Compulsion Games’ South of Midnight: A Journey Through the Deep South’s Mythology and Folklore

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I’ve just got my hands on “South of Midnight”, released in April this year. As a creation by Compulsion Games from the land up north, it’s a captivating blend of magical realism and Deep Southern Gothic folklore. The game showcases an extraordinary stop-motion animation, taking me on a journey through the wreckage of a catastrophic storm. I play as Hazel Flood, a woman in search of her lost mother, who encounters an array of peculiar creatures along the way – each with their own heartrending tale to share.

At Gamescom LATAM 2025, Game Rant had the opportunity to sit down with Guillaume Provost, Studio Head and CEO of Compulsion Games. Previously at Arkane, he co-founded Compulsion in 2009. During our conversation, Provost shared insights into their latest release, “South of Midnight.” He explained how the studio combined original ideas and comprehensive research to craft an engaging game that stands out due to its unique setting in an underrepresented region. The players’ response has been overwhelmingly positive. For the sake of clarity and conciseness, this interview has been condensed and edited.

Compulsion Games Studio Head On Choosing and Researching South of Midnight’s Setting

Q: As a studio head, what did day one of South Midnight look like for you?

In the past, I held the position of creative director for our initial games, “We Happy Few” and “Contrast”. Following our acquisition by Microsoft in 2018, we quickly moved on to create “South of Midnight”. Throughout that year, our focus was primarily on developing all DLC and season pass content for “We Happy Few”. As I found myself immersed in meetings with lawyers and accountants during this period, I chose to step away from my role as creative director for the next project. Instead, I put together a team consisting of David Sears as creative director, Whitney Clayton as art director, and Alex Epstein as narrative director for the upcoming project.

In our creative approach, one of the initial steps is selecting a location and time period for our research as we construct a game. Our team suggested several possibilities for an original setting, and among them was the Deep South. Since David grew up in Mississippi, he has a good understanding of that region. As a Microsoft studio, our goal isn’t to produce games like Call of Duty but rather to offer titles that stand out, either by catering to underserved audiences or by enriching our portfolio with diverse projects.

Initially, I believed that particular region in the U.S. was largely overlooked when it came to video games, with fewer high-budget titles being developed there. Games like Kentucky Route Zero and scenes from Red Dead Redemption are exceptions, but nobody had explored the region’s unique mythology or highlighted its iconic aspects. This was one of the factors we considered during our decision-making process.

On several occasions, we initiated projects by choosing locations that seemed ideal, only to discover later that we wouldn’t want to reside in those places for the next five years. Subsequently, our approach evolved into: “This seems promising, it appears to be a suitable location for a studio of our scale to create something unique, especially in regions underrepresented within the video game industry.

During those days, we embarked on two excursions, one exploring Louisiana and the other parts of Appalachia, to gauge the atmosphere of each location. We were interested in aspects such as the people’s demeanor, the number of churches per unit area, and the content displayed on billboards. Additionally, we aimed to grasp an understanding of daily life to determine if the region’s myths and folktales are mirrored there. Essentially, we wanted to know if our travels reflected the local culture and whether we would feel at home in that environment for the next five years – a commitment that involves creating a game authentic to the area. This requires thorough research and frequent revisits to the region to ensure our work is accurate and well-executed.

In a more conversational tone, let me share an idea: Whitney, our art director, and I often explore various regions hand-in-hand. We’ve come across some truly unique, symbolic, and region-specific sights, such as the bottle tree featured on our logo. We even saw houses painted in a particular shade of blue that seems to be common there. It struck me then: “Wow, it’s not just bizarre or eccentric, there are deep-rooted myths and histories here that we can leverage for our creative endeavors.

Afterward, she’ll emphasize the unique aspects she finds particularly emblematic of those locations, amping them up significantly to create a blend that showcases what we believe are the most captivating elements of the region. We followed a similar approach with “We Happy Few“, and since this project afforded us a bit more time and resources for research, we were able to delve deeper into this process.

Building Authenticity Into South of Midnight’s World, Writing, and Presentation

Question: Can you share some insights on how the theme of suppressing emotional turmoil, evident in many tales Hazel handles within South of Midnight, originated with you?

Answer: Answering this question precisely proved challenging due to several factors leading up to the inspiration. Upon initiating the project, we recognized the need for careful handling of a sensitive area and aimed to prepare thoroughly. The region’s history and the broader narrative it held were crucial elements that couldn’t be neglected in the game without doing them justice. To achieve this, we decided to bring writers from the region on board who could authentically portray the lived experiences.

