Get Ready for Thrilling New Game from We Happy Few Developers

Compulsion Games has recently announced its next project, South of Midnight, which many speculate has been in development since the launch of its previous title, We Happy Few, in 2018. The big reveal was made at the Xbox Games Showcase on June 11, which also showcased other highly anticipated games such as Fable and a new Fallout 76 Expedition. Despite being only the studio's third-ever game, Compulsion's previous titles, Contrast and We Happy Few, have already made a strong impression in the gaming industry, leading to the studio being acquired by Xbox Games Studios in 2018. While there has been little information regarding the studio's activities since then, a report in late 2021 suggested that Compulsion is currently working on a dark fantasy game.

The recent announcement of South of Midnight seems to confirm the rumors surrounding the game's eerie Southern Gothic setting, as evidenced by the giant monster shadow looming over the protagonist in the two-minute teaser. The opening scene of the video features what appears to be a giant corpse strumming a guitar to Blind Gary Davis' Death Don't Have No Mercy, hinting at the game's integration of gospel blues into its atmosphere. Despite its Tim Burton-esque art style, Compulsion's next game appears to be a fusion of multiple genres, drawing from both fantasy and musical influences. Although the South of Midnight teaser was CGI-only, it contradicts recent statements from Xbox Games Marketing VP Aaron Greenberg that there would be no trailers from first-party Xbox studios at the showcase. While the teaser didn't reveal much about the game, Xbox has since shared additional details about the upcoming project.

South of Midnight is a third-person action adventure game featuring a strong female protagonist named Hazel, who embarks on a mission to capture various supernatural creatures that have entered her world. The game's creative director, David Sears, has described it as a tribute to the often overlooked American South. It is unclear whether the game will feature linear levels or a semi-open world like We Happy Few. The title may be a reference to Stephen Laws' horror novel, Somewhere South of Midnight, which tells the story of seven survivors who emerge from a mysterious accident unscathed but changed in some way. While the game's premise remains unknown, the novel's plot would be a fitting setting for a dark fantasy game based in the American South. Although no release window has been announced for South of Midnight, it is expected to be a highly anticipated addition to the gaming world.

South of Midnight is in development for PC and Xbox Series X/S.