Hey! Tequila Works and Team Grey Box checking in! We are the team behind RiME, a puzzle adventure about a boy shipwrecked on an Island! Ask us anything!

Do you have a release date for the Switch version?

Also, what would you say is your favorite aspect of the game? (without spoilers obviously!)

Edit... just noticed that "don't ask about the switch date" thing haha so disregard that question :) my second question still stands though, what is your favorite aspect of the game?

I'll respond to that anyways! :-)

We do not have a release date yet for the Switch version. The teams are working very hard to finalize a date. As soon as we have one we'll make sure to share it out!

Recently this screenshot comparison between the PS4 and Switch versions of RiME has been getting popular, and I've seen it referenced in multiple websites and forums and such. Is it actually an accurate comparison between the two versions? Can you talk about the changes in particle effects, resolution, lighting, shading or anything impacting visual performance that have been applied on the Switch version in comparison with other, more technically capable platforms?

Can't wait for the game to release (on the Switch - I own a PS4 but the carry-it-anywhere factor is a premium feature for me). It looks outstanding.

Interesting comparison. We suspect that most of the color differences between the shots have more to do with video compression than anything. We would not necessarily call this comparison accurate.

We're currently reworking a lot of the content in the game to make it more appropriate for the Switch SKU. So far, we've managed to keep the visual impact to a minimum. RiME's unique art style has made it easier to make this possible, but it's still a big challenge for any development team.

Our goal is quality, and we have to walk the tight rope between performance and visuals. We think we have a path forward from here, and we're optimistic that players will love being able to take RiME with them when they're on the go.

~Team Grey Box

Hey there everyone, Thanks so much for joining us today for this AMA! We'll begin answering questions in about 30 minutes! We're super excited to have this opportunity to discuss RiME with you!

Hey guys, excited to play the game on my Switch.

Just wanted to ask what challenges you came across while developing for Nintendo's new platform and your overall thoughts on the console after finishing the Switch version of RiME?

We addressed the challenges in a different response in this AMA, but the rest of your question is certainly fair game.

We think the Switch is fantastic. It comes very close to being a dedicated console that you can take with you on the go, which is what many of us immediately started daydreaming about when we first heard about the Wii U.

There are certainly some concessions to be made for the hardware, but the mobility that you get in exchange is nothing to scoff at. Keep in mind that RiME is a very personal experience. Being able to move from room to room to allow yourself to get lost in its beauty comes in handy.

There also seem to be more companies supporting the Switch than its predecessors. That made it much easier for us to get started on development. If this support continues, we're optimistic for what the future of the Switch might hold.

~Team Grey Box

How did the collab with Lindsay Stirling go? How did the idea to have her work in the game came to be? Is it a partnership we can expect for future projects, too? Thank you, looking forward for the Switch version.

Lindsey was an absolutely fantastic person to work with! We can’t wait for you to see the music video (we will edit this answer when the video is live with the link). As the development on the game continued, we realized that music was an exceptionally important part of the game, and so we thought that doing some sort of collaboration with a popular musician would be a natural fit. When thinking about the options, Lindsey stood out because a) she’s a gamer, and b) her violin work seems like something that would fit naturally into the world of RiME. It turned out to be an even more perfect fit, because she told us that while she’s done covers of game music, she’s always wanted to write something to go INTO a game. She was a true professional, crafted some amazing music, and we’re very happy with the results.

~Team Grey Box

When does this song come out :O

Uh, just came out now! :-) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9P4kjROkn8I

Hey, as an Australian I'm disappointed that the Digital version is more expensive on the Switch than other consoles, which means I'm either not going to buy it on the Switch or I'm going to buy it from an overseas e-shop.

What I want to know is, why Australia? We just started to move away from overpriced Games/Consoles here and this seems like a step in the wrong direction.

Could you provide a link? We'll speak with our local distributor.

~Team Grey Box

Why is the Switch physical version more expensive than the other physical versions?

"As we've stated before, the reason for the higher price was due to the additional development, manufacturing, and publishing costs involved with that port. It was not an easy decision for us, but it was necessary for us to not sell at a loss.

In order to offset this, we worked with Nintendo and retail partners to sell the digital version at the same price as other consoles, and for the physical version, to add in a download code for the deluxe soundtrack by David García Díaz, which will retail for about $10. Rest assured, we're doing all we can to provide a fair deal for everyone involved."

~Team Grey Box

Hi guys, it's my first post on Reddit. I'm already have RiME on Steam and wanna ask about PC version. Are you working closely with QLOC Studio on the PC's game port? And will the game have preloading before release? I wish you good luck guys!

We are indeed working with QLoc on the PC port. We love those guys and gals, and they've done a wonderful job bringing the RiME experience to the PC.

Unfortunately, we will not be supporting pre-loading. Honestly, a bit of an oversight that we'll keep in mind for future titles. Fortunately, the install size is smaller than some other PC titles, so the wait will hopefully not be too bad.

~Team Grey Box

Hey! Thanks for holding this. I won't ask about a date for the Switch release obviously, you guys are hard at work at it. But I was just wondering how the development is going and how easy is it to work with the Switch? It's an interesting device and I'd love to hear a bit about the development process with that system.

Development is going well! It feels like we've found our groove, and we're progressing at a solid pace.

The most challenging aspect of working with the Switch was simply learning what the correct approach would be. It was brand new hardware to all of us (as with most developers). We had to try a few things, learn what did and didn't work, then chart a path forward based on our findings.

Now that we've answered those questions, development is moving along splendidly. Once we make a little bit more progress, we should be comfortable projecting a release date and sharing that with you (and everyone else)! Thanks for your patience, and we hope to have more soon.

~Team Grey Box

Any plans for HD rumble support on the Switch?

Right now the main focus is getting the quality of RiME on the Switch to the same quality as other platforms. If time permits we'll explore more Switch native functionality.

~Team Grey Box

Let's talk about the pc version :

Will you have a fps caps ?

Will you support nvidia ansel ?

Will you support ultrawide monitors ?

We do not currently cap FPS on PC.

We, unfortunately, do not support Ansel. We'll keep it in mind for future projects if it's something our players want.

Support for ultrawide monitors is not explicit. We do allow advanced users to experiment with custom resolutions and triple monitor setups but be advised in some instances the UI may break.

~Team Grey Box