Franchise: Earthworm Jim

Earthworm Jim: Special Edition
Earthworm Jim 4
ClayFighter 63 1/3
Earthworm Jim 3D
Earthworm Jim
Earthworm Jim PSP
Earthworm Jim: Menace 2 the Galaxy
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Attachment In the 2020 graphic novel "Earthworm Jim 2: Fight the Fish!", Jim is given a shiny piece of aluminum foil, to which Jim refers to as "shiny entertainment," and Princess What-Her-Name comments on the "odd interplay of words." This is a reference to Shiny Entertainment, the company that created the Earthworm Jim series, and Interplay Entertainment, the company that bought out the Earthworm Jim series in the late 1990s.
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Easter Egg, General, Multimedia Adaptation, Reference
person NintendOtaku calendar_month September 12, 2023
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subdirectory_arrow_right Earthworm Jim 4 (Game)
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After the cancellation of Earthworm Jim PSP, another attempt for a new Earthworm Jim game was made, a sequel that went by the name of Earthworm Jim 4. Not a whole lot of information was given about the game other than series creator Doug TenNapel returning to work on the game as a 'creative consultant'. Rumors began to arise that the game was going to be developed for the Nintendo Wii. TenNapel later commented:

"I need some real press source to straighten out these rumors. I read the initial post by the guy who put up the drawing I did for him and almost NOTHING in the post he wrote was true. I'm getting piles of letters asking me to confirm or deny the post and from what I've read it's total disinformation. Interplay actually wants to do the game right! We've been talking about a game now for two years. They want me to be involved, but times in games are tough right now for everyone. They have to raise a lot of money to fund the game properly... In our early discussions about the game, we had tentatively brainstormed ideas for the Wii. That is NOT a confirmation like the guy posted. We haven't presented the idea to Nintendo. As with anything in the gaming industry, the whole thing could turn on a dime and many of the facts can change about the game. What these fans don't understand is how squirly things are at the beginning of the game. It would take at least two years to bring out the game and that's after we've confirmed the budget and platform. The game could just as easily go away, get moved to the Iphone or become a Jim Tetris knock off as come out as a game on the Wii. People don't understand how unstable game design is at the start."

In 2012 at a Develop conference, David Perry (lead designer for the first Earthworm Jim game) explained a possible premise for the fourth Earthworm Jim title, as well as confirming that it would be a 2D game:

"The thing we had talked about in the past is Jim had been in retirement...So, he's been sitting at home watching movies and eating popcorn. He's grossly overweight now. The plan was to start with him literally getting off the sofa, and it's a disaster because he just hasn't done anything since. But he's got to get back into action again."

In 2015, in an interview with Nick Brunty, he revealed that a new Earthworm Jim game was talked about, but the rights couldn't be obtained, as well as stating he wouldn't do it without anyone who worked on the first game.

"Oh man. A new EWJ game with the original team almost happened about 5 years ago but a deal with the IP owners couldn't get worked out. I think everyone would be up for it sometime. Feels like unfinished business but hard to align everyone. I wouldn't do it without the key players."

In May 2019, after years of delays and speculation, development formally began on Earthworm Jim 4 for the Intellivision Amico, a console being developed after game composer Tommy Tallarico acquired the brand rights to Intellivision and formed a new upstart company, Intellivision Entertainment. The 2D game was being developed with several members of the original team that worked on the first two games in the series including TenNapel and Perry, although it was clarified that TenNapel would only be involved as an "unofficial consultant" due to controversy surrounding his political opinions in recent years. According to a livestream held by the developers in May 2019, the game would reportedly contain local multiplayer, and would not be a reboot of the previous games, with it scheduled to be released after the launch of the Amico in October 2020. However, due to distribution and logistical issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as financial issues within Intellivision Entertainment, the Amico's release would be delayed indefinitely and work on the game eventually halted. In August 2020, the game's first and only gameplay trailer to date was released, and two developers attested in 2023 that they had not worked on the game beyond initial brainstorming sessions years prior, assuming that the game had been cancelled.
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Cancelled Release, Development, Early Idea
person CLXcool calendar_month July 8, 2016
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subdirectory_arrow_right Earthworm Jim PSP (Game)
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Attachment In 2006, a new Earthworm Jim game was announced. Going by the name of Earthworm Jim PSP, it would have been a complete 3D remake of the first game for the PSP. Despite 80% of the game being completed, the game was cancelled due to budgetary reasons with Shiny Entertainment.
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Cancelled Release, Development
person CLXcool calendar_month July 8, 2016
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