View source for Software:The Tomorrow Children

{{Short description|2016 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = The Tomorrow Children
| developer = [[Company:Q-Games|Q-Games]]{{efn|Additional work by [[Company:Japan Studio|Japan Studio]] for the original version.}}
| publisher = [[Company:Sony Interactive Entertainment|Sony Interactive Entertainment]] (Original)<br />Q-Games (Phoenix Edition)
| director = Dylan Cuthbert
| producer = Kazuharu Tanaka<br />Hiroshi Shiina
| artist = Dylan Cuthbert
| composer = Joel Corelitz
| platforms = [[Engineering:PlayStation 4|PlayStation 4]]<br />[[Engineering:PlayStation 5|PlayStation 5]]
| released = {{vgrelease|WW|October 25, 2016}}'''''Phoenix Edition'''''{{vgrelease|NA/EU|September 6, 2022|JP|September 7, 2022}}
| genre = [[Software:Adventure game|Adventure]]
| modes = Single-player, multiplayer
| image = Tomorrow Children cover art.jpeg
}}

'''''The Tomorrow Children''''' is an [[Software:Adventure game|adventure]] [[Engineering:Video game|video game]] developed by [[Company:Q-Games|Q-Games]] and published by [[Company:Sony Interactive Entertainment|Sony Interactive Entertainment]].<ref name=ps09>{{cite web|url=http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2014/09/16/tomorrow-children-dylan-cuthbert-delves-deeper-weird-wonderful-ps4-exclusive/|title=The Tomorrow Children – Delving deeper into Dylan Cuthbert's weird, wonderful PS4 exclusive|date=September 16, 2015|access-date=December 7, 2015|work=PlayStation Blog|first=Fred|last=Dutton|archive-date=March 7, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307015132/https://blog.eu.playstation.com/2014/09/16/tomorrow-children-dylan-cuthbert-delves-deeper-weird-wonderful-ps4-exclusive/|url-status=live}}</ref> The game was released as an [[Early access|early access]] title on September 6, 2016 as ''The Tomorrow Children: Founder's Pack'', and was fully released on October 25, 2016, but was shut down by Sony in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-10-25 |title=Play The Tomorrow Children For Free Starting Today |url=https://blog.playstation.com/2016/10/25/play-the-tomorrow-children-for-free-starting-today/ |access-date=2022-07-07 |website=PlayStation.Blog |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-07-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220707215304/https://blog.playstation.com/2016/10/25/play-the-tomorrow-children-for-free-starting-today/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Q-Games later purchased the IP and released the game on September 6, 2022 as ''The Tomorrow Children: Phoenix Edition.''<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-07-07 |title=The Tomorrow Children: Phoenix Edition launches September 6 |url=https://www.gematsu.com/2022/07/the-tomorrow-children-phoenix-edition-launches-september-6 |access-date=2022-07-07 |website=Gematsu |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-07-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220707163640/https://www.gematsu.com/2022/07/the-tomorrow-children-phoenix-edition-launches-september-6 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-07-07 |title=The Tomorrow Children: Phoenix Edition Launches September 6 |url=https://blog.playstation.com/2022/07/07/the-tomorrow-children-phoenix-edition-launches-september-6/ |access-date=2022-07-07 |website=PlayStation.Blog |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-07-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220707165554/https://blog.playstation.com/2022/07/07/the-tomorrow-children-phoenix-edition-launches-september-6/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Development==
''The Tomorrow Children'' was announced during Gamescom 2014 at Sony's press conference in August 2014.<ref>{{cite web |last=Cuthbert |first=Dylan |date=12 August 2014 |title=PS4 Exclusive The Tomorrow Children Announced at Gamescom 2014 |url=http://blog.us.playstation.com/2014/08/12/ps4-exclusive-the-tomorrow-children-announced-at-gamescom-2014/ |access-date=August 12, 2014 |publisher=PlayStation Blog |archive-date=29 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229055408/http://blog.us.playstation.com/2014/08/12/ps4-exclusive-the-tomorrow-children-announced-at-gamescom-2014// |url-status=live }}</ref>

