Indie developer Cococucumber is, for the primary time ever, making an attempt its hand at a sequel with Echo Generation 2.
The place the primary turn-based romp channeled ‘80s and ‘90s vibes to create a nostalgic journey that seemed like Stranger Issues was tossed right into a blender with voxel graphics and basic RPG gameplay, the sequel goes a very new course. The sideways prequel skips the comfy small-town really feel to drop gamers straight right into a B-movie, cosmic horror story the place they play as the lacking father from the primary sport.
Its first trailer, which debuted as a part of in the present day’s November 2025 Xbox Companion Preview, teases a way more horrific expertise for Cococucumber. We sat down with sport director Martin Gavreau and studio producer and director Vanessa Chia to be taught extra about Echo Generation 2’s inspirations, how fan suggestions helped information improvement, and why the staff determined to revisit one among its present universes from a brand new perspective. You possibly can see every little thing they needed to say within the interview beneath.
IGN: Inform me about what individuals are going to see on Thursday. Inform me about this trailer and what precisely Echo Generation 2 is.
Martin Gavreau: It’s totally totally different than the primary sport. We weren’t certain how far we may go along with it, as a result of once you do a sequel, you may have many choices. You may say, ‘Let’s simply do extra of the identical,’ otherwise you do one thing fully totally different, or wherever in between. There was a little bit of an existential disaster of ‘What can we do with this?’ We felt that we needed to see how far we may broaden on this world-building. The primary sport, aside from a really brief second, every little thing is inside possibly a 5-10-mile radius of a small city, you already know? The sequel, it is far more than that (laughs). It is far more. It is throughout the galaxy. We go to a unique planet, we go to a unique dimension, a unique time period, and additionally, what’s at stake is way greater than, ‘OK, I wish to work out what occurred to my dad.’
You concentrate on the primary sport, you begin simply taking part in together with your sister on the street with a raccoon, and then at one level, you struggle a mech with the cannon and lasers. You are presupposed to be only a child infiltrating a navy base. There is a ramp going as much as there, and we needed to have this ramp up on one other scale. Generally, in some basic RPGs, you begin in your city and you find yourself preventing gods. So it is like, ‘Let’s go all the best way there.’
So, the trailer, what we’ll see is a part of the story. We’re not revealing every little thing. There’s huge story moments that aren’t within the trailer that we wish to maintain. I do not assume we’ll reveal them even later, earlier than launch, we wish to maintain a variety of shock. We’re not taking part in as a child anymore. We’re taking part in as the daddy who disappeared, and it is earlier than the primary sport. I imply, once you you play with time journey, is it a prequel? So it is part of a prequel/sequel in some methods. There’s some reference to the primary sport that, I believe, individuals who performed the primary sport, will certainly see a variety of connection, however in an expanded universe that occurred throughout a unique time.
We will soar again and forth between the longer term and the previous. Actually, actually greater scope and extra advanced plot to…I do not wish to spoil it, however there is a a lot greater difficulty taking place throughout the galaxy. We, after all, wish to return residence as a result of we’re getting trapped. To return will turn into ultimately, after all, nonetheless a purpose, however what is the level of going again in the event you’re going again to ruins? You do not wish to come again to your Hobbit city and the Shire, and then it is all burned and destroyed. So that you wish to just remember to go on a journey of journey, but additionally you are going to come again to a world that’s nonetheless, you already know, intact and exists.
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Echo Generation 2 clearly has some connections to the primary sport, however it additionally appears so totally different. I’m questioning, why a sequel? Why a sequel to Echo Generation as an alternative of one thing like Ravenlok or Riverbond?
Gavreau: I imply, I’d like to do a sequel for Riverbond and Ravenlok. Revisiting these video games and increasing on them can be a unbelievable alternative. However why do Echo Generation? There’s all the time a little bit of a enterprise resolution, as a result of there’s all the time a threat related to making any sport, however we’re small within the studio, so it is what we really feel like doing. We sit down and we discuss all of the staff, share a bit there, you already know, their concepts and what we prefer to work on, as a result of there’s all the time a chance additionally to create a brand new sport, no? And it is the identical factor with making a sequel, and everyone cherished making the primary one. I believe it is simply the need to return to this world and broaden on it.
