It took 20 years for Children of the Sun to become an overnight success

Children of the Sun burst onto the indie scene like a muzzle flash on a dark night. Publisher Devolver Digital dropped the game’s first trailer on February 1, showcasing frenzied sniper shots and a radioactive art style. A Steam demo highlighting its initial seven stages went live that same day and became a breakout hit during February’s Steam Next Fest. Two months later it landed in full and to broad acclaim. This explosive reveal and rapid release timeline mirrors the game itself — chaotic but contained, swift and direct, sharp and bright. Though it feels like Children of the Sun popped into existence over the span of two months, it took solo developer René Rother more than 20 years to get here. René Rother As a kid in Berlin in the early 2000s, Rother was fascinated by the booming mod community. He spent his time messing around with free Counter-Strike mapping tools and Quake III mods from the demo discs tucked into his PC magazines. Rother daydreamed about having a job in game development, but it never felt like an attainable goal. “It just didn't seem possible to make games,” he told Engadget. “It's like it was this huge black box.” Rother couldn’t see an easy entry point until the 2010s, when mesh libraries and tools like GameMaker and Unity became more accessible. He discovered a fondness for creating 3D interactive art. But aside from some free online Javascript courses, he didn’t know how to program anything, so his output was limited. “I dabbled into it a little... Continue reading at 'Engadget'

[ Engadget | 2024-04-18 19:45:11 UTC ]
News tagged with: #soundtrack collaborator #band nadja #similar droning #slowcore vibe #casual message #nice experience #proper word #psychedelic clarity #super spontaneous #necessarily knowing #eventually lead #required work #— chaotic #— visuals #major publishing #libraries

Other Publishing stories related to: 'It took 20 years for Children of the Sun to become an overnight success'


Three Spanish-language Audiobook Success Stories

Mariane Féged, director of Spanish markets at Bookwire, highlights three titles that have been especially popular on the service. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-06-02 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #spanish markets #audiobook


APA Report: US Sees Double-Digit Audiobook Sales Growth for 11th Year

The Audio Publishers Association finds in its annual report that audiobook sales generated $1.8 billion in the United States in 2022. The post APA Report: US Sees Double-Digit Audiobook Sales Growth for 11th Year appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-06-01 15:27:14 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #11th year #annual report #publishers association #audiobook


Children’s Book by Langston Hughes Resurfaces After Decades

A colorful, whimsical children's book by Langston Hughes and Elmer W. Brown has resurfaced in Cleveland, OH after decades. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-05-31 16:14:51 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #langston hughes #children's book


Publishing Sales Finished 2.6% Below 2021 Last Year

A 16% increase in sales in the pre-K–12 educational materials segment helped to counter declines in the other major categories, resulting in total publishing sales of $28.1 billion in 2022, the Association of American Publishers reported. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-05-31 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #major categories


U.S. Book Show 2023: Matthew Gray Gubler Closes Out Children’s Day

The third day of the U.S. Book Show was capped off on an entertaining note with a keynote given by Matthew Gray Gubler; the actor-turned-children’s book author-illustrator, who is known for his role as Dr. Spencer Reid on 'Criminal Minds,' made a segue into the literary world with the 2019... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-05-26 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book show #book author-illustrator #literary world


Go for the Moon: Children’s Books about the Moon

From calming stories to nonfiction facts about our celestial neighbor, these are the best children's books about the moon to read, including Moon: A Peek-Through Picture Book by Britta Teckentrup. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-05-23 10:34:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #picture book


Warner Bros.' Max streaming service launches with new $20 4K tier

HBO Max is completing its transformation into Warner Bros. Discovery's "Max" streaming service today, and it's launching with a new tier especially made for 4K ultra HD viewing. The Ultimate Ad-Free tier will set you back $20 a month or $200 if you're paying for a whole year, making it the... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-05-23 09:27:56 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #company plans #warner bros #dolby atmos #harry potter


Good news: there are more bookstores in the US this year than last.