Engadget has described the game as "a mix of ''[[Software:Minecraft|Minecraft]]''-esque collaborative building, social economics and a Soviet Union-themed post-apocalyptic dystopia."<ref name="Engadget">{{cite web|last1=Trew|first1=James|title=PlayStation's push for indie games is epitomized by 'The Tomorrow Children'|website=Engadget|url=https://www.engadget.com/2014/08/14/playstation-the-tomorrow-children/|access-date=August 26, 2014|archive-date=August 27, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140827150741/http://www.engadget.com/2014/08/14/playstation-the-tomorrow-children/|url-status=live}}</ref> ''The Tomorrow Children'' runs on a proprietary [[Software:Game engine|game engine]] developed by Q-Games.<ref name="technology">{{cite web|url=http://fumufumu.q-games.com/archives/TheTechnologyOfTomorrowsChildrenFinal.pdf|title=The Technology Of The Tomorrow Children|work=[[Software:Game Developers Conference|Game Developers Conference]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170406220829/http://fumufumu.q-games.com/archives/TheTechnologyOfTomorrowsChildrenFinal.pdf|access-date=December 7, 2015|archive-date=2017-04-06}}</ref> The game's graphics engine utilizes new technology, aiming to achieve a Pixar-like [[Pre-rendering|pre-rendered]] [[Computer-generated imagery|CGI]] look with [[Real-time computer graphics|real-time]] [[3D computer graphics|3D graphics]].<ref name="ps09" /><ref name="ps10">{{cite web|url=http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2014/10/24/creating-striking-unusual-visuals-tomorrow-children-ps4-2/|title=Creating the beautiful, ground-breaking visuals of The Tomorrow Children on PS4|first=Dylan|last=Cuthbert|work=PlayStation Blog|date=October 24, 2015|access-date=December 7, 2015|archive-date=December 11, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151211182316/http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2014/10/24/creating-striking-unusual-visuals-tomorrow-children-ps4-2/|url-status=live}}</ref> It utilizes the [[Engineering:PlayStation 4|PlayStation 4]]'s [[Engineering:AMD Liverpool|Async Compute]] technology extensively.<ref name="technology" /> It features new [[Computer graphics|lighting]] techniques developed by Q-Games, such as cascaded [[Voxel|voxel]] [[Cone tracing|cone]] [[Ray tracing (graphics)|ray tracing]], which simulates lighting in real-time and uses more realistic [[Reflection (computer graphics)|reflections]] rather than [[Screen space ambient occlusion|screen space]] reflections.<ref name="ps10" /> This allows real-time [[Global illumination|global illumination]],<ref name="technology" /> without any need for [[Pre-rendering|pre-calculated]] or [[Lightmap|pre-baked lighting]].<ref name="ps09" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pixeljunk-developer-reveals-details-of-genre-bendi/1100-6421709/|title=PixelJunk Developer Reveals Details of Genre-Bending PS4 Exclusive The Tomorrow Children|first=Mark|last=Walton|work=GameSpot|date=August 13, 2014|access-date=December 7, 2015|archive-date=February 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160205150011/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/pixeljunk-developer-reveals-details-of-genre-bendi/1100-6421709/|url-status=live}}</ref> It supports direct and indirect illumination in real-time,<ref name="technology" /> and up to three [[Path tracing|bounces of light]] [[Per-pixel lighting|per pixel]] from all directions (compared to one bounce for Pixar films).<ref name="ps10" /> It also features deformable landscapes, with layered depth cubes, representing the [[Software:Open world|world]] as [[Voxel|volumes]], which are then converted to [[Polygon (computer graphics)|polygons]] as needed.<ref name="ps10" />

A public beta test occurred from June 3–6, 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://blog.eu.playstation.com/2016/06/01/the-tomorrow-children-open-beta-weekend-starts-this-friday/|title=The Tomorrow Children Open Beta Weekend Starts This Friday|date=June 1, 2016|access-date=June 6, 2016|archive-date=June 2, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160602130440/https://blog.eu.playstation.com/2016/06/01/the-tomorrow-children-open-beta-weekend-starts-this-friday/|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Audio ===
Voice casting and dialogue work was completed by Glen Gathard and team at Shepperton studios.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://pinewoodgroup.com/pinewood-today/credits/the-tomorrow-children |title=The Tomorrow Children &#124; Pinewood Studios |access-date=2022-06-29 |archive-date=2023-02-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207234917/https://pinewoodgroup.com/pinewood-today/credits/the-tomorrow-children |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Discontinuation and relaunch ===
On July 6, 2017, six months after its launch, it was announced the game would cease operations on November 1, 2017.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.jp.playstation.com/op/thetomorrowchildren/playersinfo/2017/07/topics002.html#en|title=『The Tomorrow Children(トゥモロー チルドレン) 』サービス終了のお知らせ/End of Service Announcement for The Tomorrow Children {{!}} The Tomorrow Children(トゥモロー チルドレン) プレイヤーズインフォメーション {{!}} プレイステーション|last=Japan|first=Sony Interactive Entertainment|work=プレイステーション|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210828052735/https://www.jp.playstation.com/op/thetomorrowchildren/playersinfo/2017/07/topics002.html#en |access-date=2017-07-07|archive-date=2021-08-28 |language=ja-JP}}</ref> The game was discontinued due to the inability to properly monetise the game, in addition to the cost of running the servers.<ref name=":0">{{cite web | url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2022-02-07-a-second-chance-for-the-tomorrow-children | title=A second chance for the Tomorrow Children | date=7 February 2022 | access-date=2022-06-29 | archive-date=2022-06-29 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220629212810/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2022-02-07-a-second-chance-for-the-tomorrow-children | url-status=live }}</ref> In the years following its shutdown, Cuthbert noticed that players were continuing to share screenshots and videos from the game.<ref name=":0" />

