BlazeFire Productions Goes Public with Sonic Infinity
A very interesting article out of the SFGHQ today suggests that fan games may be going public sooner than we think.
Starting June 22nd and running until June 25th, at Lyons Colorado, Ryan Bloom, also known as the infamous BLAZE HEDGEHOG did something no SFG creator had done before.
He went public with his game, SONIC INFINITY.
It has long since been taboo to even announce a fan game outside of the designated Sonic Fangame Websites. Let alone in the real world, where people are afraid of Copyright Violations.
Ryan (whom for purposes of normal-ness will be referred to as Blaze) didn’t SELL Sonic Infinity. Well, because Sonic Infinity isn’t done. Instead, he gave out FREE Copies of “Sonic Infinity: Halloween Special Edition!” on disks, for FREE.
It was a simple promotion. Blaze’s company, BlazeFire Productions was planning on selling commercial games at this show; but due to technical difficulties, BFP’s flagship commercial game, “THUNDERHAWKE” was set into a demo mode and ran all day long for people to watch the game sit and play itself. Out of the 8 Disks Blaze had with him, he gave out 5. While this isn’t much compared to the number of people that attended the show, it’s a lot for Blazefire Productions, and a lot for SFGs.
Especially when the two highlights of the show for Blaze happened. While he was away looking at the show’s other sights (and scoring a poster of a very *HOT* looking blonde), a gentlemen claiming to be from IBM stood and stared at the computer monitor, with the Thunderhawke Beta Demo playing itself, ships blowing up left and right.
Blaze gave specific instructions to his mother to give the SONIC INFINITY disks out to whoever was interested. And this man seemed more than interested. He not only asked who made the game, but he asked for Blaze’s website. In which his mother gave the man his business card (labeled: BLAZEFIRE PRODUCTIONS: (Freeware, Commercial) GAMES, MUSIC, ARTWORK AND LAME JOKES!). He then proceeded to tell Blaze’s mother he was very interested in contacting Blaze, and said he would email him. He also ASKED for a copy of SONIC INFINITY: HALLOWEEN SPECIAL EDITION, in which he recived it.
Next game the day afterwards; another boy, around 17 or 18 asked Blaze for a copy of the game, as well as a list of his websites so he could keep up to date with the latest releases of the game, plus many more games waiting in the wings. Needless to say, Blazefire Productions is pushing into an area of Sonic fan gaming never even touched: Actual IRL Human Interaction. And while at this show he wasn’t prepared, he said; “I’ll be ready for the next one. I’ll have a big display for it and everything. It’ll be real hi-tech and stuff.”
Things could be looking up for Sonic fan gamers. Especially with the upcoming SAGE Event (Sonic Amateur Game Expo), which will kick off on Sept 9th and hopefully run for several days. Blaze, whom was presumed the head of the event has big plans for SAGE, he even hopes to have big coverage from ACTUAL game magazines.
Needless to say; Blazefire Productions is trying to pump something new into Sonic Fangames as we know it. But there is always that one risk: With something new, comes the risk that it may be rejected, and backfire completely. The only task Blazefire Productions has to worry about is: If for some reason this does become BIG, will he be able to handle it? And keep it that big? Or will BFP become a wash-up company?
Time awaits with an answer. And we await his words.
If any major news surfaces on this, we’ll tell you.
