Oddworld Inhabitants facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Oddworld Inhabitants

Type	Private
Industry	Video games, films, television
Founded	September 1994; 30 years ago (1994-09) in San Luis Obispo, California
Founder	Lorne Lanning Sherry McKenna
Headquarters	Emeryville, California , United States
Key people	Sherry McKenna (CEO) Lorne Lanning (president) Bennie Terry (executive producer)
Products	Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath HD Oddworld; Munch's Oddysee HD Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty! Oddworld: Soulstorm

Oddworld Inhabitants Inc. is an American company that makes video games, films, and TV shows. It was started in 1994 by Sherry McKenna and Lorne Lanning. They were experts in special effects and computer animation.

The company is best known for its Oddworld video game series. These games are set on a fictional planet called Oddworld and feature its unique creatures. The first game, Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee, came out in 1997. Other popular games include Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee (2001), Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus (1998), and Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath (2005).

After Stranger's Wrath, Oddworld Inhabitants took a break from making games. They focused on a movie called "Citizen Siege", which has not been released yet. The company later returned to games. They teamed up with a UK developer, Just Add Water. Together, they updated old Oddworld games and made new ones. This included Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty!, a remake of their first game. It was released in 2014 for PlayStation 4 and later for other platforms. Their newest game, Oddworld: Soulstorm, came out in 2021.

The Story of Oddworld Inhabitants

How the Company Started

Oddworld Inhabitants was founded in 1994 by Lorne Lanning and Sherry McKenna. Lanning first thought about starting the company in 1992. He showed McKenna the game Doom on a computer.

McKenna didn't like games at first. She thought they were "ugly and confusing." She liked Lanning's story for a movie, not a game. But Lanning managed to borrow money based on his 3D skills. In September 1994, they moved to San Luis Obispo, California and started Oddworld Inhabitants.

Making Video Games (1997–2005)

Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee (1997)

The first game from Oddworld Inhabitants was Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee in 1997. It was a 2D side-scrolling platform game. GT Interactive published it for PlayStation and PC.

The game used a "flip book" effect with pre-rendered backgrounds. Production started in 1995. The game was a huge success. It sold 3.5 million copies and won many awards.

The story is about Abe, a Mudokon creature. He is enslaved by Glukkon creatures in a meat factory called RuptureFarms. The game explores ideas like "mysticism versus consumerism." Lorne Lanning wanted the game to show the dark side of globalization. It touched on capitalism, exploitation, and the environment.

Abe was different from other game heroes. He was not big and strong. He fought with emotion and speech, not guns. The game introduced "gamespeak" and "possession." Gamespeak let Abe talk to other Mudokons to save them. Possession let him control enemies like Slig guards. This made Abe a hero players could truly care about.

Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus (1998)

Because Abe's Oddysee was so popular, the company had to make a sequel quickly. This changed their original plan for five games. Their publisher, GT Interactive, wanted a new PlayStation game by Christmas 1998.

Lanning didn't want to make Munch's Oddysee in 3D for the PlayStation yet. So, he decided to make a direct sequel to Abe's Oddysee. It used the same game engine but added improvements. Abe's Exoddus came out in 1998 for PlayStation and PC.

The game continued Abe's story. He goes on a quest to destroy factories that make Soulstorm Brew. This drink is made from dead Mudokons. Abe also rescues 300 of his kind. The game, like the first, was about hope and fighting against big problems. Lanning wanted the Oddworld universe to have endless stories, like Star Wars.

Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee (2001)

The third game was Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee. It was a 3D platform game. It used an upgraded game engine called A.L.I.V.E 2. Infogrames published it for the Microsoft Xbox console. This was the studio's first 3D game. Lanning chose Xbox because it had the best graphics for his vision.

Abe returns in this game to help Munch. Munch is the last of the Gabbit species. His species was hunted for their eggs, called "gabbiar." Munch wants to find the last can of gabbiar eggs to save his species. Munch, like Abe, showed real-world problems in a character people could like.

Lanning was not fully satisfied with Munch's Oddysee. He felt he was too demanding and struggled to manage a large team of 75 developers.

Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath (2005)

For their fourth game, Stranger's Wrath, Oddworld Inhabitants tried new things. The game switched between first-person shooter and third-person action-adventure views. This allowed for different combat and platforming styles.

It was also the first Oddworld game set in a new part of the planet. It did not feature Abe. The game had a Western theme. Players controlled Stranger, the last of a species called Steef. Critics liked these new elements. They showed that Oddworld could change and grow.

Some classic Oddworld features returned. The characters had believable personalities. How you treated townsfolk affected how they treated you. The story also blended seamlessly with the gameplay.

