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[bitbydeath]

Recap

Okay, here's a brief recap of this situation for those not in the loop. Firesprite, a Sony-owned company, has been working on a game codenamed Project Heartbreak. Until Dawn 2 (or an Until Dawn related game) is currently the first place guess among most gaming circles and outlets for what it could be. I did a longer post about all this here, including some sources. But the abbreviated notes about Heartbreak are:

• It is set in contemporary times.
• It takes place on an island.
• It has a female protagonist.
• It is within the dark fantasy/survival horror genre.
• It has cinematic branching.
• It is based on an established IP.

Of course, any of these points could be mistaken, but it's what certain sources—in some cases, multiple sources—have said. Again, look the link in my previous paragraph to see a compilation of the hints and sources. Based on these notes, people have been guessing Heartbreak relates to Until Dawn. But it is not confirmed.

New info

I periodically check places for news about Firesprite. I ended up coming across an Italian article about an interview with a former Firesprite employee, and it mentioned Heartbreak. Then I found a few more articles and a stream. I will link all the relevant sources below. It took me a bit to get a good idea about the conversation, since I don't speak the language. But I find these points interesting:

• The dev is Antonio Funaro, a former cinematic lead on the game.
  
  • (Interesting note: he specializes in creature animation.)
• He said the game has a spectacular ocean environment with amazing water animation.
  
  • (Note: this meshes with the "island setting" information we already knew).
• He mentioned there are some pretty famous actors in it:
  
  • "Nel nostro caso ovviamente ci sono degli attori abbastanza famosi"
• He said it is a PS5 exclusive: "No no no è una tripla a esclusiva per PlayStation 5"
  
  • This differs from this document saying it's also PC. (Project Heartbreak's title will be very apt if it is Until Dawn and not for PC. RIP to me)
• He said the game is very cinematic.
• It's really high tech, doing amazing things with Unreal 5.
• He mentioned that it is a very big deal project to Sony.
• He said Sony is making a movie adaptation of it in the future: "ed è un gioco cinematico eh del del quale poi futuro ne paro anche un film quindi è un bel progettone importante per Sony fresca"
  
  • (Note for any Italian speakers: Does "fresca" mean "new"? I thought so but not all my translations are saying that. If it is new/fresh, could mean the info about it being from an established IP is wrong? I can't imagine Sony making a movie of a non-established IP though)
  • Obviously, this one is extremely interesting. This interview is from March 2024. So the Until Dawnmovie was in production. If he means there will be a direct movie adaptation of Heartbreak, then that's something else entirely and really throws me off. If he means a film for the IP, I can't see how this isn't about Until Dawn.
• It has David Cage inspirations.
  
  • (For reference, he made Detroit: Become Humanand Heavy Rain)
• Troy Baker is probably not in this game.
  
  • (Sorry, I just thought this was funny.)

A FINAL IMPORTANT NOTE

I do not speak Italian and muddled through my understanding of some of this. I encourage any Italian speakers to go through some of this as well; it's a long stream though. I know maybe I could be missing some big nuance. One of the articles below also guesses that the game is Heartbreakthough.

___

Sources

The interview, articles about the interview, and other articles about the same dev:

• Video interview
• Article that mentions associated movie
• Another article that mentions an associated movie. This article also guesses that the game in question is Heartbreak.
• Article that mentions the ocean setting and David Cage inspiration + wonders if it's UD 2 + has another interview

 

[balls of snow]

We looking at an anthology or a true direct sequel here with Hayden P.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

• He mentioned that it is a very big deal project to Sony.

wait?---weren't Sony making an untli dawn movie already?....oh i read further. But this is why this game is super important. Lame tho, unless they make different versions of the movie and they play randomly at the cinema.

It has David Cage inspirations
The GOAT . Hopefully a mandatory nude scene


Troy Baker is probably not in this game

 

[Perrott]

wait?---weren't Sony making an untli dawn movie already?....oh i read further. But this is why this game is super important. Lame tho, unless they make different versions of the movie and they play randomly at the cinema.

