Six years ago, I pitched PlayStation an ambitious sequel built around two words and a ridiculous amount of self-belief.

Until Dawn 2 has finally been announced, and it's brought a whirl of emotions and reflection.

Back in 2015, I was previewing the original Until Dawn from the media side. Fast forward to 2020. I'm working at PlayStation Studios’ XDEV, chatting in a car park with the producer of the original game, Garreg Hansen, suddenly conceptualising a sequel.

The two words:

TROPIC HORROR.

"A paradise hiding something darker."

Pop music became a key part of the vision too. We wanted the fantasy and sound of a youthful island escape to sit in direct contrast with the terror beneath it.

But the hardest part wasn't coming up with the idea. It was convincing others to believe in it. We weren't just pitching a sequel - we wanted it to become PlayStation's flagship horror IP.

Our passion paid off. Garreg and I earned the chance to put our vision in front of the business's key decision makers. A vivid presentation and killer rip-o-matic later, the project was greenlit. It remains one of the proudest moments of my career.

Then COVID hit.

Overnight, we were building a game through Teams calls. Challenges came from every direction. The team evolved, but belief in what Until Dawn could become never wavered.

Along the way, I got to work with the hugely talented team at Firesprite, whose passion for the franchise was obvious from day one.

Then life took an unexpected turn. I had to relocate home to Sydney and, for a while, worked ridiculous hours across time zones to stay involved wherever I could. Eventually, I had to accept that the project would continue without me. As difficult as that was, I knew it was in good hands at Firesprite.

The game has naturally evolved since, but seeing TROPIC HORROR still sitting at the heart of the game's reveal during PlayStation's State of Play - and seeing audiences connect with it - meant a lot to me.

It took me right back to where Garreg and I started. The truth is, I wouldn't be where I am today without his mentorship, trust and friendship. 

Before leaving PlayStation, I had one final chance to contribute to a world I cared deeply about: writing and directing "The Scar's Awakening", the post-credits epilogue for the Until Dawn remake, starring the wonderful Hayden Panettiere.

It was a fitting goodbye to Until Dawn. And all made possible by one of the most selfless leaders I've worked with, XDEV's Jason Stewart. The belief and trust he and the leadership team placed in me is something I'll always be grateful for. Working at XDEV was a dream job surrounded by incredibly talented people. Unsung heroes behind some truly special games.

Congratulations to Firesprite, PlayStation and everyone involved. And thank you to the talented actors and developers I had the privilege of working alongside throughout the journey.

I can't wait to experience the next chapter of Until Dawn.

This time as a fan.

Alessandro - https://instagram.com/ale_gaudiosi