“Alan Dean Foster Takes a Bold Leap into Gaming with Exclusive Midworld Collaboration at Pomme Studio!”

Renowned science fiction and fantasy writer Alan Dean Foster is venturing into gaming through a multi-license agreement with studio Pomme, commencing with a game inspired by his iconic novel Midworld.

Foster shared this information during an exclusive discussion with GamesBeat.

A New York Times best-selling novelist, Foster has authored numerous book series, more than 20 standalone books, and adaptations of film scripts including Star Wars, Alien, Terminator, Transformers, and Star Trek. He has previously contributed to gaming, but this time he’s granting extensive rights to much of his material in the HumanX Commonwealth series.

Pomme will kick off the venture with Midworld, the inaugural novel in that series where humans meet an extraterrestrial species on a planet resembling a jungle. Some speculate this setting inspired James Cameron’s Avatar films, but we’ll hold off on that topic for now. It’s enough to say it’s a richly conceived world that Foster mentioned in our interview is well-suited for a gaming environment.

Pomme’s founder Darryl Still mentioned in an interview with GamesBeat that Foster will collaborate closely with the game development team in a consulting capacity. Pomme, a consultancy with extensive gaming experience, will form a team to create the first game and orchestrate plans for additional titles.

According to the terms of the agreement, Pomme may adapt a minimum of 14 of Foster’s works into games, which includes both previously released novels and eight unpublished creations, all under a series titled “Alan Dean Foster Presents….”

As previously stated, the first title will be a reinterpretation of Midworld – the novel that initiated the Humanx Commonwealth series, which is set to be released by Pomme’s publishing division, Sunset Sugar Studios, on PC via Steam in 2026.

Foster noted, “I eagerly anticipate collaborating with the fantastic team at Pomme as they embark on developing and launching a series of games derived from my narratives, the first of which is slated to be Midworld.”

Pomme was established by industry veteran Darryl Still, who has previously held executive positions at Atari, EA, Nvidia, and Kiss. He boasts over 40 years of experience in the gaming sector. Joining him is Canadian industry executive Jillian Mood, who has collaborated with Canada Game Expo, Ottawa Game Jam, Bendy & the Ink Machine, and on more than 30 games. She will oversee marketing and human resources for the company.

Other executives at Pomme include James Deputy, who project managed numerous games for Kiss during the 12 years that Still served as CEO for that company; and Mateo Młodowski, developer of the immensely successful Pixel Puzzles franchise and the development director at Sunset Sugar Studios, Pomme’s publishing division.

“I have been collaborating with Alan and the Pomme team for approximately a year now refining this project, and it is a true delight to be able to initiate this as we enter 2025, marking one of the most thrilling developments I have ever been involved in,” Still stated.

And Mood remarked, “Alan Dean Foster is an extraordinary talent, and his desire to be intricately involved in creating these games makes me immensely proud.”

Pomme is partnering with key members of the Cuphead artistic team, including celebrated animator Tina Nawrocki, to spearhead the art for Midworld. Pomme’s studio head, Mateo Młodowski, expressed, “From the moment we began discussions, it became clear they were ideal for bringing Börn and the other characters in the universe to life. The creativity they infuse into the art and animation is remarkable.”

In the meantime, Pomme has formed an advisory board comprising entertainment industry luminaries to guide the Alan Dean Foster initiatives. This group includes Alan Wilson, cofounder of Tripwire Interactive, the publisher of Killing Floor and Red Orchestra, along with Jon Radoff, CEO of Beamable, who has contributed to Game of Thrones, Star Trek, and Walking Dead games.

Origins of the Agreement

Foster, 78, has published 80 of his own novels, along with seven short story collections and over 40 film script adaptations. (I explored Foster’s adaptations of Star Wars, including Splinter of the Mind’s Eye, during my youth).

Still established Pomme in the United Kingdom in April 2020 as a consultancy aimed at supporting the global gaming sector. Notable contributors include James Deputy, Jillian Mood, and Matteo Mlodowski. The name Pomme (the French word for Apple) reflects Still’s fondness for Pomeranian dogs.

