Life is Strange: True Colors, a groundbreaking AAA video game produced by Deck Nine with support from the Colorado Office of Film, Television, and Media (COFTM) within the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT), has received the prestigious Peabody award. Life is Strange tells the compelling story of a 21-year-old Asian American woman with a unique supernatural ability. The game also explores the experiences of a bisexual protagonist who has spent years in foster care. During production, the development team prioritized diversity and inclusivity, collaborated with mental health professionals and used advanced motion capture technology for lifelike character animations.
The Colorado Economic Development Commission approved a Colorado Film Incentive for Life is Strange: True Colors in October 2018. These incentives, which are managed by COFTM, can be used to support video game development as well as movie and television productions. In 2022, the video game market was estimated to be $97.67 billion in the United States. Incentives encourage film and media production in Colorado with a performance-based rebate for up to 20% of qualified expenses for productions that hire local cast and crew. On average, they provide an 18-to-1 direct return on investment for the economy. Deck Nine is also set to release The Expanse: A Telltale Series on July 27, 2023 which has also been approved for a Colorado Film Incentive.
About Deck Nine
Our studio’s journey began years ago when Mark Lyons established Idol Minds in 1997. Initially focused on developing PlayStation 1 games, we gained recognition with popular titles like the CoolBoarders snowboarding series. Over the next two decades, our studio expanded alongside the gaming industry, earning a reputation for groundbreaking technology and captivating gameplay. In recent years, we have found success in the narrative adventure genre. In 2018, we released our first narrative title, Life Is Strange: Before the Storm, followed by Farewell, Life is Strange: True Colors, and most recently, the Life is Strange Remaster. Currently, we are collaborating with Telltale Games on The Expanse: A Telltale Series.
About the Colorado Office of Film, Television and Media
The Colorado Office of Film, Television and Media (COFTM) attracts and facilitates content creation in the state to generate economic growth. It promotes the state’s film and television industry locally, nationally, and internationally while highlighting Colorado’s unique rural areas. It is a Division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade.