News
New Star Soccer G-Story Releases
May 26, in the year of our Lord 2016 -- Book
publisher Hachette UK today reinvents the story-telling process,
fusing gameplay with narrative to create an innovative new app
that will engage even the most reluctant of readers.
Hachette has joined forces with leading game developers New Star
Games and Insight Studios, plus award-winning children’s authors
The2Steves, to release New Star Soccer G-Story.
The app is based on the BAFTA-winning and multi-million selling
PC and mobile game New Star Soccer. It’s released today, May
26th, on iOS, with the Android format following next week -
coinciding with the excitement building around the Euro 2016
tournament.
New Star Soccer G-Story is priced at just £4.99 but will be
reduced to £2.99 for the launch period. It is available to
download via the App Store.
The G-Story format mixes traditional (written) story narrative
with real gameplay challenges. The written story takes different
narrative paths, depending on how the user performs in each game
segment. As a result, there are multiple plot threads and
multiple endings.
These numerous plot threads and endings mean that New Star
Soccer G-Story features some 180,000 words of text, across 18
chapters. This is interspersed with 240 segments of gameplay,
including shooting, dribbling, passing, tackling, penalties and
more, which each change the whole course of the story.
Similarly, all the choices the reader makes – from picking an
agent, to how much they train, to which sponsorship deals they
sign – will alter the plot.
The story takes the reader from playing a game of football in
the park, being spotted by a talent scout, to signing for a
leading Club and playing in a Cup Final – or not, depending on
the decisions made by the reader and their success during the
gameplay challenges.
Working alongside the game development talent at Insight Studios
and New Star Games, respected authors Steve Barlow and Steve
Skidmore (collectively known in the children’s book publishing
world as The 2Steves) have created the compelling storyline.
They said: “We firmly believe that New Star Soccer G-Story will
encourage kids - particularly the reluctant ones, especially
boys - to read."
“Games obviously compete with traditional books for readers'
time and attention. Instead of moaning about that, why not
exploit it? Study after study from the Literacy Trust, the
Reading Agency and similar bodies show that uncommitted readers
are more likely to be motivated by reading from a screen than
from paper. Add the elements of competition, gameplay and choice
in New Star Soccer G-Story, and you have a narrative that is
bound to capture the attention of even the most die-hard
refusenik.”
The launch of the new G-Story format is part of Hachette’s
on-going drive to encourage children to read and enjoy books
more. Boys in particular are more reluctant to read, with latest
research from the National Literary Trust (Children’s and Young
People’s Reading in 2015) revealing that 61.2% of girls enjoy
reading, versus 47.8% of boys.
Damian Horner, Brand Development Director at Hachette offered:
“The G-Story is one of a number of initiatives Hachette is
taking to reinvent the storytelling process. We have something
very unique here – a fusion of the best gameplay with the best
storytelling. It is an entirely new kind of product and we are
very excited about its potential.”
No word on a physical copy version of this game at this time.
Families are required to pay for Internet usage fees to download
this game. For more information click
here.