Yes, we are happy to announce that SQUIDS has won this year’s Art Direction Award at the European Indie Game Days. We are especially proud as the competition was tough with many very talented teams and great games. And it was pretty nice to receive the prize on « le vieux port » in Marseille, while the sun was setting down on the mediterranean sea. You should see more coverage in the press (especially French) very soon. Official press release below. – – – Independent French studio The Game Bakers is proud to announce that their mobile RPG, SQUIDS, has won this year’s Art Direction Award at the European Indie Game Days, which took place July 2-3 in Marseille (http://www.eigd.org). Competing against a hundred of strong contenders produced by indie teams all over Europe, SQUIDS’ colorful graphical style, comical Squid heroes, and visually-rich underwater locations caught the attention of a jury made up of game industry greats (including Jeff Minter and Heather Kelley) to bring home the prize! In SQUIDS, players lead a team of stretchy heroes into epic battles against shellfish that have been infected by a terrible black ooze that threatens the Squids’ lush underwater kingdom. Thanks to its combination of role-playing and tactical gameplay, SQUIDS has won over players by offering a much richer experience than the usual mobile fare. With more than one million downloads so far, SQUIDS was the surprise hit of 2011 and has become a must-have game on iOS platforms. This award comes at the perfect time, because the art style that wowed players, critics, and the EIGD jury has just resurfaced in the latest installment of this epic saga, SQUIDS Wild West! Under the art direction of Jerome Renéaume, The Game Bakers have expanded the imaginative SQUIDS world to include new « old West » locations, new playable Squid characters, and exciting new gameplay. Just one week after its release for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, SQUIDS Wild West is climbing the App Store charts worldwide and is poised to follow in the footsteps of the popular original. SQUIDS and SQUIDS Wild West can be found on the App Store at the following links: SQUIDS: http://itunes.apple.com/app/squids/id467904350 SQUIDS Wild West: http://itunes.apple.com/app/squids-wild-west/id522145076

We are happy to announce that the Squids are back: bigger and better! The epic adventure continues as our band of stretchy heroes explore the underwater Wild West to recruit new heroes for their army and search for master Winnick. We have spent a lot of time listening to you, SQUIDS fans, to improve the game and the result is here: SQUIDS Wild West is packed with twice as many missions as the first game, 4 new heroes, seahorses to ride into battle, new enemies, new gameplay ingredients, without mentioning a collection of new helmets… And also some handy new functionalities as the games saves synchronization via iCloud, a screen to compare your Squids, or the possibility to share your team on Facebook or Twitter. Get your copy today while it’s 50% off at 0.99$ here: http://itunes.apple.com/app/squids-wild-west/id522145076 Happy tentacles stretching! Below the full press release. – – – – – – – –

Saddle Up, Cephalopods! SQUIDS Wild West Launches Today on the App Store

The Game Bakers’ new RPG for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch improves on the original SQUIDS in every way

