Close to the Sun Studio Head Discusses How the Epic Game Store Impacted Their Release, Plus Switch Expectations

We recently sat down with studio manager Roberto Semprebene, in charge of the studio that gave us Close to the Sun – a horror-mystery adventure that is too good to pass up – to talk about the Epic Games Store and how it impacts game reception as well as the increasing growth that the Nintendo Switch is seeing. 

When looking at sales and the reception that Close to the Sun received for its epic SOMA vibes, it doesn’t seem that the decision to also go with the Epic Games Store had any real negative impact on launch despite so many in the community publicly boycotting the free-to-use platform. 

Speaking with Prima Games, Semprebene opened up when we asked about his thoughts on the gaming community’s seemingly volatile divisiveness regarding the EGS. When reflecting back on the platform’s launch, he mentions “We always thought that the Epic Games Store would have been an additional option in a market that already sees a number of new possible ways of selling and buying video games. In the future, things are going to change even more in the various markets. We believe it’s mainly a matter of getting used to a wider offer, something like having different TV channels and subscriptions.”

Part of those options also included a nifty Nintendo Switch port, something that he also touched on when talking about mobility growth and how that success impacts other platforms: 

“Nintendo has been able to target a specific audience, and to create a specific way of playing outside the living room, yet there is a huge number of players that still love to play in the comforts of their computer chairs and couches with the highest technical standards on both PC and consoles. The video games market and industry are rapidly changing, so we don’t really know where we’ll be heading, but we believe there will always be players who prefer high performances and players who like flexibility and on-the-go play.”

One thing is for sure, Close to the Sun is a genuine gem when it comes to a unique player experience and we’re excited to see what else that this studio has in store for the future!

Interested in seeing the horror adventure for yourself? Learn more about Close to Sun in our full Nintendo Switch preview here!