Snowman, the mobile game studio behind Alto’s Adventure and Alto’s Odyssey, has launched its latest title called Laya’s Horizon exclusively on Netflix. In the wingsuit game, players master the art of flying, diving down mountains, weaving through forests, and gliding across rivers to unlock new abilities as they explore a vast and peaceful world. Laya’s Horizon is now available on iOS and Android via Netflix Games.
Snowman CEO and founder Ryan Cash told AapkaDost in an interview that the studio began work on Laya’s Horizon in May 2018. Cash said Snowman is passionate about creating games that allow players to escape to a beautiful place, typically in nature, where they can get into a zen environment. zone.
“The idea for the game was something we’ve been thinking about for a long time,” said Cash. “I think everyone on the team has their own inspiration that they bring into the game, but for me I grew up with a fascination with airplanes. Flying has always been a big part of my life, but I have also always dreamed of flying, like almost every child. If we’ve done our job well, we’ve given people the opportunity to get a sense of what it’s like to fly. We wanted to make something that was always accessible and available to people.”
The studio sees Laya’s Horizon as its most ambitious game to date. Snowman’s previous games, including Alto’s Adventure, have been procedurally generated, while Laya’s Horizon has been handcrafted. Cash noted that every tree you see in the game was placed by a person on the studio’s team.
Jason Medeiros, the studio’s lead designer and developer, told AapkaDost that players will notice a difference in action gameplay when comparing Laya’s Horizon to Snowman’s other titles, as it takes players to the third dimension. Players must make decisions to find out if they can squeeze through tight spaces or swing around trees. Medeiros said players will find they have nuanced control over their character in Laya’s Horizon.
Image Credits: Snowman
“I hope players get to have the same kind of fun they had when they were young riding their bikes with their friends in their neighborhood,” Medeiros said. “We captured that adventure and sense of free spirit that you had when you were young. It’s a bit more extreme, while you’re flying, but it’s a friendly world that we’ve built. There are many secrets to discover and many to do, just as hopefully there were around you when you were growing up.”
Today’s launch isn’t the first time Snowman has released a game exclusively with Netflix. Last September, the studio debuted a vertically scrolling platformer called Lucky Luna via Netflix Games. When asked about Snowman’s continued partnership with Netflix, Cash said Snowman is excited to be working with the streaming giant for “many years.”
Netflix recently revealed that it has 40 games planned for launch this year and 70 are in development with its partners. The streaming service also has 16 games currently being developed by its own game studios. The streaming service announced earlier this year that it will be bringing Ustwo’s Monument Valley franchise to its platform, starting with Monument Valley 1 and Monument Valley 2, with more to follow. Netflix launched games in November 2021 and has since released over 55 titles.