Melbourne based developer House House, the studio behind the 2019 hit Untitled Goose Game, has revealed that its latest project Big Walk was inspired by the mandatory COVID 19 lockdowns of 2020. The studio wanted to create a game about socialising outdoors with friends at a time when such activities were impossible. However, the developers did not anticipate that the project would take six years to complete.
House House originally announced Big Walk as a game focused on cooperative outdoor exploration. The concept was born directly from the restrictions imposed during the pandemic, when many people were confined to their homes. The studio aimed to capture the feeling of going on a walk with friends, an experience that was suddenly unavailable to millions globally.
Development Timeline
Work on Big Walk began in early 2020, shortly after the first waves of lockdowns took effect in Australia. The developers initially expected a relatively short production cycle, given the game’s seemingly straightforward premise. However, the project evolved significantly over time, expanding in scope and complexity.
Speaking about the extended development period, House House noted that the team learned valuable lessons about project management and scope control. The six year journey included multiple iterations of the game’s core mechanics, as the studio sought to deliver a polished cooperative experience that matched its original vision.
Pandemic Influence on Game Design
The pandemic context heavily influenced the game’s design philosophy. Big Walk emphasises synchronous cooperative play, where two players must work together to navigate a wilderness environment. This design choice directly reflects the social deprivation experienced during lockdowns, offering a digital substitute for physical social interaction.
Industry observers have noted that several other game studios also drew inspiration from pandemic era restrictions. However, House House’s approach stands out for its focus on simple, everyday activities like walking, rather than high stakes combat or survival scenarios.
Challenges and Lessons Learned
The extended development timeline presented several challenges for the studio. Funding continuity, team morale, and shifting market conditions all required careful management. House House acknowledged that the project would have benefited from clearer milestone planning and tighter scope management from the outset.
Despite the delays, the studio remains confident that the final product delivers the intended experience. Big Walk is designed to be accessible to a broad audience, including players who may not typically engage with cooperative games. The controls are intentionally simple, allowing players to focus on communication and shared exploration.
Industry Context
The six year development cycle for Big Walk is not unusual in the modern video game industry. Many independent studios face similar timelines as they balance creative ambition with financial constraints. House House’s previous success with Untitled Goose Game provided some buffer, but the studio still needed to make careful decisions about resource allocation.
Analysts have pointed out that extended development periods can be both a risk and an advantage for smaller studios. Longer timelines allow for more polish and iteration, but they also expose projects to changes in the market and competition from other titles.
Implications for Australian game development
Big Walk represents a significant milestone for the Australian independent game development sector. The title is being watched closely by industry professionals as an indicator of the region’s capacity to produce high quality cooperative games. House House’s track record with Untitled Goose Game has already raised expectations for the studio’s follow up project.
The development process also highlights the importance of government support and grants for independent studios in Australia. House House has benefited from various funding sources, which allowed it to sustain a small team over an extended period without excessive commercial pressure.
The studio has not yet announced a specific release date for Big Walk. However, the project is now in its final stages, and the team expects to share more details in the coming months. Industry observers anticipate that the game will launch on multiple platforms, given House House’s previous multiplatform strategy.
Source: GamesIndustry.biz
