Despite his distaste for the business of console games, The Binding of Isaac developer Edmund McMillen is working on a rerelease of the top-down action-adventure title for potential release on Sony, Microsoft, or Nintendo hardware.
McMillen will work with publisher Nicalis, which brought Cave Story and VVVVVV to 3DS and other systems, to release The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth. Nicalis producer Tyrone Rodriguez approached McMillen about porting the game, but the Super Meat Boy developer would only agree to bring his religious-themed adventure to consoles under certain conditions:
- The game must feature the second planned expansion that never came out for the original PC release.
- Rebirth must have local co-op.
- The developer will redo the visuals in a 16-bit style.
- McMillem is determined to have nothing to do with the business of negotiating with console manufacturers.
Sounds like a win-win-win for McMillen, Nicalis, and gamers.
Nicalis is unsure which platforms will receive the game, but it sounds like just about every major console and handheld is a possibility.
“Both Microsoft and Sony feel like it would be a perfect fit for their digital platforms, and we have a feeling the new look might soften up a few people at Nintendo for a possible Wii U or 3DS eShop release,” McMillen wrote in a post for Game Developer magazine. “I’m wary about how the game might control on iPad, but if they can make it work, I’m all for it.”
Nintendo’s recently relaxed its policies on indie releases across the board, as we recently reported here. However, the game’s religious themes may cause problems with the notoriously conservative publisher.