Curiosity & Molyneux's Cans

A lot can be said about Peter Molyneux, and a majority of what said...probably true.  That doesn't mean I shouldn't respect his super-hero-like ambition; or fall victim -- again and again -- to his over-hype.  The truth is, the man is one of a kind, in both game development and personality, and has been a beacon of influence for innovation in video game design for as long as I can remember.

This past March marked the announcement of Peter moving passed the Fable franchise, with his departure from Lionhead Studios.  I felt proud of Mr. Molyneux for his move, and too felt the grip of Microsoft on his innovative and ambitious heart.  

22 Cans, Molyneux's newest iOS development house, is more than just Peter's next business venture; it is a statement. If there are 22 ideas that most game developers could rule out as "can't be done"...who else but Peter and Co. to show you how it can.  Of course, in only the way that we would expect Molyneux to do so.  

An under explained secret is the only way to describe 22 Cans' first scheduled release.  Said to be more a social experiment than game, players are allegedly tasked to "chip away at cube, together, to unearth the secret at its core." The secret...which will change the life of one player forever, so Molyneux says. With no more than a teaser trailer, which shows off nothing of Curiosity, I ride on Molyneux's ambitions toward the games release.  

I don't care that many of Peter's ideas fall short of his sales-pitches, the attempt and ambition is more important in today's game industry than the success of its parts.  Experimentation only leads to revelation.  Revelation leads to evolution....eventually.  

I anticipate Curiosity and whatever it actually is because it's interesting, and not a lot of games these days are.  I'm not quite sure what it will be, what it will become, and if it will be fun, yet I don't care.  The approach is different and headed by a man I trust, even after all his over-hyped disappointment shenanigans.  

Different...that's the most important word here.