Action RPG Indivisible has launched on Nintendo Switch, and seemingly without the knowledge or permission of Lab Zero Games or developer 505 Games.
While the game was originally “coming soon” to Nintendo Switch, the game seemingly launched on April 28th. This was allegedly without the developer’s knowledge, as project lead and lead designer Mike Zaimont explained on Twitter.
“HEY, THAT THING EVERYONE WANTED?
@IndivisibleRPG
is out RIGHT NOW digitally for Switch in North America!Feel like you missed the announcement? You’re not alone, our team found out because people on Twitter sent us congratulations! I had no idea! But there it is! :^P
The Switch version of Indivisible itself is great, the porting group did seriously excellent work! Runs at a stable framerate, even handheld. However, the old build that was apparently now released doesn’t have co-op, NG+, or anything else recent. I checked myself.
No release date announcement, no lead-up PR at all. [Cricket Emoji]
It’s missing current features like co-op.
The eShop art is the wrong image.This launch does not represent the quality standards of Lab Zero. It just doesn’t. I’m sorry. It wasn’t us.
But hey, it’s 20% off! :^)”
The official website also addressed the situation in a news post, along with updates about the game in other regions, special content, and physical versions.
“We are very pleased to announce that Indivisible is now available on the Nintendo eShop! Is it earlier than we had planned? Yes it is!
We had scheduled an early May release date, but due to an unexpected series of events, the game is now available in North America and Europe! It’s a happy accident that puts the game into your hands sooner than expected.
It’s taken a while to get here, but now that Indivisible is on Switch, we could not be more excited. The Switch is a great platform for Indivisible. Whether you’ve been waiting to play, or are already an expert, you’re going to love being able to take Ajna and her friends to go!
We have an update coming soon that will include the following:
- In-game Roti unlocked for everyone
- Toggle for 30 FPS/unlocked – The game currently defaults to Unlocked.
- More GPU/CPU optimizations
- Fixes for sprite lighting/sprites appearing oddly
- Support for 1080p when docked (currently 720p docked/undocked)
After the update, Roti will be waiting for everyone inside the game, regardless of purchase date! Look in the menu for a special option to have Roti join in the adventure.
While the game has launched in North America and Europe, there are some additional regions that will have their own launch dates.
An official Japanese version with full text AND full Japanese voiceovers will be released by Spike Chunsoft on July 16th. H2 Interactive will release in Korea and Southeast Asia at a date to be announced.
You may have noticed that the game is currently available only on Nintendo’s digital eShop. We are taking a digital-first strategy due to concerns over, and to avoid putting pressure on, the retail supply chain. We will evaluate production of a physical version of the game for retail sales as soon as things return to normal.
There is one exception. We are producing a small number of physical cartridges that will be sent to the original Indiegogo backers who chose that version as their reward. We do not have a delivery date for this version of the game. We will ship these to backers as quickly as possible, but it could be 1-2 months given the current situation.
For backers who have ordered the digital version, we will be getting your codes to you as quickly as possible! More info will be available when we have news.
Thank you to all of the Indivisible fans for being a part of an amazing journey!”
The situation somewhat mirrors what occurred with Cooking Mama CookStar [1, 2, 3], where Planet Entertainment managed to release a Cooking Mama game without permission of the licence holders (Office Create).
While the former blindsided everyone, the case with Indivisible is most likely miscommunication. Zaimont later revealed that the game was intended to have a day 1 patch, with some of features mentioned above intending to be in that patch. Now, those updates are being included along with co-op and new game+.
A launch trailer was still seemingly produced quickly, with the early May release date meaning this may have originally been a release date trailer due out in late April.
You can find the Nintendo Switch Launch trailer below.
You can find the full rundown (via Steam) below.
Indivisible is an action RPG platformer featuring stunning hand drawn art and animation combined with unique real-time combat mechanics.
Immerse yourself in a fantastical world with dozens of playable characters, a rich storytelling experience, gameplay that’s easy to learn but difficult to master, and the trademark razor-sharp quality that Lab Zero Games is known for!
Our story revolves around Ajna, a fearless girl with a rebellious streak. Raised by her father on the outskirts of their rural town, her life is thrown into chaos when her home is attacked, and a mysterious power awakens within her.
The game’s huge fantasy world, characters and aesthetic design are inspired by various cultures and mythologies. Throughout Ajna’s quest she’ll encounter many “Incarnations”: people whom she can absorb and manifest to fight alongside her.
There are many Incarnations to recruit, each with their own story and personality. By uniting people from faraway lands, Ajna will learn about herself, the world she inhabits, and most importantly, how to save it.
Indivisible is available on Windows PC, Linux, Mac, (all via GOG, and Steam) Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One.
Image: Nintendo
