N++ Studio Returns with Multiplayer Mayhem

After an 11-year hiatus since its acclaimed predecessor N++, the indie studio Metanet is launching a new installment in the N series. Titled N Plus Infinity Times Two, the game is slated for release in 2027 across multiple platforms including PS5, Xbox, Switch 2, and PC. This upcoming title marks a significant departure by prioritizing multiplayer interaction.

Metanet describes N Plus Infinity Times Two as the ultimate virtual couch party game, designed with a low skill floor and no discernible skill ceiling. Players can expect the series' signature slick, acrobatic platforming and visually striking graphics, now adapted for competitive and cooperative play among friends. This focus on social gaming stems from observing how younger players engage with titles today, often incorporating communication with friends even during solo sessions.

The developers, Raigan Burns and Mare Sheppard, have maintained their distinct approach to game development, intentionally avoiding scaling up their two-person operation. This allows them to focus on finding truly compelling game ideas, likening their process to being in a band rather than managing a large company. This philosophy has guided their work over the past decade, which included an update for N++ and various prototypes for larger projects.

Burns and Sheppard found renewed inspiration in 2022 to revisit the N concept, aiming to blend the joy of couch co-op with modern multiplayer trends. They express that developing N Plus Infinity Times Two has been a fun and fluid process, leveraging their expertise with the N mechanics while exploring new gameplay styles. This approach mirrors other indie sequels that iterate on core ideas with fresh perspectives, such as Hades II and Silksong.

While the studio has bigger 3D game ideas in development, they have not ruled out future iterations of the N series. They believe that staying true to their unique vision and creating distinct experiences, even through revisiting past concepts, is both personally fulfilling and commercially advantageous due to a lack of direct competition.