PARIS – June 27, 2012 – Fresh from the oven, The Game Bakers’ latest delicacy, SQUIDS Wild West, is now on the App Store! This turn-based RPG continues the story that started in last year’s chart-topping SQUIDS while offering exciting new gameplay challenges and improvements, ensuring that SQUIDS Wild West will be a hit with returning fans and new players alike. The game can be downloaded today for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch: http://itunes.apple.com/app/squids-wild-west/id522145076 In SQUIDS Wild West, a team of springy heroes continues their epic adventure across the seven seas to put a stop to the black ooze sliming up their idyllic kingdom. Set in Seawood, the hometown of gunslinger Clint, SQUIDS Wild West features six new locations creatively constructed from items that have fallen into the ocean from the human world above. While exploring this aquatic frontier players will meet up with four new playable Squids, including feisty cowgirl Calamary Jane and the mysterious Chief Ronimo. Plus the group will encounter a bevy of new enemies, environmental obstacles, stat-boosting helmets, and wild seahorses that can be captured and ridden into battle. The colorful cartoon artwork, humorous storytelling, and catchy music fans loved in the original SQUIDS are back in the sequel, along with a number of new features and gameplay improvements. Notably, this Universal App includes iCloud syncing, so players can access saved games and continue the adventure on any iOS device. Other online capabilities include GameCenter leaderboards, achievements, and the ability to post Squid teams on Facebook and Twitter. And user interface enhancements make it easier for players to customize their party, adjust a mission’s difficulty level, and unlock in-game items. “One of the biggest perks of being an indie studio has been our ability to build a direct relationship with our fans,” says Emeric Thoa, The Game Bakers’ creative director. “We’ve received hundreds of emails from players telling us what they liked and didn’t like about SQUIDS and asking for new features. We have paid close attention to this feedback and even enlisted our biggest fans to beta test SQUIDS Wild West, to make sure we were on the right track. So we’re confident that players will have even more fun with SQUIDS Wild West than the first game.” SQUIDS Wild West sells for USD $1.99 on the App Store, and is currently only USD $0.99 during a limited-time launch promotion. Learn more about SQUIDS Wild West or join the fan community on the official website (http://www.squidsthegame.com), Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/squidsthegame), and Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/squidsthegame).   About The Game Bakers The Game Bakers is an independent video game studio based in Paris and Montpellier, France. Founded and staffed by industry veterans whose credits include numerous AAA console games, The Game Bakers focuses on creative projects that combine traditional gaming values with the best of the mobile experience. Their first game, SQUIDS, has had more than one million downloads and can be enjoyed on iOS, Android, Mac, and PC. To learn more, visit the company’s website at https://www.thegamebakers.com. The Game Bakers are also on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/thegamebakers) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/thegamebakers).    

As a teaser for the update coming very soon… the last hero reveal: Magnus. Magnus was the most famous gladiator in all of Thalas, champion of the arena, undefeated for several years, he entertained the whole kingdom with the most epic fights and the most enjoyable shows. Magnus did not leave the city wen Baron took it over. Oh no, Magnus staid. And even the quake that followed the heroes return to Thalas was not enough to make him even think about leaving. Magnus intends to push back the dark blood from his city’s belly and restore her past glory. And you know what? He might very well be able to do it! Because Magnus is a Trooper, and we could say (he would certainly say it), Magnus is « the » Trooper. He is very strong, very heavy, with several stomps that inflict major damage and push enemies far. Emeric put him in his team for the Pro Mode, that tells everything! > No Magnus wallpapers but you can enjoy very nice wallpapers inspired from the Main menu art. Download Squids Wild West wallpapers (for desktop computers, iPhones and iPad – .zip). They look like this: Brad Plainview: Brad has big plans for the West, he dreams of building houses, schools and shops and turn Seawood into a flourishing kingdom. He just met someone who is giving him a lot of pearls to go dig very deep in the cursed mine, and get the black gold flowing… Brad is a trooper. Even though he cannot push ennemies as far as Sammo, he has a double stomp attack, which makes him very efficient against many ennemies! > Download Brad wallpapers (for desktop computers, iPhones and iPad – .zip).

Ronimo: the wise leader of the Squids of the West, has been fighting wave after wave against all kinds of intruders on his lands, and is now determined to stop the Ooze. He will ride Blackstar, the untamed seahorse, in the battle. Ronimo is a scout like Steev. Even though he only dashes once, he has a high stamina so he is very mobile, and he is also resistant with a good attack. > Download Ronimo wallpapers (for desktop computers, iPhones and iPad – .zip). Calamary Jane: a strong-willed and cunning inhabitant of Seawood, Calamary Jane does not have her tongue or her sugarcane guns in her pocket. In the West, there is nothing more important than your land and your friends, and Calamary Jane is fiercely defending hers. She has a heated history with Ronimo over the protection of her ranch… > Download Jane wallpapers (for desktop computers, iPhones and iPad – .zip). Cleef: Clint’s rival, who shares a part of his mysterious past. Cleef is a very powerful shooter with a deadly double attack. > Download Cleef wallpapers (for desktop computers, iPhones and iPad – .zip).

