“It’s fun and a little scary” – Nightdive Studios on reviving ‘The Thing’
2002 year That thing is widely regarded as one of the best horror games based on an existing media franchise. Many licensed horror games sadly fall into genres that require a specific setup, like asymmetrical multiplayer or a brief VR experience, but The Thing—a third-person team-based shooter—dares to take things a step further, telling its own unique story that serves as a fitting sequel to John Carpenter’s 1982 cinematic masterpiece.
This isn’t a game that often appears on mainstream remake wish lists, but Nightdive Studios still delivers what few of us realized we wanted with The Thing: RemasteredAnnounced at IGN Live and scheduled to launch on Switch later this year, the original version by Computer Artworks is getting a comprehensive overhaul, with updated visuals, improved lighting, numerous quality-of-life tweaks, and more.
To learn a little more about the project, we spoke with Larry Kuperman (Director of Business Development) and Stephen Kick (Studio Director) at Nightdive Studios. They discussed what went into the decision to remake The Thing, what Switch fans can expect from the game’s performance, and which horror films the team thinks would translate well to games…
Nintendo Life: First of all, why The Thing? What made you want to return to this game?
Larry Kuperman: First of all, we are all fans of the classic movie as well as the game. Remember that the original game was released in 2002; we felt that the game was great, but flawed in the sense that the original developers took it as far as they could with the technology of the time. Now, with modern gaming systems, we have the opportunity to realize their vision.
Stephen Kick: I have always been a huge fan of horror games and when this game was released I played it from day one. It is the first licensed game to live up to the legacy of the film and the fact that it is a sequel and officially canon makes it incredibly special. The Thing is a game I have wanted to remake since Nightdive came out and I am honored that we have the opportunity to introduce this amazing game to a new generation of fans.
Nightdive has handled some big IPs in the past, but The Thing is arguably one of the most revered horror franchises of all time. What was it like taking the helm on this project?
Larry: I think “reverence” is the right word. It’s both really cool and a little scary at the same time.
Stephen: I have Drew Struzan’s iconic Thing poster hanging outside my office. It feels surreal to work on this property, but it speaks volumes about the lengths Nightdive has gone to in order to deliver some of the best remastered experiences. I couldn’t be more proud of what our team has accomplished. My only hope is that fans of both the game and the movie will love what we have to offer.
The original version was published by Vivendi’s Black Label Games on PC and Konami on consoles – was it difficult to get the rights to make this project happen?
Larry: I can’t comment on the details of the contract, but fans should know that we have been working to get the rights to this game for many years.
Was it important to have Mark Atkinson, one of the original directors, on board? What insights did he provide? Did anyone else from the OG team help?
Larry: Absolutely! Ron Ashtiani was the first of the OGs to join us on this project, and it was Ron who introduced us to Mark. Both Ron and Mark worked directly with our team on a daily basis. They were instrumental in helping us understand the vision of the original game, pointing out things they would change or improve if they had the technology and time.
Aside from the visuals, can you talk about other improvements that have been made to the game?
Larry: I can’t go into too much detail, because we want to surprise fans and also because the game is still in development. But fans should expect significant improvements in the quality of the game while still maintaining the original vision. As always, our goal is to give fans a remake that “plays the way you remember” but is a little better.
Stephen: One thing I will mention is that the lighting is getting a lot of work. The Thing is a terrifying cinematic experience, and we’re taking a close look at the film and how we use lighting to convey that same atmosphere into the game.
What challenges did you encounter with this project? Were there any difficulties that arose that you perhaps hadn’t encountered with previous games?
Larry: I don’t consider it “difficult” but through Ron and Mark we have received a large amount of original assets and materials. Some of which we are using in the game itself. For the rest we are trying to decide how best to preserve them. This is the kind of challenge we should have.
Your game will have huge appeal to older audiences who may have played the original, but how can you attract new fans with The Thing: Remastered??
Larry: The fan response to our announcement of The Thing was spectacular and extended beyond the gamers who played the original. Horror fans and general horror fans who may not have been interested in the game made up our largest new audience. Considering the number of views on the trailer, as well as a number of other factors, it was clear that the game would have broad appeal.
We know you’re aiming for 4K resolution and 144fps performance, but can you tell us specifically about the Switch version? Is the performance comparable to previous releases like was shot And Dark forces?
Larry: Yes, The Thing will have all the performance improvements fans have come to expect from Nightdive titles. The Switch will also have Gyro aiming functionality.
Many Nightdive games have options that allow for a more “classic” look that might appeal to fans of the original title. Does The Thing have that?
Stephen: With this particular game, due to the complexity of the content, there will be no option to switch back and forth between the original and remastered visuals.
Finally, do you have any favorite horror movies or TV shows that you think would be suitable for a video game adaptation?
Stephen: Personally I would love to see the movie. Mandy adapted into a game, but a sequel in the same way that The Thing games were adapted. There’s something about controlling Nicolas Cage in third person as he fights demons and new age cultists with a chainsaw and giant axe that gets me excited.
I want to see too Destruction There is some kind of adaptation – basically a modern version of HP Lovecraft Colors of outer spacebut it’s more suited to a game. Play as a team of explorers with different specialties thrust into an ever-changing, evolving environment filled with wonder and horror. Coincidentally, there’s a movie adaptation of the original story starring Nicolas Cage, so one way or another, we’re going to have Nick Cage in a horror game!
