The Last Night Is Still Alive: Tim Soret Explains the 10-Year Wait

By Ryan Messina Gaming News
24 August 2026 no comments

Odd Tales creator Tim Soret shared a comprehensive update regarding The Last Night, clarifying why the 2.5D cyberpunk action-platformer required extended development. Following private investor demonstrations, Soret confirmed that the independent studio is finally nearing the completion of its foundational production phase.

Why Did The Last Night Take Nearly a Decade to Develop?

Odd Tales delayed The Last Night to establish a self-publishing studio equipped with proprietary visual tools, rendering technology, and narrative pipelines. Director Tim Soret deliberately rejected corporate acquisition offers, using private angel investments to protect the studio from industry cancellations and maintain full creative sovereignty.

Soret detailed this long-term business strategy in a post on X, highlighting the instability that often follows studio acquisitions. He also warned that many independent teams accepted buyouts for temporary financial safety, only to face closure during broader corporate restructuring.

Odd Tales chose to endure significant financial and operational challenges instead of rushing the project into early production. This sovereign operational model ensures that Odd Tales retains complete ownership over its intellectual property and distribution channels.

Developing a sovereign self-publishing studio with its own IPs, technology, visual design, world design, game design, and narrative design philosophies, in direct contact with the audience & no middlemen, instead of rushing into production. pic.twitter.com/fzLcSoGTO6

— Tim Soret (@timsoret) August 20, 2026

Trading Prescience for Societal Relevance

The gaming landscape changed significantly after Microsoft originally featured the title during the E3 2017 presentation. Subsequent titles like Sad Cat Studios‘ Replaced adopted similar cinematic 2.5D pixel aesthetics, altering the visual uniqueness The Last Night originally commanded.

Soret addressed this market evolution directly, explaining that Odd Tales willingly traded early prescience for narrative relevance. Soret noted that real-world advancements in automation, artificial intelligence, and digital social structures have accelerated toward the exact speculative themes written into the game a decade ago.

The developer believes this technological acceleration will make the setting, world design, and core storyline resonate far more deeply with modern audiences at launch.

Also, learn more about Soret confirmation of The Last Night active development at the private GDC 2026 event!

Next month, if everything goes according go plan, I should be out of a decade of sacrifice.

It’s about time. I’m just getting started. I have so much to offer to the world.

— Tim Soret (@timsoret) August 20, 2026

What Platforms and Release Window Can Players Expect?

Odd Tales has not announced a finalized release date for The Last Night. While Microsoft initially announced the title as an Xbox One console exclusive in 2017, the extended production cycle shifted target specifications toward modern hardware.

This includes PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and the Nintendo Switch 2. Recent technical updates demonstrate that the internal game engine is compiling and running smoothly with updated graphical fidelity.

Odd Tales continues to negotiate platform distribution partnerships to bring the cyberpunk adventure to market while preserving its independent studio framework.

Ryan Messina

A video game enthusiast ever since I first got my hands on a Game Boy. Over the years, I've played many different games across various genres, discovering hidden gems and niche titles along the way. I'm also passionate about technology, always up-to-date with the latest news and insight in the PC and Console market. Ready to share and bring you the latest news !

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