LOS ANGELES - [Sept. 30], 2020 -- iam8bit, together with Moon Studios and Xbox Game Studios, and with distribution by Skybound Games, will release the physical editions of Ori and the Blind Forest and Ori and the Will of the Wisps for Nintendo Switch on December 8, 2020. Both physical editions will retail for $39.99 / €39.99 and are available for pre-order at retailers around the globe starting today. This announcement comes on the heels of the September 17th global launch of Ori and the Will of the Wisps on the Nintendo eShop.
A trailer featuring the standard physical editions can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rz0MsBs72Sc&feature=youtu.be
The physical editions of Ori and the Blind Forest and Ori and the Will of the Wisps will feature six collectible art cards and digital downloads of the game’s respective soundtrack, composed by Gareth Coker.
“We’re thrilled to be able to partner with Moon Studios and Xbox Game Studios to bring fans even more premium content for such a beloved series,” said Jon Gibson and Amanda White, co-owners of iam8bit. “Both Ori and The Blind Forest and Ori and The Will of the Wisps are both known as emotionally charged games, and we couldn’t be happier to commemorate their most memorable moments through these special physical edition releases.”
Ori and the Blind Forest and Ori and the Will of the Wisps both run at a silky-smooth 60 frames per second on Nintendo Switch, while allowing new players and longtime series fans to experience the game on the go thanks to the Switch’s portable nature.
iam8bit will also release three signature Ori Collector’s Editions for Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Windows 10, which will be available for $149.99 starting December 8. For a closer look at the premium editions and to pre-order, please visit ori.iam8bit.com.
ABOUT THE ORI SERIES
Developed by Moon Studios, Ori and the Blind Forest and Ori and the Will of the Wisps are beautiful hand-drawn adventures about a young spirit destined for heroics, featuring tightly crafted platforming action and deeply emotional storytelling.
Originally released in March 2015, Ori and the Blind Forest launched to critical acclaim, garnering over 50 awards and nominations, including Best Art Direction from The Game Awards, the BAFTA Games Award for Artistic Achievement, DICE Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Original Composition, Art Direction and Animation.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps launched in March 2020 with Xbox Game Pass and on Xbox One, Windows PC and Steam, and was met with similar praise. Dubbed a Metacritic Must-Play title, the title received overwhelmingly positive reviews from media and fans alike, with GamesRadar+ calling it “one of the best platformers ever made, and ... an easy front-runner for game of the year.”
Previously only available physically on Xbox One, iam8bit and Moon Studios have partnered with Skybound Games to distribute physical editions for both titles on Nintendo Switch. This launch will also include a special Collector’s Edition only available on iam8bit.com that includes both titles, a premium display box, collectible art cards from the series, complete soundtracks from both titles and much more.
About iam8bit
Founded in 2005 and celebrating its 15-year anniversary, iam8bit is a creative production emporium that has quietly redefined the entertainment industry, time and time again. Collaborating with a plethora of partners and narrative-busting IPs, iam8bit punctuates the importance of engaging with fans directly. By creating the video game industry's very first community events, the company injected the idea of experiential immersion into game and film marketing (back when it was simply known as "theatre"). iam8bit also played a crucial role in the vinyl renaissance, minting its first record in 2010. The company is based in Los Angeles and co-owned by Jon M. Gibson and Amanda White. Visit iam8bit.com or follow @iam8bit on Instagram or Twitter.
About Moon Studios
Moon Studios is an independent video game development studio, founded in 2010 by Thomas Mahler (former Cinematic Artist at Blizzard Entertainment) and Gennadiy Korol (former Senior Graphics Engineer at Animation Lab). The company mainly focuses on highly refined gameplay mechanics within its products and prides itself on an excessive 'iterative polish' process. Moon Studios is a distributed development house: All team members are spread throughout the world, allowing Moon to work with the best and most talented people in the games industry. Moon Studios created the critically acclaimed Ori and the Blind Forest and Ori and the Will of the Wisps and is currently developing a new, unannounced action RPG.
About Skybound Games
Skybound Games is a division of Skybound Entertainment with the capability to produce tabletop and video games. The team works closely with creators to expand their unique and exceptional IP to new platforms. Skybound Games’ slate across video games includes Telltale’s The Walking Dead, Baldur’s Gate, and Slime Rancher. The tabletop slate includes Pitchstorm, Superfight, and The Walking Dead: Something to Fear. Skybound Games can be found on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
MEDIA RESOURCES:
Media Contacts:
Kris Wall, Jasmine Henry and Connor Makar
Heaven Media
skybound@heavenmedia.com