Yesterday, several former developers from studios such as Bethesda, BioWare and Naughty Dog revealed their upcoming game – the rather delightful looking Hawthorn.
Hawthorn is coming from brand-new indie developer NEARstudios, which boasts some impressive talent including Mass Effect and The Last of Us veterans, as well as Skyrim’s lead designer Bruce Nesmith.
Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised by Nesmith’s new position at the studio, though. Afterall, Hawthorn really does look like a charming combination of Skyrim and village simulation games such as Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley. I am talking about mice chopping down crops that are several times their size, before preparing a nice meal for top hat wearing otters, all in a very Skyrim-fantasy style setting.
You can check out the announcement trailer for Hawthorn below.
“Once upon a time, woodland creatures built a trading post in forgotten Windermere Valley, but now it is the haunt of varmints, fairy lights, and mysterious rumours about why this village was abandoned,” reads the official blurb below the trailer.
“To you, however, this is a hope for a new life. Recruit villagers and grow a community. Defend against the elements and forest tricksters. Thrive and celebrate the seasons’ traditions. Rebuilding won’t be easy, but you and your newfound friends are up to the challenge.”
On its release, you will be able to experience Hawthorn in single-player and co-op. It doesn’t currently have a release date, but you can add to your Wishlist on Steam.
Elsewhere in cosy game-related news, Tales of the Shire – the upcoming Hobbit life sim from Wētā Workshop and Private Division – was recently delayed, having initially been set to release this year.