Then, three years ago, production on the follow up, what would become Max: The Curse of Brotherhood, began, but it wasn't until the middle of 2012 that Microsoft called yet again. This time, though, things were different. The team was well into development, but the game had not released. The levels were made, and they had names, and you could play through its entirety, but it was far from finished.
"At that point everything was up in the air. It was like, ahhhhhh! And then, all of a sudden, peace," Outzen says.
Press Play was at a crossroads. With money tight it needed a publisher to ensure Max would see the light of day. Eventually, after discussions that fell through with other parties, Microsoft stepped in. But it didn't just sign the game - it bought the studio.
"There was so much value in what we had that we would never have just thrown it out and started cleaning for a living," Outzen insists, stopping short of saying Max was in danger of falling by the wayside