Everywhere, the next project from ex-GTA producer Leslie Benzies, is getting a closed beta next week.
It’s a “zero-code toolset” for aspiring game developers to build experiences, or remix other people’s, and share them with the community – a bit like Media Molecule’s Dreams.
The Builders Beta will launch on PC on 18th June and includes plenty for players to use, play and remix from a number of studios.
The free-to-play toolset powering the project is called Arcadia, which includes building tools, a self-publishing system, and library of assets.
Virtual items, be they small props, enemies, puzzles, or even entire levels, are known as Stamps, which can be shared with others to be edited and reshaped and take on new purpose.
“You do not have to be a professional programmer to create something amazing in Everywhere,” said Benzies. “With the introduction of the Stamp system to the building experience, we have eliminated the ‘blank canvas’ problem and allow you to select, reuse, and even remix the best content from the community, accelerating the prototyping process.
“In the digital age, an explosion of technology and content platforms, including social media, has democratised the art of remixing. The tools and resources necessary for crafting derivative works are now within reach of anyone, a concept that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago and one that is now made possible in video games. We’re redefining what’s achievable and are excited to see what our community will build.”
Eurogamer’s Tom Phillips visited developer Build a Rocket Boy last year to find out more about what exactly Everywhere is, confirming it’s definitely not a crypto project.
That preview includes details of MindsEye, an episodic AAA game the developers are creating within Everywhere. There’s no mention of this being part of the beta, though presumably it will be available for the project’s launch – which is still without a release date, but likely edging closer after the beta.
For more on how the tools work, check out a video of the Arcadia demo below.
You can sign up for the invite-only beta on the Everywhere website. It’s available on PC only.
Despite not yet releasing the project, Build a Rocket Boy did suffer layoffs earlier this year “in order to become a more agile studio and to meet the requirements that our projects demand”.