2002’s The Thing is widely regarded as one of the best horror games based on existing media franchises. Unfortunately, many licensed horror games are relegated to genres that require specific settings, such as asymmetric multiplayer or short VR experiences, but The Thing – a team-based third-person shooter – dared to go one step further and tell its own unique story. which serves as a proper sequel to John Carpenter’s 1982 film adaptation.
It’s not a game that frequents mainstream remaster wishlists, but Nightdive Studios still delivers what few of us realized we wanted with The Thing: Remastered. Announced during IGN Live and slated for Switch later this year, the Computer Artworks original is getting a complete overhaul with updated visuals, improved lighting, numerous quality-of-life improvements, and more.
To learn a little more about the project, we spoke with Larry Kuperman (Director of Business Development) and Stephen Kick (Studio Director) at Nightdive Studios. They discuss what led to the decision to revisit The Thing, what Switch fans can expect from the game’s performance, and which horror films the team thinks could translate well into games…
Nintendo Life: First off, why The Thing? What made you come back to this title?
Larry Cooper: First, we’re all fans of the classic movie and the game itself. Remember that the game was originally released in 2002; we felt the game was great, but flawed in the sense that the original developers had pushed it as far as the technology of the time allowed. Now, with modern gaming systems, we have a chance to fulfill their vision.
Stephen Kick: I’ve always been a huge horror fan and when the game came out I played it on day one. It was the first licensed game to live up to the legacy of the film, and the fact that it was a sequel and officially considered canon made it incredibly special. The Thing is a title I’ve wanted to remaster since the beginning of Nightdive, and I’m honored to be given the opportunity to introduce this amazing game to a new generation of fans.
Nightdive has handled some huge IPs in the past, but The Thing is arguably one of the most respected horror franchises of all time. How did it feel to take over the reins of this project?
Larry: I think “respect” was exactly the right word. It’s really exciting and a little scary at the same time.
Stephen: Drew Struzan’s legendary Thing poster hangs outside my office. It feels surreal to work on land, but it speaks volumes for how far Nightdive has come in delivering some of the best remastered experiences out there. I couldn’t be more proud of what our team has accomplished. My only hope is that fans of both the game and the movie will love what we deliver.
The original title was published by Vivendi’s Black Label Games on PC and Konami on consoles – was it tricky getting the rights to work on this project?
Larry: I can’t comment on the details of the contract, but fans should know that we’ve been working to acquire the rights to this game for several years.
How important was it to have Mark Atkinson, one of the original directors, on board to help? What kind of insight did it provide? Did anyone else from the OG team help?
Larry: Absolutely! Ron Ashtiani was the first from OG to join us on this project and it was Ron who introduced us to Mark. Both Ron and Mark work directly with our team on a daily basis. They helped us understand the vision of the original game by pointing out things they would have changed or improved upon if they had the technology and time.
Apart from the visuals, can you talk about other improvements that have been applied to the game?
Larry: I can’t go into specifics because we want the fans to be surprised and also because the game is still in development. But fans should expect a significant improvement in the quality of the game while staying very true to the original vision. As always, our goal is to give fans a remaster that ‘plays the way you remember it’ just a little better.
Stephen: One thing I will mention is that the lighting is getting a massive overhaul. The Thing was a terrifying cinematic experience, and we’re looking closely at the film and how it was lit to capture the same atmosphere in the game.
What challenges did you face with this project? Are there any issues that you may not have encountered with previous games?
Larry: I wouldn’t consider it a “difficulty”, but through Ron and Mark we got a huge amount of original assets and materials. We use some in the game itself. In the rest, we try to decide on the best method of preservation. That’s the kind of challenge that’s good to have.
Your games will have great appeal to an older audience that may have played the original, but how do you entice new fans with The Thing: Remastered?
Larry: The fan response to our announcement of The Thing was spectacular and extended far beyond the players who played the original. The biggest new part of our audience is film and horror fans in general, people who might not otherwise be interested in games. A look at the number of views of the trailer as well as some other factors tells us that this title will have mainstream appeal.
We know you’re focusing on 4K and 144fps, but what can you tell us specifically about the Switch version? Will the performance match previous releases like PO’ed and Dark Forces?
Larry: Yes, The Thing will have all the performance improvements that fans have come to expect from Nightdive titles. The Switch will also receive Gyro Aiming.
Many Nightdive games offer options that allow for a “retro” look that might appeal to fans of the original title. Is this the case with The Thing?
Stephen: For this specific title, due to resource complexity, there will be no option to switch back and forth between the original and remastered visuals.
Finally, do you have any favorite horror movies or TV shows that you think would translate well to video games?
Stephen: I personally would love to see that movie Mandy adapted into a game, but as a sequel the game The Thing was adapted in the same way. Something about controlling Nicolas Cage in third person as he fights demons and new-age cultists with chainsaws, and that giant ax turns me on.
I would also like to see Destruction get some adaptation – it’s basically a modern take on HP Lovecraft Color out of space, but it is more suitable for the game. Play as a team of multi-disciplinary explorers thrust into an ever-changing, evolving environment full of wonder and horror. Coincidentally, there was a movie adaptation of the original story starring Nicolas Cage, so one way or another, we’re getting Nick Cage in a horror game!