Shovel Knight burst onto the scene as one of the most unique and well-received indie games ever in 2014. The game has a special art style that feels like it belongs in the era of the 8-bit generation mixed with fun and crisp gameplay. Fans have been hoping that more from the franchise is one the way, and in a recent interview, developer Yacht Club Games' has reinforced that yes, Shovel Knight will be around for a long time.
Shovel Knight is one of the greatest success stories when it comes to Kickstarter. While Shovel Knight was released in 2014, the game saw years of post-launch support, thanks partially to the Kickstarter goals that Yacht Club Games' had promised it would meet. The post-launch support is finally complete, in the form of Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove.
As the final touches of the original Shovel Knight came to a close, Yacht Club Games' surprised fans by announcing Shovel Knight Dig, a game that brings the franchise into the 16-bit and seems to be rogue-like type game. A quick look at the game and it draws some comparisons to the successful Steamworld Dig games, with of course the classic Shovel Knight flair. The game does not yet have a release date.
The director for this new game, Sean Velasco, and artist, Sandy Gordon, were recently on the Nintendo Power Podcast for an interview. In discussing the game they talked about the franchise as a whole and mentioned that they have plans for many adventures in the future, that go beyond the awesome additions that have been made to the original Shovel Knight.
One interesting note that could have potentially even been a slip-up was that Gordan mentioned that he hopes to continue making Shovel Knight games for years to come and that Shovel Knight Dig is most likely going to be the next game to be released. Considering the fact that there are no other Shovel Knight games that are currently announced to be under development, and Shovel Knight Dig doesn't have a release date, it would be a fun twist if Yacht Club Games' announced a new Shovel Knight title and it dropped before Shovel Knight Dig.
After the massive amounts of Shovel Knight updates and post-launch support, it's reassuring to know that Yacht Club Games' will continue to make games for this lovable franchise. In some ways, it's also obvious, as the success of the blue knight is undeniable. In the interview, Gordan stated that the team plans to maintain the core aspects of the franchise, including the pixelated style and the old-school soundtrack.
It's fair to say that indie games and mascots don't have the same mindset that core games do. That being said, over time they have continued to grow and its franchises like Shovel Knight are leading the way. Even having a Nintendo Amiibo and Shovel Knight himself being in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is an accomplishment that goes beyond something that seems plausible a few years ago. It's exciting to see Yacht Club Games' be at the forefront of indie gaming.
Shovel Knight is available now for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One