Trust is key to Sky: Children of the Light's communication features, says studio founder

thatgamecompany has made a name for themselves by crafting unique experiences that twist how we think about multiplayer gaming. They really set the bar high with Journey, but then they pushed things even further with Sky: Children of the Light.

In Sky: Children of the Light, players have to prove they’re worth talking to. Characters don’t have names and there’s no voice chat at all. Instead, when you see other players out and about, you have to build a relationship with them through gameplay. Then, as you build that trust with another player, various options for communication unlock. Continuing to build that relationship will give you access to various chat features, including gestures, conversation spots, and full-on text communication.

Jenova Chen, thatgamecompany’s founder, said this interesting approach to communication was the plan for Sky from the start. That element of building trust is absolutely crucial, and the team wanted to give players a way to talk with people who will actually be worth their time. Who would spend hours building a relationship with another player just to unlock chat and abuse it?

Sure, there’s always going to be troublemakers in any game, but Sky does its best to weed out those players early on. What you’re left with is a group of players who want to communicate for the game’s sake, and to make a better experience overall.