits but for most studios this can take two to three releases. Ensure you plan properly – select the type of game you are making very carefully and do your research. Know the audience you want to hit and what your game does better.

IP: Don’t be afraid to get in touch and ask for advice or feedback. We’ll always take a look and be as honest as possible. Try and have something playable quickly that can show the core game. It doesn’t have to be pretty or big if the game shines through. Finally, take the time to know the market, what games you are inspired by and what makes your game stand out from the crowd. Keep it simple; focusing on these strengths will allow your game to make the best possible impression.

KC: Keep your initial approach short and sweet and focus in the first instance on getting the message across about what it is that sets your game apart from the others. The guys working at the label have their hands full, and only have so much time free each day to look at each game that comes their way. That’s not to say they don’t take every submission seriously, they very much do – but you’re going to make it easier for yourself to get noticed if you can make your title stand out.

That aside, no matter what, the most important thing is just to make the approach. We’re gamers just like you, we’re developers just like you. We’re motivated by great games, and there’s no intimidating submission process involved. If we like your game, that’s enough. I think it shows just by looking at the kinds of games on the label that the choices we’ve made are really diverse, the kinds of games that we choose to work with are really broad. If we like your game, and we think we can help you, there’s a great chance we can work together.

OXM: What have you got coming up that you’re most excited for?

KC: I am seriously excited by what we have coming soon in The Escapists 2. It’s a truly feature-packed game that builds on everything that was great about the original. It’s an indie game through and through but it has high production values. We’ve been working with Mouldy Toof on it for some time now. There have been some big development challenges, but it’s come together really nicely and I can’t wait to see what people think of it.

OXM: After going through so much growth, where do you see the studio going in the next five years or so?

DB: Our business has become rapidly different in the past couple of years. As we take on more games to the label, we’re conscious that we must expand to be able to continue offering development support and also to ensure we’re dedicating our time to each game – we don’t want to ever become a sausage factory and we’re not in the habit of simply firing out releases and instantly forgetting them. The quality of titles in terms of production values from indies has been rising significantly over the last few years, that’s just the way the market has moved during this current cycle.

Some of the developers we are working with are often new studios releasing their debut games, but they are industry veterans who have worked on a whole host of exciting games! Aven Colony developer Mothership Entertainment’s combined game credits include Fable 2, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption and Star Wars: The Old Republic. We’re also working with Radiation Blue on their incredibly unique and exciting Genesis Alpha One. Previously the talented veteran developers have worked on Hitman: Blood Money, Velvet Assassin, Spec Ops: The Line and The Settlers.

We look for a good cross-mix of games and team sizes, and I’ve had many people tell me that what we’re doing is refreshing, we’re disrupting the traditional publishing model and taking risks on projects that may not have happened, and working equally with experienced and complete newbies to development. Being able to bring them through and give them the exact same backing as we give any of the partners on our label, including AAA teams, is the chance of a lifetime.

This article originally appeared in Xbox: The Official Magazine. For more great Xbox coverage, you can subscribe here.

We can’t be the only ones with Worms in our hearts! These squishy, squeaky-voiced little devils have an arsenal that rivals Wile E. Coyote’s biggest Acme order for volume and sheer ridiculousness. We’ve spent many a night crowded on the couch with four friends, passing a laptop between us, taking swipes at each other’s teams of little pink miscreants. Needless to say, we were pretty excited to try Worms Revolution. It brings the series back to its 2D roots, but not without introducing updated graphics, new game modes, and even a class system - but don’t worry purists! There’s a Classic game mode just for you.

Even if you’re not nostalgic for the series, Worms Revolution is worth your attention. The worms games have always been an excellent blend of twitch gameplay, nuanced tactics and totally bonkers humor. For the uninitiated, each player controls a gang of worms tasked with murdering the other team, either by knocking them out of the arena, or by blasting them with all manner of bizarre weaponry. Armed with everything from shotguns, karate chops, Banana Bombs, Holy Hand Grenades, Super Sheep and the beloved Concrete Donkey, there’s a lot to at your disposal for offing your fellow worms. Most weapons are fired in arcs, so getting a kill is a matter of judging angles and nailing timing. You can also blast and burrow through the deformable terrain, letting opponents drown in the drink below.

Just like in the classic Worms Armageddon, in Worms Revolution the map itself is as much your enemy as your wormy foes. The Ninja Rope, which now waves and warbles thanks to a modern physics engine, is still the high point of precision play. The clock is your enemy as well, since each player’s turn is about 25 seconds. We were feeling the pressure as we struggled to rappel our way over to an enemy, plant a bomb at his feet and make it back to safety in time. We didn’t, and met a with a watery grave just like our enemy. No big loss though, the chaos of over-powered weaponry and destructible environments is exactly what makes a Worms game so fun. It’s like playing dominoes with dynamite, you can never calculate all the chaos a grenade or two will cause.

With a name like Worms Revolution, Team17 knows they need to provide some gameplay evolution, and the British developer certainly has. The game now features dynamic water as a hazard. We used weapons to uncork water bottles and beakers strewn about the map, unleashing liquid that flowed into the nooks and crannies of the terrain. Thankfully, it's not as deadly as the briny deep below every map. Instead of instant death, any worm caught with his head under water will lose some health on every turn. The next big addition is Fort mode, where teams start off in their own heavily protected bases. To take out the other team, we had to make our way into the enemy battlements, or crack the fort wide open with artillery to get at the enemies inside. How’s that for opening up a can of worms?

The new class system introduces four distinct types of worms to control. The Soldier is your classic worm, a balanced jack-of-all-trades. Then there’s the slow moving, bullet absorbing Heavy worm - this guy does extra damage with weapons and chews up more terrain with each blast. He's literally heavy, good luck knocking him in the drink! Next is the Scientist, we immediately identified him by his enlarged cranium. Having this worm around heals your team each time he takes a turn, plus he builds more effective Girders and Sentry Guns. Last is our favorite, the Scout. He moves the fastest and digs slim tunnels only he and other Scout worms can use. For an even deeper level of strategy, players can build teams composed of whatever worm types they like.

The Worms games have always been about multiplayer, local or online, but Revolution doesn't skimp on the single player. It's even narrated nature documentary style by English comedian Matt Berry - you might remember him from such British comedies as The IT Crows and Garth Marenghi's Darkplace. There's online play too, of course, but the real treat with this series has always been local multiplayer. It’s just so much fun to bomb and beat an opponent’s worms while he waits helplessly for his turn, plotting his revenge.

The mix of turn-based style, lively animation and explosive gameplay make Worms Revolution play like a living board game. With a release date planned for September, it’ll be hitting Steam, PSN and the Xbox Live Marketplace right in time for the holidays.