We began the manufacturing proper when the pandemic began, 5 years in the past, already. So it simply coincided, the place we entered manufacturing for it, and at first there was much more unknown about, ‘Is the entire world gonna collapse? Is everyone gonna die?’ We used the sport as a small protected haven construction. Once I’m at work, we do not discuss politics, we do not discuss in regards to the vaccine or the virus. We simply…we live Echo Generation, and we reside in that world, to our little bubble of creativeness with these cute characters and speaking raccoon, you already know? It sort of helped us maintain our sanity all through the occasions of the pandemic, I believe.
Perhaps there is a particular sort of affiliation with it emotionally, and we felt just like the story was not completed, that we had so many concepts that we could not put within the first sport, that have been left on the slicing room, so to talk, that we have been actually excited to go and work extra on it. I believe that was in all probability the explanation after Ravenlok to return to Echo Generation. Now, I do not assume it will be an Echo Generation 3 after that. We’ve different plans, and there’s been a unique factor that we have been engaged on. Between all of the video games you are able to do, you must commit to 1, and everyone felt impressed. It is such a protracted period of time to not make a sport.
It isn’t going to spend every week or a month, it might be years, and it is what you reside with day-after-day. You ask your self, ‘Do I wish to reside with that world day-after-day? Do I wish to discover?’ It is a long-term relationship, in a approach, as a result of even after you launch, you have to patch it. It is many, a few years. I wish to guarantee that not solely me is on board, and I like to do it, however everyone who has to work on it’ll discover one thing fascinating. It was not straightforward to not make a sequel. We realized it was tougher than we thought, however we actually needed to make that sport.
Echo Generation actually wears its inspirations on its sleeves. As a result of Echo Generation 2 is so totally different from the get-go, what are a few of the different inspirations for this sport particularly? The films, video games, books, and reveals that helped affect its improvement?
Gavreau: That is nice that this might be seen, that you possibly can observe these issues in taking part in the primary sport. We’re not hiding it, and we needed to make use of totally different ones for the sequel and go locations we did not go earlier than, like cosmic horror, for instance. So if you concentrate on, you already know, the Name of Cthulhu and issues which are extra sort of like, ‘What’s on the market in house? Is there forces past what are actually there, and we’re simply not linked with them, and what in the event that they uncover humanity? So there’s a part of it’s cosmic horror, however a part of it is also Star Wars (laughs). We needed to maintain the identical feeling of the primary sport. We needed to make use of a variety of totally different inspiration that does not seem to be they’ll work collectively at first.
We’ve additionally a part of Cyberpunk. We’ve Blade Runner. We went for extra of the sci-fi inspiration. We’ve 2001: A Area Odyssey in there. There’s additionally X Information, as a result of it is so enjoyable to have. There’s this type of large biomass that we teleport experiment once more, like The Fly from Cronenberg. So, we went to inspiration that’s extra within the horror and sci-fi aspect, even when there is a little bit of enjoyable in there. I obtained fascinated, too, with this concept of the Backrooms. So possibly we’ve got a bit little bit of that in there. That there is this different actuality subsequent to us, the place there’s this type of thoughts maze, the place you may get misplaced.
It will be a way more violent and scary sport than the primary one. Perhaps not for teenagers fully a lot anymore. I believe our ranking goes to be in all probability 16 or 18 plus. We do not actually give it some thought, however simply after we fill out the questionnaire, no matter occurred occurred. However there may be extra blood, extra gore, and it’s pixel and voxel (laughs). So it isn’t as scary, possibly, however it’s sort of enjoyable in a approach, like once you see the scientist getting smashed up with the blood. There’s this playfulness with it, like B-movie playfulness that you’ve in motion pictures like Tremors, and we needed to seize that cool.
Why is launching day one on Xbox Sport Cross the appropriate transfer, particularly, for Echo Generation 2?
Gavreau: Properly, the primary one was on Sport Cross. Numerous followers and individuals who found the sport are on Xbox already, so it simply seems like a logical technique to do one thing related with the sequel. Aside from that, for us, I believe it is our fourth sport that is going to launch on Sport Cross. We have we had this wonderful relationship with Xbox that we had an opportunity to have their assist. When you find yourself on Sport Cross, it comes with a variety of advertising and marketing assist, like being a part of a present or social media. Unbiased video video games do not all the time have a writer.
We do not have a writer, so this type of assist actually helped the sport to get found. There’s so many individuals on Sport Cross that in the event you see a title that you just’re not accustomed to, give it an opportunity, strive it out, and see in the event you prefer it. It actually helped open a variety of alternatives for the sport to be performed, and the top of the day, as a sport developer, that is what you need. You need to have the ability to share your creation with as a lot folks as doable. I believe with Sport Cross, positively, it has been unimaginable to have all this interplay and this communication with the group on Xbox.
