When Hypercharge:Unboxed first came on the scene back in 2020 on the Nintendo Switch and PC it was generally praised by critics but overall it generated interest from a smaller,passionate set of gamers.

But in 2022 that all changed with 1 simple announcement. Hypercharge saw a huge spike in players and interest when developing studio Digital Cybercherries announced plans to make an Xbox port.

Since then fans on Xbox have been eagerly anticipating the release and that time is almost here with Hypercharge:Unbox launching onto Xbox Series X/S in just a few days.

I had the chance to catch up with Joe Henson, Creative Gameplay & Marketing Director for Hypercharge: Unboxed as we discuss a wide variety of topics on the successes, trolls and excitement he has about being on Xbox. Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed talking with him.

Hypercharge releases on Xbox in just a couple of weeks! You've talked on social media about how much it means to launch this game on Xbox. What is it about the Xbox launch that is so special to you compared to the others?

Each console launch has been special, but the Xbox release holds a unique place in our hearts because it's the console many of us on the team grew up playing. We’re massive fans of Halo, which pretty much sums up a big part of our excitement! More importantly, bringing Hypercharge to Xbox was a massive undertaking for our small indie team of six.

We chose to handle the whole process ourselves, rather than outsourcing it, making this a significant achievement for us. It’s surreal to see our dream game launch on our childhood console! And while we cherish all platforms, we’re also super excited to bring the game to PlayStation 4 and 5 by (hopefully) the end of the year, achieving cross-platform support across Steam, Switch, Xbox, and PlayStation!

When the game does launch on Xbox it will be over 4 years since you launched the game on Nintendo and Steam. Is there anything fundamentally different about the Xbox version? Perhaps new modes or anything, or is it just a straight up port optimized for Xbox?

When we first announced Hypercharge for Xbox in 2022, it really took off. Since then, we’ve received a ton of feedback and ideas from Xbox players. The several delays Hypercharge has experienced were due to a couple of key reasons: first, we didn’t want to rush the Xbox release and end up with a buggy game; second, we wanted to incorporate many of the features and ideas suggested by our Xbox community.

Some of the new additions include game modes like Capture the Battery, King of the Hill, Infection, among many other exciting features and mechanics! So, it’s more than just an optimized port – it’s a labour of love, shaped by our players!

What we're the early days of Hypercharge like? You launched on the Switch which seems like a logical spot for a game like Hypercharge, but as you mentioned the game really took off with the Xbox announcement. We're you happy with the success of the game on the Switch and PC initially?

The early days of Hypercharge were all about making changes and improvements. We constantly updated the game and tweaked its mechanics, which really helped it become what it is today. The response from Nintendo Switch players was incredible! We were pleasantly surprised by how well the game was received. This was partly because there weren’t many FPS games on the Switch that allowed offline play with bots (and splitscreen) back in 2020, so it was something new and exciting for the players.

The reception on Steam was equally positive. Players really enjoy the nostalgic feel of being like a kid again and love the action figure concept of the game. Currently, Hypercharge has over 3,000 reviews on Steam with a 91% Very Positive rating, which we are immensely proud of!

Can you talk a bit about the story behind Hypercharge? When I see your game my mind automatically goes to being a kid again watching the little army men in Toy Story. Is that the inspiration?

The core inspiration for Hypercharge is the 1998 movie Small Soldiers – a fantastic film that really resonated with us in terms of its story, characters, and visuals. While Small Soldiers introduced Major Chip Hazard, Hypercharge features Major Evil! We also draw inspiration from Toy Story, which influenced the vibrant levels in our game.

Other inspirations include video games like Sarge’s Heroes, Toy Commander, and even the Counter-Strike 1.6 Rat maps. The game follows a classic good vs. evil storyline, (90's inspired!) where Sgt. Max Ammo battles against Major Evil to protect the Hypercore, which holds the precious memories of our beloved toys!

I know you have a small team and the plan after Xbox is to work on a PlayStation port. Do you envision Hypercharge becoming a franchise with multiple entries?

The narrative, characters, and lore we’ve built in Hypercharge have laid a solid foundation for potentially expanding into a broader franchise. While I can’t reveal too much yet, we’re considering possibilities like a prequel or even a sequel based on community interest and our own creative vision!

Unfortunately of late, you've been receiving some negative feedback about bringing the game to Xbox and not launching on Game Pass. How has the support from the community impacted you during this time?

Despite the negativity, the overwhelming support from our community has been our mainstay. It’s kept me and our team motivated and focused on our goals. We’re immensely grateful for every message of encouragement and support. It reminds us why we do what we do and means more to us than words can express. Thank you to all our fans and supporters!

It's gotta be kind of ironic and funny in a way that these trolls say your game will die without Game Pass yet the Xbox fans are the reason your game blew up.

It's pretty ironic when trolls say that our game would die without Game Pass, especially since Xbox fans are the ones who really helped our game take off! It's funny because even if we did launch on Game Pass, trolls would still criticize it, saying it isn't suited for it or claiming that "it's dead on Steam so no one will play it on Xbox." (hear this a lot too). You can't win with them! You just can’t win with them! But honestly, I focus on the incredible support we get from our community. That’s what keeps me going.

Thanks again to Joe Henson for taking the time out of his busy schedule to provide us with this interview. Hypercharge:Unboxed is releasing on Xbox platforms May 31st. Check back around then as we will have our review for the game in time for launch!