Echo Bazaar
Good review leads to influx of players.
Viral boost from glowing review on Extra Credits
“Simply and brilliantly produced on what can only be a minuscule budget... some of the most interesting storytelling methodology we've seen and some of the best use of mystery.”
Extra Credits
The servers of Gothic browser game Echo Bazaar nearly melted into silicon goo yesterday after Extra Credits broadcast a six minute love letter to the game. The Escapist’ s infotainment web show used Echo Bazaar as a prime example of effective and entertaining non-combat gaming, comparing the micro-budgeted text game favourably with multi-million dollar AAA titles like Call of Duty and Left 4 Dead. Gaining 5000 users in 10 hours, Echo Bazaar tottered on its feet but remained standing as the show went viral and a wave of recommendations careened around the internet. At peak times the game gained a player every 8-10 seconds.
“It was touch-and-go there for a second but we’re delighted to welcome so many new players to Fallen London.”
Alexis Kennedy, CEO Failbetter Games
So wherefore all this attention?
Despite its small budget, its beta status and all-round indie RPG-ness, Echo Bazaar does something almost no other game does, incorporating social interactions with excellent writing and narrative hooks to create a unique gaming experience. As Extra Credits themselves say, if you want to see a social game where the social actually improves the game, Echo Bazaar is the place to come.
For further information, screenshots and interview requests, please contact Alice French, alice@failbettergames.com
Notes for editors
A little more about Failbetter Games:
A dangerous cadre of wild-eyed narrative engineers, Failbetter Games was founded a little over a year ago by Alexis Kennedy and Paul Arendt, to develop narrative driven social games and interactive digital storytelling. Their first game, Echo Bazaar is an awarding-winning handful of Lovecraftian Victoriana set in Fallen London, once the capital of the British Empire and now home to the Bazaar.
A sample of further reading:
“Best Browser Game of 2009” – the Escapist Awards
The Escapist interviews Alexis Kennedy and Paul Arendt
JayisGames review
Respected interactive fiction commentator Emily Short on Echo Bazaar
Radio 5 Live interview
The Guardian on Echo Bazaar