Factsheet

Developer:
Space Dust Studios / Varkian Empire
Based in Melbourne, Australia

Release date:
2016

Platforms:
PC (Steam)
Xbox One
PlayStation 4

Website:
obliteracers.com

Regular Price:

USD14.99

Description

Intergalactic party racing mayhem! Obliteracers is an award-winning same-screen party racer for up to 16 players. Race brutal-cute aliens on exotic planets, using weapon powerups and physics-based vehicles to annihilate your competition in frantic round-based combat. Connect spare gamepads, laptops and smart devices as extra controllers. Stragglers will be eliminated... only one alien shall prevail!

History

Obliteracers (formerly Space Dust Racers) was an inevitable project. The studio directors grew up with couch multiplayer classics like Micro Machines, Mashed, Crash Team Racing and Mario Kart. Now with children of their own, they wanted to relive those golden gaming experiences and bring their kids along for the ride. During gaming nights with close friends, the team also noticed a distinct lack of same-screen combat racing games that supported more than 4 players. They saw an opportunity to create a product that met the needs of both audiences, and began work on their debut game, allowing smartphones and laptops to be used as extra controllers. Taking reference from titles like Worms and Ratchet & Clank, they refined a "brutal cute" art style that would appeal to family gamers and core gamers alike. The studio began prototyping Obliteracers, leveraging their past AAA experience with multiplayer, smartphone tech, sci-fi and vehicular gameplay. They then pitched to investors within Australia and abroad. Their concept was approved by Film Victoria Australia, allowing them to produce a "vertical slice" demo which featured one track and two characters from the final game. This caught the attention of Microsoft and Sony at GDC, who registered them shortly after as developers for Xbox One and PlayStation 4. While Obliteracers is in production, the team are blogging candidly about their workflow and challenges.

Features

  • Addictive combat racing for all ages featuring brutal-cute aliens, exotic locations and absurd weapon powerups
  • Squeeze 16 local players onto the same screen using gamepads, laptops and smart devices as extra controllers (PC only)
  • Battle friends and family on the couch, compete against others online, or play solo in career mode
  • Highly-customisable party game modes with dozens of gameplay modifiers and presets for endless variety
  • Simple controls for newcomers, with advanced strategies for veteran players
  • Drop-in drop-out multiplayer for parties

Videos

Obliteracers Steam Trailer (February 2016) YouTube

Ways To Play Obliteracers Trailer (February 2016) YouTube

GDC Interview (March 2015) YouTube


Images

download all screenshots & photos as .zip (153MB)

Click through for high-resolution images.

Box_Art.jpg
CA_Obliteracers_ChicaneStation_SandStorm_1080p_04.jpg
CA_Obliteracers_NuVark_SunsetStrip_1080p_03.jpg
CA_Obliteracers_NuVark_SunsetStrip_1080p_05.jpg
CA_Obliteracers_NuVark_SunsetStrip_1080p_06.jpg
CA_Obliteracers_Transporter_Iceberg_1080p_07.jpg
Character_CaptFizz_Alpha_2400x3600.png
Character_ChicAndVehicle_3600x2400_Alpha.png
Character_Chic_Alpha_2400x3600.png
Character_Digga_Alpha_2400x3600.png
Character_Exo_Alpha_2400x3600.png
Character_Gadget_Alpha_2400x3600.png
Character_Guvner_Alpha_2400x3600.png
Character_HermanAndVehicle_3600x2400_Alpha.png
Character_Herman_Alpha_2400x3600.png
Character_LeFuse_Alpha_2400x3600.png
Character_Mechayla_Alpha_2400x3600.png
Character_Nipper_Alpha_2400x3600.png
Character_PicolloDiabloAndVehicle_3600x2400_Alpha.png
Character_PicolloDiablo_Alpha_2400x3600.png
Character_PowerPaw_Alpha_2400x3600.png
Character_SargeAndVehicle_3600x2400_Alpha.png
Character_Sarge_Alpha_2400x3600.png
Character_Spanner_Alpha_2400x3600.png
Character_TheClaw_Alpha_2400x3600.png
Character_TheTalon_Alpha_2400x3600.png
Characters_All_Text_6400x3200.png
Characters_CaptFizz-Mechayla-Nipper-Digga_ALPHA.png
Characters_Guvner-Exo-LeFuse-Gadget_ALPHA.png
Characters_Herman-Sarge-PicolloDiablo-Chic_ALPHA.png
Characters_PowerPaw-TheTalon-TheClaw-Spanner_ALPHA.png
Chicane_Gameplay_01.jpg
Chicane_Gameplay_09.jpg
ClientCharacterSelect.jpg
Controller.png
Feature_Promotional_Square_Art.jpg
HighResScreenshot_8000x4500_01.png
HighResScreenshot_8000x4500_02.png
Modifiers.jpg
NuVark01.jpg
NuVark02.jpg
NuVark03.jpg
NuVark04.jpg
NuVark05.jpg
NuVark06.jpg
NuVark_Clear_03.jpg
NuVark_Gameplay_02.jpg
NuVark_Gameplay_03.jpg
NuVark_Screenshot_1920x1080_01.png
NuVark_Screenshot_1920x1080_02.png
NuVark_Screenshot_1920x1080_03.png
Poster_Art.jpg
Super_Hero_Art.jpg
Titled_Hero_Art.jpg
TransporterIceberg_Screenshot_3200x1800_01.jpg
TransporterIceberg_Screenshot_3200x1800_13.jpg
TransporterNightSwim_Screenshot_3200x1800_06.jpg
TransporterSeaSick_Screenshot_3200x1800_05.jpg
TransporterSeaSick_Screenshot_3200x1800_06.jpg

download logo files as .zip (1MB)
logo
logo

Awards & Recognition

  • "Winner, Best Technology" Freeplay Games Festival, Melbourne April 2015
  • "Winner, Indie Game Showcase" iFEST Independent Games Festival, Melbourne March 2015
  • "Selected Project, Unreal Engine 4 GDC Showcase" Unreal Engine GDC Booth, Game Developers Conference, San Francisco March 2015

Steam Store
store.steampowered.com/app/368740.

Steam Community Hub
steamcommunity.com/app/368740/discussions.

PSN Store
store.playstation.com/#!/en-us/games/obliteracers/cid=UP0895-CUSA05428_00-OBLITERACERS0001.

Xbox One Store
microsoft.com/en-us/store/p/obliteracers/bwxcgz7t8x0d.

Twitter
twitter.com/obliteracers.

Facebook
facebook.com/obliteracers.

Reddit
reddit.com/r/obliteracers.

YouTube
youtube.com/spaceduststudios.

Instagram
instagram.com/spaceduststudios.

Developer Blog
blog.spaceduststudios.com.


About Space Dust Studios / Varkian Empire

Boilerplate
Space Dust Studios Pty Ltd is a video game developer from Melbourne, Australia. The company trades internationally as Varkian Empire. The team are former developers from Visceral Games, Crystal Dynamics and Atari, and have contributed to franchises such as Battlefield, Need For Speed, Tomb Raider, Dead Space, Burnout and Silent Hill. They are currently working on their debut party combat racer "Obliteracers" for PC, Xbox One and PS4.

More information
More information on Space Dust Studios / Varkian Empire, our logo & relevant media are available here.



presskit() by Rami Ismail (Vlambeer) - also thanks to these fine folks