In a surprising turn of events, Inflexion Games, the developers behind the recently released fantasy survival game Nightingale, have responded to player frustrations by announcing an upcoming offline mode. The decision to make Nightingale online-only at its Early Access release sparked heated discussions among the gaming community, but the studio is now committed to addressing players’ concerns.
The Online-Only Dilemma
Nightingale, which entered Steam’s early access program just days ago, offers procedurally generated landscapes that blend British fairytale influences with mysterious forests, swampy terrain, and ancient ruins. Players can shape these fantastical worlds using the game’s innovative Realm cards system. However, the user interface (UI), mechanics and its online-only dynamic have been a point of contention for some players, particularly the crafting menus and hotbar, which were deemed ornate and confusing.
Aaryn Flynn, founder of Inflexion Games, acknowledged the feedback during a recent interview with RockPaperShotgun. He emphasized the studio’s commitment to improving the UI and mechanics, recognizing that these elements play a crucial role in players’ overall experience. Flynn stated, “The best games out there have had years and even decades of developers refining and improving those things. And it’s other aspects that attract you, like the world or seamless co-op. But we’ll keep working on those things and keep improving. The UI challenge was a fascinating exercise for us.”
But there wasn’t much mention of any offline mode or discussions about the online-only aspect of the game, even thought there were a lot of players voicing their concerns about this on Nightingale’s Steam Hub.
The Announcement
Fast forward to today and the recent backlash prompted a reevaluation it seems like, because this is what Inflexion said in their Discord:
“Hey @everyone
We’ve seen a lot of discussion in recent days around our decision to make Nightingale online-only at our Early Access release. We understand that this can be frustrating for a number of reasons.
Our vision for the game since inception was to create an interconnected series of Realms, with the idea of allowing for co-operative exploration in mind – a universe bigger than a single Realm or server. That meant we made a choice early in development between supporting co-op from day one or focusing development on an offline mode.
Co-operative gameplay associated with having party members across multiple Realms was the more technically challenging problem and therefore the one we chose to tackle first. Looking back on that decision, we misjudged what some of you were looking for in your experience.
We are now prioritizing and developing an offline mode that we plan to release as soon as feasible. Keep an eye on our social channels and Discord for updates in the coming weeks alongside other things we’re working on. Thank you to everyone who has stepped into the Realms with us so far – the journey has just begun and we look forward to sharing it with you all.”
The Inflexion Team
I encourage players to stay informed through the studio’s social channels and Discord server. Updates on the offline mode’s progress are expected in the coming weeks, alongside other enhancements. As the journey in the Nightingale Realms unfolds, players can look forward to a more versatile experience that caters to both online and offline playstyles.
Nightingale enthusiasts can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that Inflexion Games is actively listening to their feedback. The promise of an offline mode demonstrates the studio’s commitment to creating a dynamic and engaging survival adventure. Whether you’re exploring the interconnected Realms with friends or embarking on a solo quest, the future of Nightingale looks promising.
