Norske FunCom er nylig blitt tildelt 1.6 millioner kroner fra Norsk Filmfond. Dette er første gang den norske regjeringen gir pengestøtte til en spillutvikler og pengene skal brukes på oppfølgeren til det populære spillet "Den Lengste Reisen".
Som sagt er dette første gangen en spillutvikler støttes på samme måte som film og musikk bransjen her i Norge, hvilket bare kan være positivt. Oppfølgeren til "Den Lengste Reisen" har fått navnet "Dreamfall" og FunCom vil avsløre mer på årets E3 messe som går av stabelen i mai. Her er et utdrag fra FunCom's pressemelding: 'Dreamfall' continues the story of 'The Longest Journey'
Oslo, Norway - February 18, 2004 - Funcom was recently awarded a grant from the Norwegian Film Fund to partially finance the development of 'Dreamfall', the long-awaited follow-up to 'The Longest Journey'. The Norwegian government has, for the first time, actively endorsed game development, marking a welcome shift in the cultural acceptance of computer games as a medium comparable to film and television.
Scheduled for release in the fall of 2005, 'Dreamfall' continues the story of one of the most critically acclaimed adventure games ever made, and will bring adventure gaming into a new era. Focusing on story and characters, 'Dreamfall' features unparalleled 3D visuals, advanced character animations, stunning audio, and innovative gameplay - wrapped in a unique and magical ambience.
'Dreamfall' is set in the 23rd Century, where a young woman accidentally uncovers a conspiracy related to dreams; a conspiracy that may herald the destruction of the twin worlds of science and magic. Confronted by mysteries that she cannot resolve on her own, she must seek assistance from the one person who might have the answers: April Ryan, the heroine of 'The Longest Journey'.
"We're making a game that can be enjoyed equally by fans of the first game and new players," says game director and writer Ragnar Tørnquist. "In 'Dreamfall', we are expanding the scope of the adventure genre to include action elements that will allow us to tell an even more involving, exciting, and surprising story."