Infold wants Infinity Nikki to make you happy through the simple experiences of daily life

One of Infold’s biggest tasks with Infinity Nikki was taking a mobile game about dressing up and turning it into an open-world adventure, and they did it by focusing on happiness

Infold

One of Infold’s biggest tasks with Infinity Nikki was taking a mobile game about dressing up and turning it into an open-world adventure, and they decided the solution was focusing on happiness. Not just any idea of happiness, though. It was a specific kind that they believe everyone can relate to.

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The Infold team discussed their design philosophy during a new mini-documentary about the making of Infinity Nikki. TKTK said the feeling they were after wasn’t the kind of happiness that comes from a thrilling discovery or major moment. They wanted to help players find joy in everyday tasks and in the harmony of nature and civilization. In keeping with that theme, Infold teased a new area called the Great Millewish Tree, a giant tree that symbolizes the heart of Miraland – Infinity Nikki’s setting – and is home to a small village of creatures who live around nature, instead of making it adapt to them.

It was easy to see that emphasis on simple joys in the time we spent with the Infinity Nikki preview beta. Tracking down Whimstars was all well and good, but watching the sunset over a serene lake, helping a friend write poetry, stumbling on a colony of adorable animals, even just finding materials in a field of flowers – all of it was more rewarding than ticking objectives off a list. It helps that you're doing all of this in what feels like a playable fairytale, and Infold said they have other magical surprises in store as well, including segments where Nikki's cat friend Momo takes the lead.

Trite as it sounds, it’s very much a case of the journey being more important than the end, which is perhaps unsurprising, considering Breath of the Wild designer Kentaro Tominaga also worked on Infinity Nikki. Exploring for the sake of it and finding small adventures on the way characterized Nintendo’s and Tominaga’s approach to Breath of the Wild’s open world as well.

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We don’t have much longer to see how well Infold managed to perpetuate a sense of quiet, simple happiness throughout the entire adventure. Infinity Nikki launches for PC, PS5, and mobile devices on Dec. 5, 2024.