Why Isnt Dontnod Developing Life is Strange: True Colors

Now that Life is Strange: True Colors has been officially unveiled, there's one big question still surrounding the game. Why isn't Dontnod Entertainment the one working on it? Publisher Square Enix is still involved in the latest installment of the Life is Strange series, but the game has got a "new" developer. This time around, Deck Nine will be developing the game, though this company isn't really new to the series, but Dontnod is still the company most think of when talking about Life is Strange. No official explanation, but it does seem Dontnod is moving on to new projects.

After rumors started about Life is Strange: True Colors, there were whispers about Dontnod backing away from the franchise. Indeed, this doesn't appear to be a situation where Square Enix forced the developer out or anything like that. It just seems to be what it is: moving on.

The signs that Life is Strange: True Colors might be getting a new developer started in earnest last year. The Paris-based company announced it was splitting into two, with a separate studio starting up in Montreal. A few months after the separation, news came out that the Montreal team was working on a new game, but it was also a brand new IP. While the company also issued a statement saying it wasn't ruling out returning to the Life is Strange world, it was focusing on "exciting new projects" for the near term.

One of those new projects ended up being Tell Me Why. That release showed that Dontnod was serious about trying something else, but that game also showed it could pull it off. The title didn't get the same kind of critical acclaim that Life is Strange earned, but it really showed off Dontnod's chops.

Long before a Life is Strange: True Colors reveal date was announced, news about the financial strength of Dontnod began circling the internet. In January, the company announced it had secured enough funding through Chinese tech giant, Tencent, that the company could begin self-publishing its games. This funding plan reportedly first started getting sketched out in November of last year.

Life is Strange: True Colors looks like the best time for the two companies to part ways anyway. Because Deck Nine has some experience in this world, this also doesn't mean that the game will see a complete overhaul or go back to the drawing board. Instead, the focus seems to be looking to moving forward with the franchise with a handoff to a company looking to take the reins full time. It's a win-win scenario for everyone involved, it seems.

Life is Strange: True Colors will be the newest addition to Square Enix’s best-selling Life is Strange franchise. The game features an all-new protagonist, Alex Chen, who has the power of empathy. She can see people’s auras and the colors correlate to how the person is feeling. If she concentrates, she can even figure out why the person is feeling that emotion. Sometimes, though, it can become too much and overwhelm her. Life is Strange: True Colors will showcase this new power and protagonist alongside a brand-new cast of characters.