We took some time to clearly determine the type of structure we were aiming to construct. To put it another way, we spent some time figuring out the main storyline and genre for our game, which has a Southern Gothic feel. The game is divided into 14 distinct chapters, each set in different regions inspired by various parts of the South that we have personally explored. In each chapter, you’ll encounter a mythical creature that’s been carefully crafted into the storyline.

The narratives we’ve developed are based on investigating traditional folktales and associating them with mythical beings, aiming to construct an authentic history for those creatures and provide an account of their transformation into their current forms. In other words, we aimed to humanize some of these creatures where possible, suggesting that not all fearsome-looking entities are inherently evil. Our goal was to establish a coherent narrative for each creature that aligns or explains their appearance within the artwork.

Many tales featured in South Midnight incorporate elements reminiscent of traditional folktales, with some stories being direct adaptations, such as Two-Toed Tom. On the other hand, we’ve also blended various folktales and mythical creatures to create a harmonious world and narrative landscape in other instances.

A: In South of Midnight, the Louisiana atmosphere is quite prominent, yet you brought up my visit to Appalachia. Can you elaborate on how that particular region influenced the novel?

B: We meticulously explored various regions during our journey. Among these were the Smoky Mountains and Pigeon Forge, a place I believe you’re familiar with, as it was one of the most memorable stops on our trip. Discovering unfamiliar parts of the South, such as the region that inspired Huggin Molly’s home, The Crow’s Nest, was truly exciting. As for the game, its final chapters exude a Louisiana atmosphere.

A: I’d be happy to expand on the topic of sourcing and collaborating with local writers. Can you tell me more about your experiences working with writers from the surrounding area, and perhaps share some insights into the process?

A: It was an enlightening journey since we hadn’t tackled anything quite like it before. We collaborated with some British writers on ‘We Happy Few‘, yet every undertaking requires a certain degree of comprehension. You begin by incorporating diverse perspectives into the creative process, which entails having viewpoints that may differ from those within our team.

Initially, we collaborated with consultants, but later I met with our creative director, expressing the need to move beyond merely having a consultant validate the story as good. Instead, I aim to ensure that whatever narrative we’re conveying achieves two primary objectives: first, for those familiar with the region, it should evoke a sense of respect and authenticity in the way we represent the material, the locale, characters, and storylines convincingly. Secondly, for those unfamiliar, it will provide an insightful window into an unexplored culture, highlighting intricate details that make the space unique.

To accomplish this task effectively, it was essential to bring in team members who hailed from the Southern U.S. region. We had a few individuals on board already; our level designer is based in Baton Rouge, while our creative director calls Mississippi home. This gave us a solid foundation for our team. However, we couldn’t have conveyed that particular narrative without expanding our writing team as well. Two key members of our writing staff come from the region and were instrumental in crafting Hazel’s script, selecting folktales, and ensuring the accents were authentic.

As a devoted fan, I’ve been part of a creative journey where we collaborated with local musicians to ensure that the music in “South of Midnight” didn’t follow the expected path of just blues and jazz. Instead, our goal was to find contemporary artists who could craft their own unique sounds, capturing the authentic essence of the region and the distinctive textures associated with the South. Together with our talented cast, writers, musicians, and team members, we immersed ourselves in the culture, striving to interpret it authentically and faithfully.

South of Midnight’s Player Count Since Launch is Impressive

A: In summary, I shared that my job at Xbox isn’t about creating blockbusters, but rather offering variety in our offerings. With South of Midnight now released, could you tell me what your thoughts are on the reception it has received?

A: Great! It makes sense that a game so deeply connected to a particular region and culture would generate significant sales in those areas. I’m pleased to report that over a million players have enjoyed South Midnight since its launch. We believe that gaming is for everyone, especially when we cater to diverse audiences. So, we’re delighted to be contributing to the Xbox platform by creating such content and fostering diversity.

I’m deeply invested in our studio being a crucial piece of our mission as we progress into the future. Regarding who our audience will be, what experiences we’ll offer, and where in the world we’ll showcase next, I can’t disclose that information. However, I believe it’s essential for Xbox to be a brand that resonates with people from diverse backgrounds.

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2025-05-02 15:15