OlliOlli studio Roll7 signs with 505 Games for new ‘much bigger’ project

The next title from OlliOlli and Not a Hero developer Roll7 will be launching with the help of 505 Games, MCV can reveal.

Details are scarce about this upcoming project save that it is an online multiplayer experience. The indie studio says that this new game is a departure from the 2D pixel-art style it is known for. It is going to be 3D, built in Unreal Engine, and coming to consoles and PC in 2017. The initial pre-production phase was funded by UK Games Fund.

The ambition for our new project far outclasses our previous ones,” Roll7 director Simon Bennett said. We needed a publisher with financial clout and international ties in order to take it forwards. 505 represents a middle ground between top tier triple-A firms and smaller, boutique indie labels who may not have the budget to achieve what we want to do. We’re not looking to do another OlliOlli – this is much bigger.”

For 505 Games, this is part of a larger move to pay more attention to the UK games development scene.

In 2015, I injected myself back in to the UK games scene – it opened my eyes to the amount of content in the UK. That led us and Roll7 to the same door,” SVP of marketing Tim Woodley said.

We want to work with people who have a track record of great games – Roll7 has already taken some of that risk away in a very basic prototype. We saw the opportunity to spend a few years with people that we like and trust and who have a great concept.”

He continued: ‘I’m pretty buoyant about the UK games development scene and see a lot of potential. It’s certainly a sector that 505 will be keeping a close eye on and trying to find some more nuggets as we head into our second decade as a company.”