BAM! SQUIDS Wild West is in the box. If everything goes as planned – and it should – the game will be available on iOS at the end of the month. It’s time to get to know more about our new heroes… Starting with Cleef: Clint’s rival, who shares a part of his mysterious past. Cleef is a very powerful shooter with a deadly double attack. Enjoy the Cleef wallpapers we have prepared for you! > Download Cleef wallpapers (for desktop computers, iPhones and iPad – .zip). Keep your hand on your gun, we’ll share the other heroes reveals over the next couple of weeks!

We are happy to announce that our tentacular SQUIDS is now spreading on PC. The PC version has intuitive mouse controls and enhanced graphics optimized for screen resolutions up to 1900×1200. SQUIDS for PC also incorporates much of the bonus content released for iOS earlier this year, such as additional missions and stat-boosting helmets—all with no in-app purchase required. It can be downloaded right here or on most of the online stores (Gamestop, Desura, GetGamesGo, Oneplay, Gamersgate, Indievania and more to come…).

That’s it, it happened silently during the night, probably when Chinese players started to realize they really really liked Squids, and not only in their soup. Yes, SQUIDS has now been enjoyed by more than 1 million players. A big thank you to all the players and SQUIDS fans, keep giving the game 5 stars, passing the word around to your friends, and blogging about us. This is what keeps us working on MORE: more updates, more platforms, more missions, more Squids and of course Yihaaa, SQUIDS Western Adventures. We have put together some information on the figures behind that million in the picture below. We hope you will enjoy it!

(Click on the picture for a bigger read)

We love the idea of our Squids being stretched everywhere on the planet and we are happy to celebrate this first milestone with you! But beware, the Black Torrent is spreading, and we need the word of mouth and support from fans more than ever to pursue Steev and his friends’ adventure!

We are happy to announce that following the success of SQUIDS we are working on a follow up to your favorite cephalopods adventures. SQUIDS Western Kingdom (working title) will continue the Squids adventures in Clint’s kingdom in the Far West, where our heroes will find new recruits for the Army but also face new enemies and new challenges… A whole new storyline in underwater Far West, your favorite characters and new ones, new enemies, Seahorses to tame and ride, new gameplay, a new mysterious boss to fight… We are working hard to make it happen by this summer, release date to be confirmed!

A 4 missions adventure to meet Jammer, the latest recruit of the Squids Army. Jammer is fast, very fast. He is looking for Steev, Vahine and the rest of the Army. He has information that the Squids will need to find a treasure back in Thalas, that is if they can reach into the city! Also, in this update:

• 4 « Christmas » themed helmets that you might have missed.
• Support our musician and download the game original soundtrack from the option menu!
• Now if you use an item but fail the mission, you restart with all your items restored.

This year has been a great one for The Game Bakers, and we’re very thankful for your support! The team’s tactical RPG, SQUIDS, has had great success on iOS so far and we’re excited to be bringing it to PC, Mac, and Android in the very near future. Santa has already visited the Squids with some new holiday helmets, so be sure to check those out in the game if you’ve been playing the iOS version. Happy holidays!

The Game Bakers have just released a massive update to their tentacle-stretching, cephalopod-flinging RPG, SQUIDS. The biggest news is that the game is now optimized for the iPad, meaning it looks just as gorgeous on the iPad’s big screen as it does on iPhone and iPod touch! Here are some of the great features now included:

• Universal App: The original SQUIDS is now a Universal App. Play it on your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch (or all three!) for the same low price of $1.99.
• Horror in 3D: A 3D anaglyph version of the recent Halloween map. Go old school with your red/blue glasses to see the Squid heroes and their cranky crustacean rivals in all three dimensions. Crazy.
• New localizations: Japanese, simplified Chinese, and Russian languages join the game’s pre-existing English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish localizations.
• Music support: Listen to your own music while playing.
• Screen rotation: Turn your device and the game screen turns with it!
• Plus various and sundry bug fixes and interface tweaks to make playing SQUIDS even more enjoyable. 🙂

Today’s update is free for those who already bought the game. New players can pick it up on the App Store: http://itunes.apple.com/app/squids/id467904350