Sword of the Sea, the latest project from Giant Squid, narrowly avoided becoming another casualty of today’s difficult development climate. Studio founder and creative director Matt Nava revealed that PlayStation essentially saved the game and the company itself, with the decision to bring the title to PlayStation Plus on day one proving crucial for its survival.
Speaking in an interview with Skill Up, Nava explained how challenging the journey had been for the small studio. “It has been rocky for sure and there’s definitely been moments where we’re like are we gonna make it, you know? But we’ve had some really fantastic partners over at PlayStation Indies program who believed in this project from the very beginning and when times got tough they came in and they saved us you know basically,” he said. Nava added that it ultimately came down to a few individuals at Sony who fought internally to keep the project alive.
While Sword of the Sea was always planned as a multiplatform release, the studio’s partnership with Sony was instrumental. Nava recalled Sony’s longstanding support, going back to his time on Journey and later with Giant Squid’s debut ABZÛ. With Sword of the Sea, the situation became even more dire during development when self-publishing proved more difficult than anticipated. According to Nava, Sony’s PlayStation Plus and Indies divisions worked together behind the scenes to secure a deal that allowed the studio to finish the project.
Discussing the decision to launch on PlayStation Plus at release, Nava admitted that it was more than a marketing move. “The fact that we’re on there is really the reason why this game was able to make it out the door,” he said. Although such deals often come with trade-offs, Nava stressed that Sony’s additional backing ensured the game would not only launch but also receive a stronger promotional push.
Sword of the Sea was released on August 19, 2025, for PlayStation 5 and Windows PC. The atmospheric adventure continues Giant Squid’s tradition of combining striking visuals with meditative gameplay, following in the footsteps of ABZÛ and The Pathless while carving out its own distinct identity.
