STACK #235 May 2024

GAMING INTERVIEW

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THE OLDEST GAME IN TOWN!

Tennis games date right back to 1958, with Tennis for Two considered to be the very first video game. Created by physicist William Higinbotham, it ran on a small analogue computer hooked up to an oscilloscope.

After quite a break, 2K’s Top Spin series is back in the shape of TopSpin 2K25 .We had a chat with Remi Ercolani, the game director at Hangar 13, about bringing the tennis champ back for a new generation. Words Amy Flower RETURN ACE!

showing all the footprints and slide marks during a set before being swept and cleaned at the beginning of a new set. How involved were the featured players in the capture of their likenesses, signature moves, and play styles? The majority of pro players in the game got their head and facial expressions scanned to guarantee they look as close as possible to how they are in real-life. Most of them were really excited to go through this process. And for both Roger Federer and Serena Williams, we had the absolute privilege to shoot motion capture with them and record a full set of signature animations, including their serve, forehands, backhands, and return idle stance. The “Superbrat” himself, John McEnroe, hosts the TopSpin Academy. What was he like to work with? John McEnroe was great to work with, and he brought a lot of flair and energy to the TopSpin Academy. We didn’t want to

It’s been 13 years and two console generations since the last series entry, Top Spin 4 .What prompted a return to the franchise after such a break? We’re seeing a resurgence in the popularity and pop culture relevance of tennis thanks to young stars like Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Ś wi ą tek, and Francis Tiafoe, who are setting the tone for the future of the sport. I don’t think we deliberately took a break from the franchise, but I can say with great confidence that right now is the perfect time for it to return. TopSpin 2K25 is here to capture the cultural moment tennis is having, and give fans of all ages and skill levels the opportunity to step onto the court. The most exciting part is seeing how the game looks and plays compared to the last entry. I was part of the team developing Top Spin 4 , so I really enjoyed seeing TopSpin 2K25 come to life and seeing how polished the graphics look compared to on previous generation hardware. And from a gameplay standpoint, it was exciting to make changes to continue to improve the formula so many players still love. The changes to the serve mechanic, the new timing meter, or the updated ratio between winners and unforced errors are a few examples of things we can’t wait for players to try. With all four Grand Slam tournaments included, how do you go about capturing each venue accurately? What excited you most about developing a tennis game on new generation hardware?

lean too much on the bad temper he could sometimes exhibit as a player, but rather bring his tennis knowledge to all players and have him be a supportive and helpful coach, which is closer to his on-air personality as a commentator.

• TopSpin 2K25 is out now!

We worked very closely with the tournaments, collected a lot of references for the court itself, and also the tunnel leading into the court,

and reproduced every little detail of the real venue in the game. Even the crowd has its own identity based on the venue and the time of day. We also spent a lot of time recreating what it sounds like to play in these venues from an audio standpoint. Another example is we added dynamic details like the grass in Wimbledon getting a little bit damaged in some areas over the course of a tournament, or the clay in Roland-Garros

Do you have any good McEnroe stories from development that you can share? As a big tennis fan myself, having the opportunity to meet a tennis legend like John McEnroe, showing him the game, and explaining our general vision and how we wanted TopSpin 2K25 to look and feel like real tennis was a unique and unforgettable experience. Then having discussions with him about how to explain specific mechanics of the game and sport to sound as authentic as possible was also a highlight.

42 MAY 2024

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