South of the Circle - a Cinematic Story of Love and Promises - Launches on August 3rd

Hello, I’m Luke, Director at State of Play, and there’s a story I want to tell you. It’s a story about a plane crash in Antarctica during the Cold War, a story of survival and hope. It deals with the big questions of how power and politics affect people and how they can lead to disaster, but really, deep down it’s a story of the little things, those beautiful moments in life we have which are worth keeping, which are worth making big promises for. In the end, it’s a story of love.

This is South of the Circle, a narrative adventure launching on consoles and PC on August 3rd. I’ve been wanting to tell this story for years. Many of the events which happened in it are based on true events. A family friend worked in Antarctica during the Cold War and survived a plane crash in the same aircraft. He also went on to help establish the Antarctic Treaty, a peace accord keeping the world safe from nuclear war, and the tension in the game hinges on this. Even now, retired, he’s still drawn back to Antarctica. I was even lucky enough to travel with him on a research trip for this game, to explore its magical pull. It really is an incredible place, and the awe of exploring it is something I wanted to share in this game.

You play Peter, a Cambridge academic, the one who survives the plane crash. Forced to walk headlong into a blizzard in search of help, you’re left with nothing but his memories of how he got here, and you literally walk into these memories to experience and influence them again. In these memories you meet the wonderful Clara, fellow academic, and Internal Use - Confidential experience a burgeoning love affair, both romantic and intellectual. How will you reconcile this with your academic ambitions? Throughout this experience, will you be able to keep your promises?

And we really DO want you to experience this, as if you were there. We’ve worked with some of the best actors in the world including Gwilym Lee from Bohemian Rhapsody, Olivia Vinall from The Woman in White and Anton Lesser from Game of Thrones to bring the characters real authenticity, and developed a way you talk to them in the game with the flow and emotion of real conversation. I want you to feel like you are a part of this, that you are responding to and sharing these emotions, that you’re experiencing the grandeur of the Antarctic and the power of beautiful relationship.

Everyone involved poured heart and soul into this game, and I really hope you choose to experience it for yourself now.

You can add South of the Circle to your wish list here