Abducted, Abandoned, & Alone: Award-winning pixel-art escape adventure STAY is heading to PS4 and Nintendo Switch
An abducted stranger, a locked room, a ticking clock. Can you help Quinn escape?
PQube (London, UK) – Having amassed praise and awards aplenty after its debut on Xbox One and PC earlier this year, PQube is excited to announce that pixel art thriller STAY will roll out on PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch this summer.
STAY follows the path of Quinn – a therapist who wakes up alone, locked in a strange room with nothing of note save for a computer hooked up to an internet chat room. Said chat room has one other member, however: You.
It’s up to you to try and help Quinn escape, making suggestions in real time that either guide Quinn to safety, or closer to his ultimate end. What would you do if a stranger’s fate rested in your fingertips? And how would you cope if every second could be the difference between life and death?
“STAY is a unique prospect, and one where the player can only influence Quinn rather than decide his every move,” says Michael Fisher, Product Manager at PQube. “It’s an approach that poses some interesting questions for the player. Indeed, it becomes quickly apparent that what Quinn does away from the PC – which is all monitored by CCTV – is as important to the mystery behind STAY as what he says when he’s at his keyboard. The game is also played out in real time, so every moment the player spends away from their console or PC is a moment Quinn is left to his own devices. Will he survive without you?”
Developed by Spanish indie studio Appnormals Team, STAY has amassed nominations at multiple different awards ceremonies for both the Xbox One and PC editions since launching earlier this year, including commendations for the game’s narrative and the accolade of ‘Best Original Idea’ at Gamelab Barcelona 2018.
“We’re excited to bring STAY to PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch having seen gamers really take to Quinn and his dark and dangerous world on Xbox One and PC,” adds Fisher. “With multiple different story branches and seven different endings, we think these new players will take to Quinn’s perilous situation with trepidation.”
STAY includes:
Real-time play – the clock never stops
STAY plays out in real-time, meaning that every minute spent away from the game is a minute Quinn is left alone. Drop out of conversations or leave Quinn to fend for himself for too long and there may be consequences to your actions.
Raise your empathy
Quinn is on edge, and every response matters. Prove yourself a compassionate ally and he’ll learn to trust you and share both his findings and deepest thoughts. Fail, and his emotions may work against you.
Interactive storytelling
Featuring 24 chapters, seven different endings, dozens of life-altering choices and entire webs of conversation, STAY is designed to be replayed multiple times. Explore myriad rooms and unearth hidden secrets in subsequent playthroughs to piece together the full story.
Uncover the truth
Webcams around the environment and on the computer enable you to watch and analyse Quinn’s reactions, mental state and actions while he is Away From Keyboard. Pick up on his lies, use that knowledge to your advantage and uncover the truth at the heart of STAY.
Solve mind-bending puzzles
Help Quinn get the better of the conundrums he encounters inside his prison by taking direct control of his actions during numerous puzzle sections.
Check out #staythegame on social media.
About PQube
PQube is a publisher, distributor and service provider for the interactive entertainment industry with a global reach through UK, Europe, Middle East, Australia and North and South America from its offices in Letchworth, Paris, Bristol and Bawtry. PQube is a licensed publisher for Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo platforms and publishes and distributes games on PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Xbox One, 3DS, iOS, Android, PC and digital download. PQube has established a track record of success with major franchises including:- BlazBlue, GuiltyGear, WRC, MotoGP, Ride, MXGP, Arcana Heart, Harvest Moon, Senran Kagura and Steins;Gate. PQube also creates and distributes hardware, consoles and technology including Sega MegaDrive, Atari Flashback, BlazeTab and BlazeGear. PQube also provides a full range of creative, design, web, marketing, PR, development and e-commerce and fulfilment solutions. We thank all our partners and acknowledge all game names, brands and trademarks as properties of their respective owners. www.pqube.co.uk
About Appnormals Team
Appnormals Team is an award-winning indie studio from Barcelona, Spain. Co-founded by long-term friends Inaki Diaz and Dani Moya, who respectively worked in multiple fields of design and coding for many years, the creative duo started a journey together because of their passion for pixel art and love for old school games.
After releasing several casual mobile titles such as the acclaimed ‘Super Barista’, Appnormals Team is dedicated to developing genuinely innovative games across multiple platforms; titles which embrace the studio’s quest for original mechanics, unique premises and a hallmark retro look and feel.