Stranger's Wrath was released in January 2005 for Xbox. It was well-received by critics but did not sell well. Only 600,000 copies were sold. Lanning said the publisher, Electronic Arts, did not advertise it enough. This was because they couldn't get the game to work on PlayStation 2. Years later, Lanning claimed EA "sabotaged" the game's marketing.

Focusing on Films (2005–2009)

Why Oddworld Stopped Making Games

After Stranger's Wrath, Lorne Lanning felt frustrated with how publishers worked. Publishers often wanted to own the game ideas (IP) of smaller studios. Lanning and Sherry McKenna did not want to sell their "children" (their game ideas). They wanted to keep control, like Jim Henson or Disney.

They found errors in their royalty payments from EA. They gave EA an ultimatum: pay the money or give back 100% of the company and its game ideas. EA chose to give back the company. But this meant Oddworld Inhabitants lost funding for game development.

In April 2005, Lanning announced they would stop making games. Many thought it was due to anger with EA. But Lanning explained it was about the financial system. Publishers controlled marketing and funding. This meant they could make decisions that hurt the games. Sales expectations kept rising, while actual sales often fell due to issues beyond the developers' control.

Lanning and McKenna saw themselves as a "property development company," not just a game company. Their dream was to make big movies. Games were just the first step. They closed their internal game production studio. They wanted to focus on creating ideas for films, TV, and games. They aimed to find new ways to fund their projects.

What about "Citizen Siege"?

An early painting for the movie Citizen Siege.

During this time, Oddworld Inhabitants worked on a CG feature film called "Citizen Siege." It was meant to be a dark, political action thriller. The story was set in a future where corporations controlled everything. People's body parts could be taken if they owed money. The hero, who lost parts of his body, fights back.

Lanning wanted to combine animation with darker stories, like Blade Runner. He aimed for it to be like "1984 for the 21st century." They also planned an online game called "Wage Wars" to go with the film.

The goal was to make content that could be used across movies, TV, and games. But the global financial crisis made it hard to get funding. Publishers became even more careful. So, "Citizen Siege" and "Wage Wars" were put on hold.

Partnering with Just Add Water (2009–2015)

Lanning and McKenna's decision to keep their company paid off. Digital game stores like Steam became popular. In 2008, Valve asked them to release Abe's Oddysee and Abe's Exoddus on Steam.

In 2009, they met Just Add Water, a small UK game developer. Just Add Water wanted to bring the Oddworld games back to life. Lanning agreed to work with them if they could build a "sustainable business." This meant making quality games for fans.

In 2010, Just Add Water announced their partnership. They would work on many Oddworld projects. Lanning asked them to remake Abe's Oddysee first. He also wanted them to update Stranger's Wrath to high definition. Lanning was happy because Just Add Water's team loved Oddworld as much as he did.

Digital Game Sales

Lanning once thought games had an "expiration date." But digital stores changed his mind. He saw that people still wanted to buy his old games on Steam years later. Digital distribution also saved a lot of money. They didn't need to pay for discs, shipping, or retail stores.

This meant more money went directly to the developers. For a game sold at US$9.99, the studio could get US$7. In the old system, only 12% went to the developer. This new model allowed them to make more games and take fewer risks. They could even make games for platforms like Vita and Wii U, even if they didn't make much profit.

This new way of working allowed Oddworld to grow slowly but steadily. They didn't have to please big investors. Lanning called this "sustainable content in an unsustainable world."

New 'n' Tasty!

Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty! was a remake of Abe's Oddysee. Fans had asked for a new version of Abe's first adventure. They wanted the classic 2D platforming style. The developers used the Unity engine to create detailed 3D environments. But the gameplay stayed 2D. This style is called 2.5D.

Lanning compared it to Dr. Seuss books. New printing methods made the books look better, but the story stayed the same. New 'n' Tasty! aimed to do this for games. It used new technology to make the game look amazing, but kept the original feel. They even redid the music and sound effects. The game still explored themes like corporatism and pollution.

In 2015, Just Add Water stopped working on new projects for Oddworld Inhabitants. They only finished work on existing games.

Working with Square One Games

Oddworld Inhabitants partnered with Square One Games. This Canadian developer ported Stranger's Wrath to iOS and Android mobile phones. Lanning was surprised it worked so well. The game looked great and ran smoothly on mobile devices. Square One Games also worked on an updated version of Munch's Oddysee for Steam.

PlayStation 4 Development

In 2013, Sony launched the PlayStation 4. Oddworld Inhabitants was excited about this. Sony invited developers to help design the console. This made it easier and better to make games. Lanning felt Sony was very supportive of independent developers.

New 'n' Tasty! was released on PS4 in 2014. Lanning called the PS4 "the smartest development environment." He believed it would help independent developers create big, new games.

