Interceptor Entertainment had been pretty quiet since their ‘90s-era’ platformer Rad Rodgers: World One launched on PC in December 2016. Backers who’d pledged for a PS4 edition were starting to get worried, especially as updates had been frequent up until then. But two updates in the last few weeks have revealed several noteworthy announcements – a new name, a new partner and a new ‘ultimate’ edition of the game.
News of a name-change and a big-name publisher had been teased in the March update, but the main intention seems to have been to reassure backers they were still working on the PS4 version of Rad Rodgers. The devs had been popping up occasionally in the comments section, but some backers seemed adamant they were being short-changed. All of which was unnecessary considering it had been very well-run campaign and the PC version had actually been released two months AHEAD of schedule.
Not an April Fool
Of course it was the next update (unfortunately timed for April 1st) that heralded the big changes. Firstly, Danish dev Interceptor Entertainment had been renamed as Slipgate Studios (although the Steam and GOG pages for Rad Rodgers still list their old name). More importantly, the Rad Rodgers IP had been acquired by THQ Nordic. This brought with it the news that an Xbox One release would now be worked on as well as the PS4 version. Additionally both consoles would actually receive an ‘ultimate edition’ of the platformer, while existing PC owners would be upgraded for free. Exact details on the ultimate edition are yet to be confirmed but it will apparently include new gameplay mechanics and extra content.
While this all seemed positive (and many backers seemed pleased) there were others who raised concerns. Apart from feeling aggrieved that the PS4 version still seemed some way off, some seemed worried about the devs losing creative control. Although Slipgate have been quick to reassure backers they maintain 100% control over Rad Rodgers. They’ve also been responded to many individual backers in the comments section, continuing a level of support far superior to most Kickstarter projects.
Despite a fairly muted release on PC, Rad Rodgers received a generally positive reception. The Steam average score is hovering around 88%, while on Metacritic it’s currently on a respectable 72%. It is of course only the first of a planned episodic series, and some reviews have griped about level design and enemy AI. These are issues that are all likely to be addressed in the ultimate edition, however there is no indication yet of when it’s likely to be released.
