Frozenbyte Responds To 'Trine 3' Backlash About Game's Length

Trine 3 gameplay — Gameplay from "Trine 3" http://frozenbyte.com/

It seems like the “Trine” series is in trouble after the release of the latest installment “Trine 3: The Artifacts of Power.” Fans of the series have accused developer Frozenbyte for releasing an unfinished game with a cliffhanger ending, as most gamers finished it quickly. Joel Kinnunen, the vice president of Frozenbyte, has now decided to respond to the backlash the game has received so far.

The full statement regarding the “Trine 3” backlash was released on the Steam Community page. Kinnunen stated that the studio may have gotten too ambitious with “Trine 3” and overestimated the budget they had, which was $5.4 million. Although that was triple the budget of the last “Trine” game, the developers realized that they needed $15 million to have as many levels as the original game.

One thing that should be noted is that “Trine 3” is the first 3D installment of the series, as the previous games were 2D sidescrollers. With a new graphics engine in play, the developers realized too late that if they wanted more levels and a lengthier campaign for the game, they would need more money.

Fans have also accused Frozenbyte for making the game short on purpose so that players would have to buy future downloadable content (DLC) to get the full game. Kinnunen denied the accusation, stating that the game will have no DLC, though there are supposedly plans to continue the story of the Steam title.

With so much negative buzz surrounding the game, it seems like the future of the “Trine” series is in question, as the feedback and reviews have caught the developers by surprise. According to Polygon, the game currently has 200 negative reviews, though it also has 500 positive ones, showing that there are people that do like the game.

In the end, the developers have admitted to the game’s faults but are still proud of the title nonetheless. Kinnunen even defended the game’s six-hour length, stating that it is the average length of a video game and that most people would be playing it for that long anyway.