Xbox Relationship

Oddworld Inhabitants tried to release Stranger's Wrath HD on Xbox. But Microsoft denied it due to file size limits. They also had issues with pricing. Lanning was frustrated because he just wanted fans to play his games on Xbox.

For New 'n' Tasty!, Microsoft initially required developers to partner with a big publisher. This was a problem for Oddworld, who self-funded their games. Lanning felt Microsoft was stuck in "old ways of thinking." He compared it to Sotheby's (exclusive) versus eBay (open to all).

Eventually, Microsoft started the ID@Xbox program. This allowed independent developers to self-publish on Xbox One. Oddworld Inhabitants applied for the program. New 'n' Tasty! was finally released on Xbox One in March 2015.

New Partnerships for Soulstorm

Oddworld Inhabitants partnered with other studios for their new game, Oddworld: Soulstorm. These included Fat Kraken Studios, Sabotage Studio, and Frima Studio in Canada. They also have in-house teams in the UK and California.

Oddworld: Soulstorm Development

After New 'n' Tasty!, fans voted for a new version of Abe's Exoddus. This led to Oddworld: Soulstorm. The game picks up where New 'n' Tasty! left off. However, Lanning wanted to tell a "deeper, darker, and more sinister story."

He felt Abe's Exoddus had "twice the gameplay and half the heart." So, Soulstorm uses Exoddus as inspiration but tells a new, darker story. It still has Oddworld's humor, but Abe faces bigger challenges. The game was released in 2021.

Future Storytelling

Lorne Lanning hopes to bring Oddworld to new media like TV and movies. He wants to make a long TV series. This would be more engaging than a short movie and fit their budget better. They are preparing their game designs to be used in other media.

Games Released by Oddworld Inhabitants

The Oddworld series was planned as five connected games, called the Quintology. Only two of these were made at first. Other games were developed as bonus titles. After a break, Oddworld Inhabitants partnered with Just Add Water to continue the series.

Possible Future Games

The Brutal Ballad of Fangus Klot

Original artwork for Fangus Klot.

This game was first talked about in 2005. It's a standalone game, not part of the main Oddworld Quintology. The story is set in a rural land far from Mudos, where other Oddworld games take place. It's inspired by real-world events. The main character, Fangus, is a shepherd who has to fight invaders. Lanning wants to make this game, but funding it is a challenge.

Oddworld: Hand of Odd

Hand of Odd was planned as an online real-time strategy game. Players could play as the peaceful Mudokons or the greedy corporate overlords. Lanning wanted one side to gain power by helping the environment. This would show "indigenous versus industrial" themes. The game was put on hold due to market changes.

SligStorm

This was a planned 2D platforming game. Players would control an albino Slig. This Slig would turn against its own kind to help Mudokons escape. Lanning thinks it would be hard to make players feel for a Slig hero.

Oddworld: Squeek's Oddysee

This is meant to be the third game in the original Quintology. It would follow Abe's Oddysee and Munch's Oddysee. Lanning said it has a "messed up story" and would need a lot of time and money to make.

Oddworld: Munch's Exoddus

This was planned as a bonus game, like Abe's Exoddus was to Abe's Oddysee. It would have featured Munch trying to hatch Gabbit eggs. These plans later changed and became Stranger's Wrath.

Oddworld: Slave Circus

Lorne Lanning has mentioned plans for a game called Oddworld: Slave Circus. He described it as "seriously whack" and like "Gladiators on Oddworld." The game would start with players buying a slave.

Stranger's Wrath 2

A sequel to Stranger's Wrath has been discussed. Fans voted for it as a possible next game to be developed.

Stranger Arena

This was a planned multiplayer game in the Oddworld universe. It would use the combat styles from Stranger's Wrath. Players would control multiple Strangers and battle each other. Lanning wanted it to be a unique multiplayer game.

Oddworld Merchandise

Oddworld Inhabitants has released various merchandise over the years.

In 2007, the composer Michael Bross released a soundtrack for Stranger's Wrath.

In 2008, Oddworld Inhabitants released an art book called The Art of Oddworld Inhabitants: The First Ten Years 1994 – 2004. It featured design concepts, paintings, and screenshots from their early games.

In 2011, LittleBigPlanet 2 offered costumes of Stranger and Munch for purchase.

Clothing company Insert Coin also sold T-shirts with Stranger's Wrath images. Fans could also vote for Oddworld-themed T-shirt designs to be sold.

Since 2016, Oddworld Inhabitants has partnered with Limited Run Games. They have released physical disc versions of New 'n' Tasty!, Stranger's Wrath HD, and Munch's Oddysee HD for PlayStation Vita and PS4.

Images for kids

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  An original painting made as part of an early visualisation of Citizen Siege.

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  The original artwork for Fangus Klot created by Oddworld Inhabitants.

See also

In Spanish: Oddworld Inhabitants para niños