Tiny Troopers Joint Ops Interview: Bite Sized Arcade Action on PlayStation

Of the many indie titles available on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3 and PS Vita, not many would have heard of Wired Productions’ Tiny Troopers: Joint Ops. As a twin-stick arcade shooter, Joint Ops focuses more on quick bursts of action as compared to a long drawn out campaign of madness (it also helps that the art style is inviting enough). Reviews have been fairly kind and Wired Productions is currently focusing on not just PlayStation consoles but on bringing its games to the most number of platforms available.

Head of Marketing at Wired Productions Adam McGowan recently spoke to GamingBolt about the reception for Tiny Troopers: Joint Ops, the game’s overall structure and style and the possibility of future games coming to the Xbox One. Gowan also talks about periods where the game was free and how this worked out for the studio from a business perspective.

Rashid K. Sayed: Tiny Troopers Joint Ops was a PlayStation 4 exclusive. Was there a specific reason behind the lack of an Xbox One version?

Adam McGowan: We’d love to bring Tiny Troopers Joint Ops to additional platforms aside from the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita, however in the short term our efforts were very much focused on delivering a good solid game on the PlayStation and maximizing the potential of the cross buy and cross save function Sony have recently introduced. With cross buy and cross save, customers can purchase the game on all 3 formats for one price which we felt was a great proposition. The game is perfect for short bursts of fun and with the cross save feature enabled, you’re able to play the game on your home console and then pick it up whilst you’re on the move with your Vita.

"Tiny Troopers: Joint Ops really is bite size gaming at its best. Its short missions lend themselves well to a pick up and play style and we feel that customers have embraced this."

Rashid K. Sayed: Furthermore, are you guys going to develop games for the Xbox One?

Adam McGowan: Yes, we’re totally on board with the Xbox One and want our games to be available on as many platforms as possible! The more platforms our games are available on, the more gamers we’re able to engage. We’re constantly looking at a number of different titles and it won’t be long before we’re announcing our first Xbox One title that’s for sure. We’re working on some super top secret stuff right so stay tuned!

Rashid K. Sayed: Now that the game is out, what are your thoughts on the sales and the reception it has received?

Adam McGowan: Overall the reception has been very positive. Tiny Troopers Joint Ops really is bite size gaming at its best. Its short missions lend themselves well to a pick up and play style and we feel that customers have embraced this. We’re also looking at potential ways to extend the game, by way of DLC for example, it’s certainly a game that deserves a longer lifespan.

Rashid K. Sayed: How much of an effort it was to achieve 1080p and 60fps on the PlayStation 4?

Adam McGowan: We used the Unity Engine and had the pleasure of being able to work very closely with the team if we were encountering any issues. Tiny troopers Joint Ops was also tested rigorously and almost religiously, we QA’ed the game internally and externally every single day during its development and before launch. The menu music is now a soundtrack to our office life.

Rashid K. Sayed: Is there any update on dynamic themes and avatars for the PlayStation 4?

We’ve been working on dynamic themes and avatars, which we will be rolling out in the near future!

Rashid K. Sayed: From what I understand, it’s generally tough for indie teams but how has your relationship with Sony on this project been?

Adam McGowan: We’ve dealt with Sony for a number of years now and they’ve always been welcoming, particularly to smaller developers and publishers. They listen, are knowledgeable and highly accessible. They give everyone a chance and are generally very honest. It’s always been great working with them.

"In all seriousness, both the PS4 and Xbox One are pushing the boundaries once again and will continue to do so."

Rashid K. Sayed: The game was free for anyone who bought the game on PS3 and Vita. How do make this work from a business perspective?

Adam McGowan: The game was free on 2 additional formats, beyond the original format that the customer would have purchased. Given the style of game (short bursts) we felt it was ideally suited to the PS Vita, however we didn’t want to alienate the PS3 and PS4 install base. For this reason we took advantage of the cross play/cross save function and opened up the additional formats to create one great experience playable on all 3 devices, seamlessly.

Rashid K. Sayed: What are your thoughts on the console race between PS4 and Xbox One? Whom do you see dominating 2015?

Adam McGowan: That’s a very tough question to answer and we’ll probably take the politician’s standpoint on this one and not directly answer the question at all! In all seriousness, both the PS4 and Xbox One are pushing the boundaries once again and will continue to do so. Sony has a slight advantage with the PS Vita potentially working as supporting hardware to the PS4, opening up more possibilities and potentially more customers too! Who will dominate in 2015? That’s a very tough question to answer.

Rashid K. Sayed: What is next for the development team? What are you guys working on next?

Adam McGowan: We’ve recently released Last Inua on PC. It’s a really immersive and atmospheric father and son platform adventure based around Inuit mythology. As for other projects, there are a few but we can’t mention them, very top secret. Very hush hush.

Rashid K. Sayed: Is there anything else you want to tell us before we let you go?

Adam McGowan: Thank you for giving us the opportunity to feature on GamingBolt. You’ve definitely provided some tough questions! Wired Productions have loads more lined up in the future and we’re very excited with the announcements we’ll be making this year! Stay tuned for some big news!