How Tron: Catalyst got to tell a new story on Disney’s beloved Grid

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In a groundbreaking move, the recently launched Tron: Catalyst presented a seldom-encountered chance to infuse something utterly novel into an Intellectual Property (IP) that’s been around for 42 years. Revamping a story in an unconventional setting was no simple task when it comes to one of Disney’s beloved IPs. Here’s the ingenious approach Bithell Games took to achieve this feat.

Working with established content that’s deeply ingrained in pop culture often involves specific anticipations, without intending a pun. Over the years, it has become a beloved staple among multiple generations of fans who cherish its significance for personal reasons. Tinkering with such emotional connections isn’t advisable.

Many modern reinterpretations or remakes often stick to familiar paths, opting to follow established routes instead of blazing new trails. However, Bithell Games had something different in store for their second foray into The Grid.

In a fresh twist for fans of the Tron franchise, Tron: Catalyst, a new game spin-off, has arrived on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Despite retaining the expected visual style, this game distinguishes itself significantly from its predecessors. Indeed, you’ll still have the thrill of riding a Light Cycle, but beyond that, comparisons largely cease.

This creation encloses an entirely unique storyline, boasting characters that are subtly complex. The settings it presents are unlike any previously seen on either screens or pages. It represents a significant leap for such a highly respected intellectual property. We had the opportunity to discuss with Bithell Games about how everything unfolded, with Disney & Pixar Games providing assistance along the way.

Entering the Grid (again)

2023 saw Bithell Games beginning their partnership with Disney, resulting in the release of Tron: Identity – a short, visual novel-style adventure game interspersed with intriguing puzzles. During the subsequent two years, developers were given the opportunity to explore and broaden their creative horizons beyond just gameplay mechanics, delving deeper into what they could achieve alongside the iconic Disney franchise.

Initially, the setting of Tron: Catalyst deviates from what we’ve seen before. Unlike the Grid depicted in the movies or previous video game adaptations, this new environment is entirely distinct and specifically crafted for this project. It’s a fresh, self-contained location designed anew.

“The idea of building a game in an adjacent Grid was exciting,” as Mike Bithell told us.

Tron serves as a fantastic tool for storytelling, and our goal is to find chances to use it for this purpose.

Not only does the world of Tron inspire intriguing narratives, according to Bithell, but it’s also the underlying themes – such as rebellion, interconnectedness, family, friendships, and societal issues – that have developed around it over time, which offer the richest resources for creating compelling character-driven stories.

Even though it’s been quite some time since Legacy, Bithell shares our excitement about Tron experiencing a resurgence at present. If you fancy a term, let’s call it “Tron Renaissance.” Is this significant in any way?

A new program

In our discussion, you’ll find that Tron: Catalyst offers a fresh perspective on existence within a Grid. However, it’s not only about intriguing characters such as the heroine Exo, who possesses time-manipulation skills; it also encompasses the captivating backdrop itself.

Before adding anything, each point needed careful thought. However, as Bithell clarified, it wasn’t about receiving a specific set of guidelines from Disney; rather, it was more about understanding their expectations and creative vision.

Disney, being renowned for their exceptional storytelling abilities, have crafted and nurtured the world of Tron over multiple mediums like films, comics, and video games. This discussion wasn’t primarily centered around establishing rules, but rather, it was about honoring and respecting the rich history and influence that this franchise has had on various generations of creators.

In a more open-minded approach, we aimed to explore new possibilities rather than sticking to traditional methods, all while preserving the foundations already laid. The Disney & Pixar Games team wasn’t merely reviewing or approving our decisions; they were fellow explorers, joining us in the quest for these characters and stories.

Derezzed

Absolutely, establishing worlds and characters is essential, but it’s not where things end. For instance, what fun would a Tron-inspired game be without the thrill of hurling our Identity Discs as techno music pulses around us?

In Tron: Catalyst, the developers have carefully considered this aspect and have incorporated complex mechanisms as a response. As Exo, you’ll find yourself battling waves of bright orange adversaries, both on foot and on Light Cycles. However, there’s a lot more depth to it than meets the eye.

In the context of combat specifically, you gain valuable insights through experiencing setbacks and refining the aspects until they no longer cause problems, according to Bithell.

From the beginning, we’ve emphasized a core strategy involving keen situational awareness, managing multiple adversaries, and skillful timing of attacks. It’s been fascinating to see how we’ve continuously built upon this foundation in various creative ways as the game progresses.

In essence, the team’s motivation stemmed from a fundamental set of inquiries. To clarify, their focus was on identifying what actions a player would prefer to perform in real-time during a Tron game. Once they had that figured out, the developers asked themselves how they could make those actions not only visually appealing but also engaging and interactive, mirroring what appeared on the screen.

“My fantastic design team has gotten there, with the help of some serious playtesting.”

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2025-06-19 03:48