Devolver's fake mascot Volvy gets a real remaster launching the same day as GTA 6
The gaming calendar for November looks set to be dominated by one title, but Devolver Digital is betting that a small, colourful platformer can carve out its own audience on the same day. The publisher has announced Volvy's Adventure: Reslimed, a side-scrolling action platformer that will launch on PC on November 19th — the same day as Rockstar's long-awaited Grand Theft Auto 6.
Volvy's Adventure: Reslimed is described as a remaster of a game that never actually existed. The original Volvy's Adventure was created as a marketing stunt, designed to be played on a Game Boy Color. Developer doinksoft, the studio behind the game, initially pitched the concept to Devolver by sending the publisher an Analog Pocket containing a Game Boy Color cartridge with a playable level. The pitch was made by designer Britt Brady, who approached Devolver co-founder and marketing lead Nigel Lowrie in suitably cheeky fashion.
What began as a joke then grew into something more substantial. doinksoft decided they wanted the game to reach a wider audience, which is why it is now coming to PC. Meanwhile, the publisher's ongoing bit about releasing a game on the same day as GTA 6, regardless of what that game was, continued to gain momentum. Brady and Lowrie explained that as it became clear Volvy was destined to become a proper game, it felt inevitable that the world's greatest gaming mascot should be the chosen one to face off with Rockstar's behemoth.
The game itself is a 2D action platformer that draws on a range of influences. On the surface, it resembles a fusion of 2D Sonic games, Wario: Master of Disguise and Donkey Kong. Volvy can run, float, stomp, punch and dig, all in ways that look satisfying to navigate its colourful pixel art environments. The game is also relatively short and sweet, taking place across just four worlds, and will cost less than five pounds.
Devolver's strategy is not simply to compete head-on with GTA 6, but to offer something different. The publisher notes that Rockstar's game is not coming to PC just yet, and that it will not be available on Steam on launch day. Lowrie acknowledged that there is no doubt GTA 6 will have the spotlight before, during and after November 19th, but argued that it is not for everyone, and that a bit of counter-programming may work in Volvy's favour. The idea is to offer players an alternative to a shinier version of a game they have already played, and instead give a faux cult-classic a go.
Volvy's Adventure: Reslimed is now available to wishlist on Steam ahead of its November 19th release. While the game may have started as a marketing stunt, it has evolved into a genuine release that Devolver hopes will appeal to those looking for something different on a day when all eyes will be on one of the biggest games in history.