{"id":278686,"date":"2025-06-20T13:03:31","date_gmt":"2025-06-20T13:03:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/20\/what-would-flynn-do-making-disneys-tron-catalyst-the-right-way\/"},"modified":"2025-06-25T17:08:00","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T17:08:00","slug":"what-would-flynn-do-making-disneys-tron-catalyst-the-right-way","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/20\/what-would-flynn-do-making-disneys-tron-catalyst-the-right-way\/","title":{"rendered":"What Would Flynn Do? Making Disney\u2019s Tron: Catalyst the Right Way"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> [ad_1]<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Disney\u2019s \u2018Tron\u2019 is a movie steeped in the history and culture of video games. It is, and I say this without hyperbole, a film as important to arcade culture of the \u201980s as any game was. It set a tone, it created or popularized a lot of computer terminology, and it gave us the first pop culture image of a game designer: Kevin Flynn.<\/p>\n<p>Kevin Flynn was cool. Kevin Flynn made badass games and fought the man to maintain his rights to them (seriously, more of that film than you remember is concerned with copyright and IP ownership). He annihilated games in the arcade in front of throngs of fans \u2013 oh, and he owned the arcade in which he did so. He was an icon. And I wanted so very much to be him when I grew up.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<p>\n<iframe title=\"TRON: Catalyst - Official Xbox Launch Trailer\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/k4mtpIEWtt8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>I\u2019ve had thirty-nine years on this earth. I\u2019ve played games, and I\u2019ve made games. For macroeconomic reasons I do not own an arcade, but I did get to build an amazing team of creatives and work with them to bring you <em>Disney\u2019s Tron: Catalyst<\/em>, which was released on Xbox this week.<\/p>\n<p><em>Tron: Catalyst<\/em> is a celebration of the Tron franchise, but even more than that, it is a celebration of games. One mantra was repeated more than any other on the team: \u201cThis is a world created by a game designer\u201d. We let that north star guide us to Vertical Slice, a city with game design built into its very source code.<\/p>\n<p>I don\u2019t want to give away all the game\u2019s secrets, but an early one is the glitch loop. You\u2019ll get caught in, and control, a time loop. Doing so lets you relive the events you\u2019ve encountered, making changes, finding new paths and messing with the rules. It\u2019s like playing a game where god mode is the default. Because of course it is, this is a world created by a game designer.<\/p>\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;uploadedSrc&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/xboxwire.thesourcemediaassets.com\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/ss_81ade8c4e4f62e13ef304098cc75b85c758f584e.1920x1080-c6ca85d87b1245f1683b.jpg&quot;,&quot;figureClassNames&quot;:&quot;wp-block-image size-fullsize&quot;,&quot;figureStyles&quot;:null,&quot;imgClassNames&quot;:&quot;wp-image-209916&quot;,&quot;imgStyles&quot;:null,&quot;targetWidth&quot;:1920,&quot;targetHeight&quot;:1080,&quot;scaleAttr&quot;:false,&quot;ariaLabel&quot;:&quot;Enlarge image: Tron: Catalyst Screenshot&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Tron: Catalyst Screenshot&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" class=\"wp-block-image size-fullsize wp-lightbox-container\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1900\" height=\"1080\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/xboxwire.thesourcemediaassets.com\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/ss_81ade8c4e4f62e13ef304098cc75b85c758f584e.1920x1080-c6ca85d87b1245f1683b-1900x1080.jpg\" alt=\"Tron: Catalyst Screenshot\" class=\"wp-image-209916\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Enlarge image: Tron: Catalyst Screenshot\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"context.imageButtonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"context.imageButtonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<p>We also have some fun with your expectations of a game set in the world of these beloved films. You won\u2019t make it out of this game without being sent on an escort mission or engaging in a little out-of-nowhere stealth. I grew up playing that magical subset of licensed games which used the verbs and settings of film worlds to create truly original and interesting games. I wanted this game to have perfect Light Cycle control, I wanted it to give me full access to Disc-based combat, and yes, I wanted to kick that Disc out of the air and back at enemies whenever it made strategic sense (and often when it didn\u2019t).<\/p>\n<p><em>Tron: Catalyst<\/em> also tells a new story. If you\u2019re a fan of <em>Tron: Identity<\/em> and the Tron films, you\u2019re going to find a lot of familiar threads and themes weaved in and expanded on. If you\u2019re new to the Arq Grid, then we\u2019ve built the game to immerse you in the rich culture and politics which define it. A handy codex lets you research any topic that comes up too. What does a society of AI programs left to their own devices for thousands of cycles evolve into? And what do they think of us? As Flynn would say, \u201cBio-digital jazz, man.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;uploadedSrc&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/xboxwire.thesourcemediaassets.com\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/ss_041e01d73a92dddefccd6205dc17dee3728d89e5.1920x1080-c2b5903cc782af75ad06.jpg&quot;,&quot;figureClassNames&quot;:&quot;wp-block-image size-fullsize&quot;,&quot;figureStyles&quot;:null,&quot;imgClassNames&quot;:&quot;wp-image-209917&quot;,&quot;imgStyles&quot;:null,&quot;targetWidth&quot;:1920,&quot;targetHeight&quot;:1080,&quot;scaleAttr&quot;:false,&quot;ariaLabel&quot;:&quot;Enlarge image: Tron: Catalyst Screenshot&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Tron: Catalyst Screenshot&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" class=\"wp-block-image size-fullsize wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1900\" height=\"1080\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on-async--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-async-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/xboxwire.thesourcemediaassets.com\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/ss_041e01d73a92dddefccd6205dc17dee3728d89e5.1920x1080-c2b5903cc782af75ad06-1900x1080.jpg\" alt=\"Tron: Catalyst Screenshot\" class=\"wp-image-209917\"\/><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Enlarge image: Tron: Catalyst Screenshot\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"context.imageButtonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"context.imageButtonTop\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\"\/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<p>I hope you dig our game. I\u2019ve been designing it in my head since the 1980s, and I\u2019ve been building the team to make it since the 2010s. We\u2019ve worked hard, alongside our friends at Disney and Pixar Games and Big Fan Games, to craft a compelling, engaging game which immerses you into a neon world like no other. I hope you enjoy its stories, its characters, and its opportunities for Light Cycle combat. I can say with absolute certainty that we made the game we wanted to.<\/p>\n<p>We did it because Flynn would.<\/p>\n<div id=\"msp1750326814800\" class=\"\">\n<div class=\"ms-product-badge mspb-large\" data-product-id=\"9pfxl9c1kj26\">\n<div class=\"mspb-primary-image\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/store\/apps\/9pfxl9c1kj26\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">&#13;<br \/>\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/store-images.s-microsoft.com\/image\/apps.17199.14196122430133261.fff46e28-a8d1-411e-b4c5-8d4d66ff7d91.ea841ef1-e28a-49ed-b090-f80477b548fa?w=400&amp;h=600\" alt=\"TRON: Catalyst\" class=\"skip-lazy\"\/>&#13;<br \/>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"mspb-details\">\n<h2>TRON: Catalyst<\/h2>\n<div class=\"mspb-secondary-details\">\n<div class=\"mspb-left-container\">\n<p>Big Fan Games<\/p>\n<div class=\"mspb-rating\">\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\t\t\t<span>\u2606<\/span><span>\u2606<\/span><span>\u2606<\/span><span>\u2606<\/span><span>\u2606<\/span>&#13;<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"mspb-total-ratings\">5<\/span>&#13;\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\t\t\t<span>\u2605<\/span><span>\u2605<\/span><span>\u2605<\/span><span>\u2605<\/span><span>\u2605<\/span>&#13;\n\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span>$24.99<\/span>&#13;\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"mspb-right-container\">\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\t\tTRON: Catalyst pulls you back into the world of Disney\u2019s TRON to battle multiple opposing factions in the latest imaginative story from Bithell Games (Thomas Was Alone, Subsurface Circular, TRON: Identity). TRON: Catalyst is an all-new story-driven, isometric action adventure game, set in the immersive and diverse locations of the Arq Grid introduced in TRON: Identity. <\/p>\n<p>Play as Exo, a highly resilient and resourceful program wielding an unexpected power known as the Glitch, gaining strength and abilities which the overlords of the Arq Grid\u2019s crumbling society seek to bring under control. Ride Light Cycles, engage in Identity Disc combat, and more as you\u2019re relentlessly pursued through the city and beyond by Conn, a malevolent program with an agenda of his own, while uncovering more about the glitches that threaten the stability of this world.<\/p>\n<p>FEATURES<\/p>\n<p>Dynamic Combat System<br \/>\nBattle a legion of fearsome enemy programs in melee and ranged combat, both on-foot and while riding a Light Cycle. Master advanced techniques like parrying and Disc kicks to gain the upper hand, while exploring the Arq Grid and collecting Data Shards to upgrade your code base with new abilities.<\/p>\n<p>Immersive New Story<br \/>\nDive into an original TRON storyline. Meet the programs of the Arq Grid, uncover their secrets and fight to survive in a chase across the city and outlands.<\/p>\n<p>Playing as Exo, a courier working in this grid\u2019s capital city, your life is turned upside down when a mysterious package explodes, granting you powers beyond any program\u2019s normal function. With the Arq Grid\u2019s ruthless \u2018peacekeepers\u2019 in hot pursuit, you\u2019ll unlock the mysteries of this grid, and learn what kind of hero it needs you to become.<\/p>\n<p>Exploit The Glitch<br \/>\nThe Arq Grid is losing stability. Glitches roll back the clock, catching the world in a series of system level time loops\u2026 and only you can see them.  Utilize Exo\u2019s unique ability to uncover secret areas and shortcuts, and influence the factions jostling for control over the Arq Grid.<\/p>\n<p>Authentic World of TRON<br \/>\nExplore the neon-lit streets of the Arq Grid on foot or Light Cycle, and navigate your way through the intriguing \u2013 often dangerous \u2013 characters that inhabit this high-stakes world. Travel through a diverse Grid filled with intriguing stories within a budding revolution all set to an immersive soundtrack from composer Dan Le Sac (TRON: Identity).<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re a fan of Disney\u2019s TRON, get ready to step into the universe you love like never before. If you\u2019re new to this story, prepare for a thrilling adventure.<br \/>\nNow\u2026 Finish the Game.&#8221;\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[ad_2]<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/news.xbox.com\/en-us\/2025\/06\/20\/tron-catalyst\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[ad_1] Disney\u2019s \u2018Tron\u2019 is a movie steeped in the history and culture of video games. It is, and I say this without hyperbole, a film<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":278687,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[160],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/278686"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=278686"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/278686\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/278687"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=278686"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=278686"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=278686"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}