Thick as Thieves, OtherSide Entertainment's New Game, Changes Course and Discards PvPvE

Thick as Thieves, OtherSide Entertainment's latest project, has fundamentally altered its development direction, eliminating the previously planned PvPvE mode. It's often easy to overlook this title and the general output of OtherSide Entertainment. Initially, it was announced as a "new approach to stealth" from the renowned Warren Spector, designed as a multiplayer game that integrated the core essence of immersive sims. The concept of an immersive PvPvE experience was intriguing, evoking the dynamics of an extraction shooter.

However, the game's vision has significantly evolved during its creation. Thick as Thieves is no longer the multiplayer game it was originally conceived to be; its primary focus has now shifted to a two-player cooperative mode or a traditional single-player experience.

This strategic transformation, which the development team believes "is the right one for the game," emerged directly from internal studio testing. As they explained, "as development progressed and the world of Kilcairn came to life, we discovered that we were having more fun with solo and cooperative play." The decision was made to reorient the project towards a game style that might align more closely with the expectations associated with creators like Warren Spector, co-founder of OtherSide alongside Paul Neurath, who also founded Looking Glass Studios (known for Thief and Ultima Underworld).

Prioritizing a more conventional game model has allowed the studio to "double down on what truly makes Thick as Thieves special": its innovative "dynamic stealth" system. This pivotal change is already reflected in the minute-to-minute gameplay, applicable to both solo and cooperative modes. The team is now concentrating its efforts on refining and polishing the game for its eventual release.

As an interesting detail, narrative designer Ellie Tsang joined the OtherSide team in mid-last year. Tsang is well-known for her significant contribution to the celebrated Nemesis System in Shadow of Mordor.

The next major showcase for the revamped Thick as Thieves will be at this week's Triple-I Initiative event, where new gameplay material is expected to be revealed. While an official release date remains unconfirmed, the title continues to be a keenly watched project.