While this story is primarily about a home game, there is an arcade element to it, so it counts 😉
You know BumbleBear Games through their efforts on Killer Queen Arcade and Black Emperor, and now they are expanding their repertoire through a new platformer title called ABS vs THE BLOOD QUEEN. The single player run’n jump adventure opened up on Kickstarter today, where as of this writing, it’s only $12k away from reaching their initial goal. Here’s the trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6YWvbWMf2E
Based upon their indie hit Killer Queen, this takes a distinct single-player turn, giving one of the workers (Abs) the spotlight. Since it is all built off of the Killer Queen game, they are promising a quick turn around time, with an estimated delivery date of June 2020 (only a short time after the Kickstarter will end). Given their experience in game design and production already, while already showing off what looks to be a very playable game, you won’t have to worry about this one fulfilling it’s promises.
As mentioned, there is an arcade component to this as well. If you pledge $119 or more, you’ll get an ABS vs THE BLOOD QUEEN arcade marquee; $420 or more and you’ll get a branded arcade “fightstick;” and pledge $4,999 or more, and you’ll be the proud owner of a full AvTBQ arcade machine. Do note that except for the fightstick, the arcade rewards won’t be filled until a year from now, so you’ll have to hang tight (although you’ll still get the reward of the Steam game to enjoy in the meantime).
For those craving more details, here is the press release:
BumbleBear Games Announces ABS vs THE BLOOD QUEEN, the First Single-Player Killer Queen Game
Crafted lovingly in quarantine for our friends and fans stuck at home and away from the arcades we know and love so dearly
Brooklyn, NY — April 28, 2020 — BumbleBear Games announces a new at-home Killer Queen game called ABS vs THE BLOOD QUEEN. Simultaneous with this announcement they have released a trailer and a Kickstarter campaign. This new title is designed in part to help bring the arcade community together in new ways during this time of social distancing.
As developers at the forefront of the Modern Arcade, BumbleBear Games has shaped its vision and talents around cultivating the physical, real-world space that arcade games inhabit. The community, the camaraderie, the love and support for arcades and other small businesses–these things are all on hold while the country bands together to try and stop the spread of COVID-19. As millions of Americans are struggling to cope with the stress and uncertainty of this experience, the ways that we develop community and shared experience are evolving and changing. With ABS vs THE BLOOD QUEEN, BumbleBear Games is setting out to provide an experience to give a little much-needed arcade love to gamers stuck in quarantine.
“The Killer Queen community has always been our company’s greatest asset and our biggest ally,” says Josh DeBonis, President of BumbleBear Games. “Our company is among the thousands struggling to survive through this crisis. While we and many others are staying inside, we’re working hard to get this game out to the people so that we can pay our team, and so that our community can continue to play Killer Queen. We want to keep BumbleBear alive so that we can continue to support arcades, bars, and other arcade developers, and all of the people who make the Modern Arcade special and worth fighting for.”
Designed for both advanced Killer Queen players and total strangers to the Killer Queen Universe, ABS vs THE BLOOD QUEEN sets out to provide a practice space for veterans, as well as a fun and engaging entry point for brand-new players. Players will control the titular Abs, as they attempt to outrun a terrifying wall of undead warriors, and repeatedly clash with a twisted, maniacal version of the game’s most iconic character, the Blood Queen. All of the technical skills and techniques utilized in high-level Killer Queen play will be called upon as you struggle for survival — ride the Snail, earn your wings as a powerful Warrior, grab Berries and use them to discover hidden abilities and secret rooms. Each run promises to test the player’s skill in new and interesting ways while developing their Killer Queen toolkit so that they can transition seamlessly into Killer Queen once the arcades are back in business!
With procedurally-generated levels, global leaderboards, and addictive “just one more run”-style gameplay, ABS vs THE BLOOD QUEEN will create the centralized, friendly, and improvement-oriented competition that we’re all missing from the arcades. Coming soon to PC, Mac and Linux via the Steam Marketplace.
MEDIA LINKS:
ABS vs THE BLOOD QUEEN: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bumblebear/abs-vs-the-blood-queen
BumbleBear Games main website: www.bumblebeargames.com
Killer Queen accolades, information, landing page: www.killerqueenarcade.com
Killer Queen Black main website: www.killerqueenblack.com
CONTACT US:
Inquiries, interview requests, and social media questions can be sent to Dexter Chacko, Marketing Director for BumbleBear Games: chacko@bumblebeargames.com