Today in good news, the American Booksellers Association announced that membership is at its highest level in 20 years. Per reporting by Hillel Italie at the Associated Press: The ABA added 173 members last year, and now has 2,185 bookstore businesses and 2,599 locations. Three years after the... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-05-22 15:55:36 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #highest level #pandemic shut #bookstore #american booksellers association


U.S. Book Show 2023: Midtown Scholar, Emily Bates Named PW Bookstore, Rep of the Year

In a virtual awards show, 'PW' editorial director Jim Milliot named Midtown Scholar in Harrisburg, Pa., the Bookstore of the Year and PRH's Emily Bates the Sales Rep of the Year. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-05-22 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #sales rep #midtown scholar #emily bates #bookstore


20 Must-Read Short Stories on Audio

These must-read short stories on audio will help you break out of reading slumps and give you a taste of an author's style, like Some People Have Real Problems by Brit Bennett. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-05-17 10:36:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #brit bennett #short stories


This Dark Children’s Book Is a Shocking Campaign to Protest Gun Violence

On May 10, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark stood on the floor of the House of Representatives and read aloud from a children's book to members of Congress. "The end of the day was also my own," she read. "Bled out on the floor and never got home." These chilling words tell the story of Joaquin... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2023-05-15 06:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #read aloud #children's book #children’s book


Writer Mothers and Their Writer Children

Author Jill Hoffman, the daughter of a writer, explores her complex relationship with her daughter, yet another writer. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-05-12 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #complex relationship


Author of children’s book about grief charged with murdur-durdur.

“How’d you become a children’s book author?” The answer for Kouri Richins, a Utah mom of three who wrote Are You With Me?, a children’s book about coping with grief, is that she allegedly poisoned her husband, then wrote a book about loss. The Associated Press reports that Utah police arrested... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-05-09 14:02:02 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #press reports #children’s book


Here are this year’s Pulitzer Prize winners.

The winners and nominated finalists of the 107th Pulitzer Prizes were announced today via remote video stream. The winners each take home $15,000 dollars and serious bragging rights, not to mention an instant ticket into a very illustrious club. The full list of winners and nominated finalists... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-05-08 20:08:40 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #announced today #bragging rights #full list #pulitzer prize


Scholastic recognizes 100 years of teen writing.

What do Amanda Gorman, Truman Capote, John Updike, and Joyce Carol Oates have in common? Each won a Scholastic Art & Writing Award as a teen. The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards began in 1923 and continue to support young writers thanks to The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers.... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-05-08 12:47:48 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #amanda gorman #truman capote #john updike #scholastic


Happy coronation week! Here’s an unforgivable children’s book about King Charles.

When we were but children in a distant former colony, we had a set of cardboard coronation crowns upholstered poorly in imitation velvet so we could play kings and queens. The Queen was on our money, and her portrait hung in our primary school. Now we are on the eve of the next coronation, and […] Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-05-05 13:32:01 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #king charles #primary school #children’s book


Illustrated children’s biography of King Charles hits No 1 on UK book chart

Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara’s book, illustrated by Matt Hunt, is the first of the Little People, Big Dreams series to top the standingsA children’s biography of King Charles III has topped the UK book chart before the coronation on 6 May.Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara’s King Charles is part of the... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-05-05 09:57:25 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #illustrated children #king charles #stephen hawking #michelle obama #uk book


Marine biologist highlights the importance of seaweed in new children's book

Professional seaweed harvester and marine biologist Amanda Swinimer has published a children’s book highlighting how important seaweed is for nutrition and for protecting the planet against climate change.  Continue reading at CBC

[ CBC | 2023-05-05 04:24:48 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #climate change #children’s book


2022 Print Book Sales in 10 Major Markets Were Flat Compared to Previous Year

A Nielsen report finds that sales of print books in 10 countries totaled 614 million copies last year, level with 2021 sales. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-05-05 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #flat compared #print books #nielsen #print book


12 Of The Best New Children’s Books Out May 2023

May children's book releases include a hilarious new picture book by Adam Rex and a magical middle grade by Leah Johnson, Ellie Engle Saves Herself. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-05-04 10:32:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #leah johnson #picture book #children's book