Had been there any main factors of fan suggestions after the primary sport that you just particularly wish to handle with Echo Generation 2?
Gavreau: Oh, yeah, positively. A few of them, we handle within the Midnight Version. Once we began the sequel after Ravenlok, we have been considering, ‘Why do not we handle a few of these points that some folks had taking part in the sport and make a particular version of the primary sport?’ That was going to assist us get again in that universe and see if it is doable to enhance it in some methods, for high quality of life. We actually listened to participant suggestions. Additionally, one thing narratively, the primary sport, it was enjoyable for being episodic, and additionally on the similar time, there is a value, and the associated fee is possibly the overarching foremost story suffered a bit from it. We nonetheless maintain this episodic format in some methods, however there is a a lot stronger connection round the primary story.
This is without doubt one of the issues we tried to enhance. Hopefully, we’ll see if that works. One other one is to make the fight quicker. The fight is a lot quicker now, the best way we designed it. It was one of many design tips from the beginning. We want to have the ability to struggle and resolve issues a lot quicker. If you wish to cease and assume you may, however if you wish to go quick, it’s doable to go very quick by the animation or the choices given to you.
Going right into a deck-building mechanic, now, additionally retains the fight fascinating all through. What we noticed is, generally, folks, they discover a companion, they love one transfer, and they only maintain taking part in with that companion and that one transfer. Properly, hey, there are a variety of totally different fascinating strikes that we designed, so if we add the deck-building mechanic, now you may alter relying on the enemies you encounter. Perhaps your deck will work towards a sure setting, sure kinds of enemies, however you have to alter it in different conditions.
It’s essential to maintain adjusting your fight model, relying on enemies and relying on the kind of playing cards. You must have extra selection on that aspect. These have been a few of the suggestions we tried to enhance and implement on that aspect, for the fight and the story.
I do not assume I noticed a launch date. I am assuming, clearly, that is not one thing you can provide me, however is that this a sport we see in 2026, or is there any sort of window you’re concentrating on?
Gavreau: I used to be simply speaking this morning with a staff member and what they have been engaged on subsequent, and they’re like, ‘I am finished.’ (laughs) How will you be finished? How will you be finished with the sport? Let’s take a look.
However we’re fairly superior. I believe we wish to be sure we’ve got sufficient time to shine every little thing. We wish to guarantee that we’ve got time to stability all of the fight and the journey, however the sport is fairly superior. How early relies on how briskly we will undergo the final section of creating certain the sport is correctly balanced, and every little thing runs easily.
(Editor’s Notice: Cococucumber clarified after the interview that Echo Generation 2 is concentrating on a 2026 launch window.)
Is there anything you need so as to add about Echo Generation 2, the method of getting right here, main as much as this reveal, and what it is prefer to lastly pull again the curtain?
Gavreau: It feels unusual, as a result of we began engaged on it so way back. We began engaged on it proper after the primary one was launched, and then it has been in and out. We have been exploring various kinds of gameplay and prototyping. It may be, possibly, 4 years? I do not know, three or 4 years that this sport has been, in some methods, in improvement? It feels a bit unusual that, lastly, we’re going to have the ability to discuss it. We’re very excited to see if individuals are going to recollect it or be excited for it.
I believe it is 4 years since (Echo Generation) launched. So you have to include one thing new. It’s essential to take some threat. That is what we determined to do with the sport. Perhaps some folks needed to have one thing very related. However this isn’t precisely the choice we took. We determined to take extra inventive threat for the story and the sport mechanic. Hopefully it nonetheless seems like an Echo Generation sport, and the fan will embark on this journey and discover it fascinating, however it’s, in some ways, going to be very totally different.
We have been speaking in regards to the references, however the tone and the journey, the journey, the fight, the pace of it, and the violence of it, and the thrill to to journey throughout the galaxy into to finish up discovering all these tremendous highly effective entities, I believe, for us, it is tremendous thrilling to have the ability to lastly share a few of it, and quickly, when it is prepared, the sport. I want to discuss extra about sure issues – I can not in the meanwhile.
Michael Cripe is a contract author with IGN. He is greatest identified for his work at websites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Make sure to give him a observe on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).