Life is Strange studio packs gaming nostalgia into a 'little glimpse' of its next game

Life is Strange studio Don't Nod recently teased a new game in development at its Montreal studio, and it looks like this one will be taking us on a trip back into the distant past of the early 1990s.

"Here's a little glimpse of what Don't Nod Montreal is brewing!" the studio tweeted. "Does it bring back childhood memories?"

The image in question is not exactly subtle. In the foreground is an old-timey game console that bears more than a passing resemblance to the Super Nintendo, which was released in Japan in 1990 and North America in 1991; the console is connected via colorful composite cables to a CRT television, which sits above a relatively modern-looking (I said relatively) VCR. There's also a rack filled with videotapes, and a few game cartridges, to the left of the television. 

The wood panelling behind the television also gives off a distinctly distant temporal vibe, although that's a little less obviously on point: My mom's basement is still rocking the same look, and I know she's not the only one.

The one element of the image that throws me is the candy on the table. It looks like an open pack of Starburst, which I don't think has any specific '90s connection, but the name of the candy is interesting: Epop, which is French for Epic. (Don't Nod is based in Paris, and French is the official language of Montreal.) Hinting at an Epic Games Store exclusive, perhaps, or is the candy just that damn good? I'm not inclined to conspiracies so I would guess the latter, but Don't Nod did release Twin Mirror as a one-year Epic exclusive in 2020, so anything's possible.

The tweet also points to job openings at Don't Nod Montreal—unfortunately, none of them offer any further hints as to what the studio has cooking. Given the studio's history across games including Life is Strange, Tell Me Why, and Twin Mirror, and the nostalgic ambience today's image immediately churns up, I'd say there's a good bet it'll be some sort of character-driven narrative adventure. Bold prediction, I know.

Don't Nod is also currently working on a new action-RPG called Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden, a grim-looking tale of a pair of former ghost hunters who embark upon a search for a cure for a curse that's turned one of them into a spirit. That's set to come out later this year.