Still shared that he was in conversation with a friend who was producing a documentary about Foster’s life. This friend facilitated a meeting between them to explore the possibility of adapting games based on Foster’s unpublished works. Foster recommended the HumanX Commonwealth universe, leading the team to decide on creating a triple-A game centered around Midworld, the first installment in the series, according to Still.

“Midworld perfectly fits our artistic team, which has roots in Cuphead and 2D action-adventure titles. Additionally, we have a 3D shooter squad powered by Unreal Engine that is capable of creating remarkable things with the trilogy,” Still remarked. “We have secured the rights to 14 distinct titles from Alan, and we’re scouting the right groups to develop each game. Some of these will unfold in episodes with Alan providing narration.”

Still further noted, “We aspire to create the appropriate games based on the right properties and honor him. He boasts a nostalgic fan following, and we can present it to a fresh audience of gamers, and we possess the perfect team to achieve that.”

Sunset Sugar Studios acts as the publishing division with a publisher account on Steam. Through Mood, Still is anticipating funding from the Canada Media Fund. Another available team operates out of Turkiye. Although it’s a small group, Still mentioned their aspirations are substantial.

“This drive comes from the passion of individuals who are fervent about this,” Foster stated. “Certain books like Midworld, which they plan to initiate with, are more seamlessly convertible into games. Luckily, there’s a wealth of material. I’m thrilled to be involved in that.”

Crafting narratives for games?

Foster remarked that he authored a storyline for The Moaning Words, a Lovecraft-inspired collectible card game featuring puzzles that launched in 2014. He pointed out that it enlightened him on the intricacies of crafting narratives for games and the necessity to revise aspects of the story based on when players encounter them in the game.

“It became very intricate, yet it was immensely enjoyable. I relished the experience. My background in gaming reaches far back. I was responsible for the novel adaptation of an original PC game titled Shadowkeep for Trillium,” he stated. “That was ages ago. I also created a version for LucasArts’ The Dig game. Thus, I’ve been part of the gaming sector for quite a while without being directly engaged.”

Foster expressed his belief that games convey actions such as movement exceptionally well, and he repeatedly finds himself writing action sequences across various projects. Initially, however, gaming technology couldn’t support the imagination very efficiently. Thankfully, that challenge has been resolved as gaming technology has advanced rapidly.

HumanX Commonwealth Games

“Certain projects didn’t deliver on their potential, but they were captivating experiments. Games offer more avenues, and I adore the opportunities they present,” he remarked. “With Midworld, we genuinely possess a narrative that includes various levels.

The Commonwealth saga features numerous characters, including Philip Lynx, who appears in 15 books across the series. There are numerous titles, all interconnected within the same sci-fi universe, intertwined with fantasy elements. The HumanX Commonwealth mirrors the United Federation of Planets in Star Trek, where humanity of Earth has formed alliances with alien species, such as the insectoid Thranx from Hivehom.

“I’m grateful for computers and the fandom; otherwise, I would struggle to keep this all organized,” Foster said.

He expressed his happiness about the numerous cross-media triumphs, such as games being adapted into films like The Super Mario Bros. Movie and series like The Last of Us.

“Technology evolves alongside storytelling,” he explained. “It all began with scratching images on cave walls. They didn’t animate, and they lacked excitement. Now, we consistently progress, and with each technological leap, someone discovers a method to adapt it for entertainment. This is what has transpired in gaming. Once it reaches a certain level of sophistication, we can transition the game into film or television. It’s intriguing to ponder whether, had Tolkien been alive today at 22, would he have begun with writing books or initiating it as a game?”

Foster continued, “Everything shifts rapidly. I adore it. I’m quite enthusiastic about new developments, and when something novel emerges, I’m excited to participate.”

Concerning some recent films, Foster mentioned being a significant admirer of Flow, which features no dialogue. Regarding the tech entrepreneurs striving to convert science fiction into reality, Foster offered his thoughts.

“They become so engrossed in their pursuits, I believe, and tend to distance themselves from the individuals they’re meant to serve, ultimately forgetting that experience,” Foster articulated. “I haven’t encountered many of them, yet I would be pleased to sit down for a discourse. It raises a question—whether one can truly influence others. In my literary works, I attempt to do so gently. I don’t advocate for aggressive or loud approaches.”

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