... unless they make different versions of what?

The Until Dawn movie has already been out for over half a year -- you can even watch it on HBO Max.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

... unless they make different versions of what?

of the adaptation of this new game.

The Until Dawn movie has already been out for over half a year -- you can even watch it on HBO Max.

Oh, I guess it was a great success.

 

[Punished Miku]

Unreal 5 with a focus on water sounds like it'll be visually impressive.

 

[realcool]

• It is set in contemporary times.
• It takes place on an island.
• It has a female protagonist.
• It is within the dark fantasy/survival horror genre.
• It has cinematic branching.
• It is based on an established IP.

 

[bitbydeath]

Oh, I guess it was a great success.

Thankfully horror movies tend to be cheap.

The box office made 54M, and the movie had just a 15M budget.

Until Dawn

www.boxofficemojo.com

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

Thankfully horror movies tend to be cheap.

The box office made 54M, and the movie had just a 15M budget.

that's true. but in recent years horror movies have exploded at the box office too
reaching $100M should be the goal

Until Dawn

www.boxofficemojo.com

 

[bitbydeath]

that's true. but in recent years horror movies have exploded at the box office too
reaching $100M should be the goal

I hope that happens.
The Long Walk is the best movie of the year IMO. It made 53M but deserves way more.

The Long Walk

www.boxofficemojo.com

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

I hope that happens.
The Long Walk is the best movie of the year IMO. It made 53M but deserves way more.

The Long Walk

www.boxofficemojo.com

I think i heard something about the movie flopping (it's hard to know much of an impact the controversy really had)

1. The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025) – $400M+
2. Sinners (2025) – $366M+
3. Weapons (2025) – $100M+
4. Nosferatu (2024) – $100M+
5. Longlegs (2024) – $100M+

the list of $100M+ horror movies is quite large in the last few years and there are several ones with blockbuster status . I just search, every RE movie with Milla Jovovich made $100M+ too

 

[bitbydeath]

I think i heard something about the movie flopping (it's hard to know much of an impact the controversy really had)

1. The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025) – $400M+
2. Sinners (2025) – $366M+
3. Weapons (2025) – $100M+
4. Nosferatu (2024) – $100M+
5. Longlegs (2024) – $100M+

the list of $100M+ horror movies is quite large in the last few years and there are several ones with blockbuster status . I just search, every RE movie with Milla Jovovich made $100M+ too

The Long Walk's budget was only 20M so still did well enough. Most big horror's get around 30-50M, getting higher would certainly be welcomed though. Together, Bring Her Back, Black Phone 2, Companion. To name a few from also this year.

 

[yogaflame]

Since they mentioned a woman protagonist and they will use real actors and actresses. All the past mistakes of Sony especially wokeness will be forgiven if Sydney Sweeney will be the protagonist. I hope Sony finally heals.

 

[kiphalfton]

I hope that happens.
The Long Walk is the best movie of the year IMO. It made 53M but deserves way more.

The Long Walk

www.boxofficemojo.com

The thing about The Long Walk is it's actually good and has heart.

Horror movies are generally garbage that people eat up, and is made to appeal to the mass population (i.e. morons).

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

The Long Walk's budget was only 20M so still did well enough. Most big horror's get around 30-50M, getting higher would certainly be welcomed though. Together, Bring Her Back, Black Phone 2, Companion. To name a few from also this year.

yeah. i think Sony/PlayStation productions are aiming to build movies franchises based on their games. and because of the IP already existing (which to be fair the vast majority of movies are not even original IPs) they expect a bigger impact.

i think the issue Sony pictures has is that they don't really make great movies in general.

 

[bitbydeath]

yeah. i think Sony/PlayStation productions are aiming to build movies franchises based on their games. and because of the IP already existing (which to be fair the vast majority of movies are not even original IPs) they expect a bigger impact.

i think the issue Sony pictures has is that they don't really make great movies in general.

They release a lot people don't know are Sony movies. KPop Demon Hunters blew up this year on Netflix and is a Sony movie for example.

