According to Toki HD producer Anthony De Sa Ferreira, the Xbox Live Arcade approval process only allows titles published by Microsoft or an approved third-party company. Following its submission, Microsoft told Golgoth Studio that Toki HD "did not fit with the current needs of Microsoft Game Studio," and suggested the developer contact another publisher. Golgoth tells Joystiq that it is in active conversations with multiple publishers and is confident the game will see life on the Xbox Live Arcade, saying an agreement may be only weeks away.
Ferreira believes Microsoft's approval process may have become more stringent in light of the recent high-profile success of original games on the platform, such as Shadow Complex. "I think it's too bad, because it's the independent studios who helped the XBLA to [meet] the success it knows today," he said, adding that not many indie devs can achieve such an impressive result as the Chair-developed title.
Since the game has been announced, Golgoth has become official developers for both Nintendo and Sony's respective downloadable platforms. Ferreira tells Joystiq that Sony is actively searching for titles for its PSN service, but have yet to reach a decision regarding the fate of Toki HD on the PS3.
In a message to fans on its Facebook page on December 10, Golgoth confirmed the Toki remake had been approved for Nintendo's WiiWare service, but, Ferreira tells Joystiq certain allowances will have to be made to bring the downloadable title to the standard definition platform. "Of course the game will not be the same as it would on the XBLA or PSN," he said. "It will be the same game without the HD touches." According to the producer, the WiiWare platform works for Toki HD because the game is not expected to be very large in size and is able to fit within Nintendo's mandated (and ridiculously small) 40MB limit for WiiWare titles.
Golgoth's plate continues to fill up as the developer is working with publisher G-Mode on two new titles. A "secret" remake and the previously announced HD reboot of Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja. According to Ferreira, the Joe & Mac remake will combine elements from the arcade and SNES versions of the game.
As for the future, Golgoth is asking fans what they'd like to see next from the studio. Popular choices included Capcom properties Cadillacs and Dinosaurs and Dungeon & Dragons -- which Ferreira says is currently "not possible" -- and Sega's Wonder Boy, which the developer is pursuing. While Golgoth continues to press for life on the XBLA, the producer tells Joystiq that the team is considering an entry into the 2010, Microsoft: Dream, Build, Play competition to showcase an original IP.
Maybe that will knock some sense into the platform holder and bring us some hot high-def Toki action.