On November 9, 2021, Q-Games announced that they had acquired the IP to ''The Tomorrow Children'' from Sony Interactive Entertainment and intended to "rebuild" and relaunch the game at a later date.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Romano |first1=Sal |title=Q-Games acquires The Tomorrow Children from Sony Interactive Entertainment, rebuilding for re-release |url=https://www.gematsu.com/2021/11/q-games-acquires-the-tomorrow-children-from-sony-interactive-entertainment-rebuilding-for-re-release |website=Gematsu |date=9 November 2021 |access-date=11 November 2021 |archive-date=11 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211111033908/https://www.gematsu.com/2021/11/q-games-acquires-the-tomorrow-children-from-sony-interactive-entertainment-rebuilding-for-re-release |url-status=live }}</ref> This was an unprecedented move, as SIE had previously expressed disapproval towards the idea of selling their IPs.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Arevalo-Downes |first1=Lauren |title=Sony Admits To Dropping The Ball On Demon's Souls |url=https://www.alistdaily.com/media/sony-admits-to-dropping-the-ball-on-demons-souls/ |website=AList |date=15 February 2012 |access-date=11 November 2021 |archive-date=11 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211111033909/https://www.alistdaily.com/media/sony-admits-to-dropping-the-ball-on-demons-souls/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The game was re-released in 2022 as ''The Tomorrow Children: Phoenix Edition''. Its dependence on a central server and [[Finance:Microtransaction|microtransaction]]s were removed in order to ensure it would remain playable offline.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Romano |first=Sal |date=2022-06-08 |title=The Tomorrow Children: Phoenix Edition launches in 2022 for PS4 |url=https://www.gematsu.com/2022/06/the-tomorrow-children-phoenix-edition-launches-in-2022-for-ps4 |access-date=2022-06-08 |website=Gematsu |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-06-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220608002235/https://www.gematsu.com/2022/06/the-tomorrow-children-phoenix-edition-launches-in-2022-for-ps4 |url-status=live }}</ref> The new release is no longer free-to-play.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://game-news24.com/2022/02/07/the-tomorrow-children-are-not-allowed-to-play-during-itsrelaunch/ | title=The Tomorrow Children are not allowed to play during itsrelaunch - Game News 24 | date=4 July 2023 }}</ref>

== Reception ==
''The Tomorrow Children'' received mixed or average reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic.

Since its discontinuation, ''The Tomorrow Children'' has been recognised as being ahead of its time due to its art style, graphics and lighting.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.fanbyte.com/features/sonys-the-tomorrow-children-was-ahead-of-its-time/ | title=Sony's 'The Tomorrow Children' Was Ahead of Its Time | date=15 September 2020 | access-date=29 June 2022 | archive-date=10 August 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220810144655/https://www.fanbyte.com/features/sonys-the-tomorrow-children-was-ahead-of-its-time/ | url-status=live }}</ref>

{{Video game reviews
| MC = 54/100<ref name="mc-ps4">{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/the-tomorrow-children/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-4 |title=The Tomorrow Children for PlayStation 4 Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=2021-09-06 |archive-date=2021-10-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211001195225/https://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-4/the-tomorrow-children |url-status=live }}</ref>
| IGN = 5.2/10<ref>{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Rob |title=The Tomorrow Children Review |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2016/10/07/the-tomorrow-children-review |website=IGN |date=6 September 2021 |access-date=6 September 2021 |archive-date=3 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210903013710/https://www.ign.com/articles/2016/10/07/the-tomorrow-children-review |url-status=live }}</ref>
| GSpot = 3/10<ref>{{cite web |last1=Butterworth |first1=Scott |title=The Tomorrow Children Review |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/the-tomorrow-children-review/1900-6416514/ |website=GameSpot |date=6 September 2021 |access-date=6 September 2021 |archive-date=16 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210616005654/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/the-tomorrow-children-review/1900-6416514/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
| PSQ = {{Rating|6|10}}<ref>{{cite web |title=The Tomorrow Children Review (PS4) {{!}} Aces high |url=https://www.pushsquare.com/reviews/ps4/the_tomorrow_children |website=Push Square |date=6 September 2021 |access-date=6 September 2021 |archive-date=6 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210906140416/https://www.pushsquare.com/reviews/ps4/the_tomorrow_children |url-status=live }}</ref>
}}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://the-tomorrow-children.com Official website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20201108190012/http://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/the-tomorrow-children-ps4/ Archived Website]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tomorrow Children, The}}
[[Category:Alternate history video games]]
[[Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games]]

{{Sourceattribution|The Tomorrow Children}}