I do think their TV side is better than their movie side though.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

They release a lot people don't know are Sony movies. KPop Demon Hunters blew up this year on Netflix and is a Sony movie for example.

i remember hearing that Sony took an L with that movie. searching about it:

it seems sony sold the distribution rights for the movie to Netflix. but Sony owns the IP... breh, that IP is perfect for a videogame and shift up could make an action game

I do think their TV side is better than their movie side though.

I think the last massive success was Breaking bad?.

 

[MaxwellParrish]

He said Sony is making a movie adaptation of it in the future: "ed è un gioco cinematico eh del del quale poi futuro ne paro anche un film quindi è un bel progettone importante per Sony fresca"

• (Note for any Italian speakers: Does "fresca" mean "new"? I thought so but not all my translations are saying that. If it is new/fresh, could mean the info about it being from an established IP is wrong? I can't imagine Sony making a movie of a non-established IP though)

Just to clarify this point: Antonio Fusaro doesn't say "fresca". He say "E' una tripla A esclusiva per PlayStation 5 ed è un gioco cinematico del quale poi in futuro ne faranno anche un film quindi è un bel progettone importante per Sony" ("It's a AAA exclusive for PlayStation 5 and it's a cinematic game that will also be made into a movie in the future, so it's a really big, important project for Sony.") to which the interviewer (Cyrus) reply with "Fresca!" (Not really sure this is exactly what he say) meaning something close to " That's the news!"
The phrase doesn't really say nothing to us about the game being part of an established IP or not, but it seems to imply that the eventual movie in directly collected with THIS game and not just with the eventual IP

 

[consoul]

• It is set in contemporary times.
• It takes place on an island.
• It has a female protagonist.
• It is within the dark fantasy/survival horror genre.
• It has cinematic branching.

Finally. The Epstein Island survival game.

 

[bitbydeath]

i remember hearing that Sony took an L with that movie. searching about it:

it seems sony sold the distribution rights for the movie to Netflix. but Sony owns the IP... breh, that IP is perfect for a videogame and shift up could make an action game


I think the last massive success was Breaking bad?.

Quite the opposite, it became Netflix's most popular movie ever.

Better Call Saul came after BB. But also shows like The Boys/GenV, Cobra Kai etc are all from Sony.

Your avatar as well is from a Sony movie/show.

 

[March Climber]

i remember hearing that Sony took an L with that movie. searching about it:

it seems sony sold the distribution rights for the movie to Netflix. but Sony owns the IP... breh, that IP is perfect for a videogame and shift up could make an action game

Kpop DH is an odd chicken and egg situation. I don't think it would have skyrocketed as fast as it did in viewership if it was a typical Sony theater release.

They're probably going to take advantage of those millions of viewers for any potential sequel though.

 

[Clear]

My understanding is that this "unnamed horror project" at Firesprite is based on an existing IP - and I kinda got the impression it wasn't a videogame franchise.

I was aware of it back in 2022 but the sense I got back then was that it was aiming for a PG-13 type content level as I was advised not to be too edgy if submitting writing samples.

 

[GymWolf]

Wasting a first party for a telltale type of game, double meh macchiato with latte.

 

[mdkirby]

Whatever it is, I'm here for it based on those snippets of info.

 

[nowhat]

Wasting a first party for a telltale type of game, double meh macchiato with latte.

I mean, they could be making a Gaas game, so... tiny yay?

 

[Cakeboxer]

We looking at an anthology or a true direct sequel here with Hayden P.

Hayden P. looks too good for a Sony game these days.

 

[GymWolf]

I mean, they could be making a Gaas game, so... tiny yay?

I take a gaas with good gameplay over a telletale type of game, for me it's the lesser evil.

 

[emivita]

Until Dawn 2 is a boring guess, how about a new Siren game?

Siren 2 is also set on a island with a big cast of characters, and Siren surely is a more established IP than UD, they could take notes from Silent Hill f while making their own game.