Unlock the Secrets of ‘Date Everything’: Meet the Quirky Cast and Their Wild Adventures!

by

Launching in June 2025, the game titled “Date Everything” offers an exhilarating twist on the dating simulator genre. Unlike many games within this category, players will have the opportunity to date more than 100 household objects brought to life by mysterious glasses called “Dateviators,” which they receive via post. “Date Everything” is Sassy Chap Games’ inaugural project; a studio comprised of seasoned voice actors in the gaming industry.

In this conversation, Game Rant chatted with key members of the development team behind the game “Date Everything”, including Lead Designer Ray Chase, Co-Creative Lead Robbie Daymond, and Producer Amanda Hufford. They discussed the origins of the game concept, actor selections for over a hundred characters, reasons for moving the release date from February to June, and other interesting tidbits.

The team also unveiled a fresh character named Dante the Fireplace, voiced by Dante Basco, and hinted at further exciting announcements before the game’s launch, which is still some months away. This interview transpired shortly after the announcement of the delay.

Chase, Daymond, and Hufford are all actors in the game as well.

The Origins Of Date Everything

Q: Could you tell us a bit about where the idea for Date Everything came from?

As a gaming enthusiast, me along with Ray and Max (Max Mittelman, my fellow co-founder of Sassy Chap Games), we felt the urge to bring something fresh to the table. Having collaborated with them before, we shared the same vision of creating something unique and innovative. We brainstormed numerous ideas, considering pitches for shows and even dabbling in podcasts, which Ray later explored with a friend under his production banner. However, our passion led us to embark on a journey together, and that’s where the story of Sassy Chap Games truly began.

Instead of merely accepting a voiceover job we’d been offered, our goal was to create something original and unique. Game development had always intrigued Ray – he frequently attended GDC (Game Developers Conference) and PAX events. With a vast network of peers in the gaming community, Ray expressed his desire to develop a game. One night, we began brainstorming ideas, and as often happens with our projects, this concept floated around aimlessly. We shared many laughs about it, then continued discussing and refining the idea during dinner. It seemed that Ray was staying nearby, and after more laughter in his room, we spent time on the balcony discussing the project further.

After the night concluded, Ray approached me soon after, suggesting, “Hey, recall that quirky concept we joked about? I’m serious about it.” As my best friend and someone I rely on dearly, I responded affirmatively, saying, ‘yes, let’s give it a shot.’ Whenever we get an idea, we’re always ready to act swiftly. We established a company, navigated the necessary formalities, and set up Sassy Chap Games. This marked the beginning of our garage-style meetings, the initial phase of creating the prototype for Date Everything.

Collaborating closely as a tight-knit group, each member found their role within the project. Together, we developed a key segment, which we showcased conventionally at GDC, using our existing connections. We received some offers sporadically, but none quite fit. However, with COVID-19’s arrival, pitching opportunities were scarce.

After taking a step back, we decided to revamp our chosen section and that’s when Amanda entered our sphere. We had encountered Amanda before during the pitching phase and through mutual acquaintances. These connections suggested us to Amanda because they knew someone in the field who thought highly of her ability to connect people with publishers. Intrigued, we expressed a desire to meet this individual. Remarkably, Amanda offered to help us for free to create this opportunity, on the condition that if we successfully sold the game, she would be considered for a role within our company.

Here’s my take:

As a fan, I can’t help but share our exciting journey! Amanda tirelessly created numerous chances for us to showcase ourselves, which ultimately led us to Team17. After six grueling months of legal hurdles, we finally got the green light and started in earnest towards the end of 2022. That marks the commencement of the production of Sassy Chap and Date Everything – a tale that’s still being written!

Question: Could you describe the feeling when you unveiled this game at GalaxyCon in North Carolina and how the crowd responded? Also, what has the reaction of fans been like since then?

Chase: Gosh, it was quite nerve-wracking! It felt strange to pronounce those names in public for the first time and observe immediate responses. It was quite exhilarating!

Daymond: Fan reaction has been really positive, like overwhelmingly positive.

Hufford shared: Upon releasing the trailer, I playfully inserted a joke which unexpectedly sparked a massive online reaction. The excitement from fans is incredible, considering the game hasn’t even hit the market yet. We’ve already received an impressive amount of fan art. Just recently, I mentioned this to Ray: at conventions, people approach me to discuss the game before it’s even launched. Frankly, I didn’t anticipate such interest. It’s genuinely heartening in every positive sense.

Creating A Cast Of 100 Dateable Objects

Question: Is the number of dateable characters in Date Everything fixed at 100, or was this number adjusted during development?

Chase: One of the key elements that had to be over-the-top for it to succeed was having the number 100 as a focal point. It’s a number that stands out, and it seemed impossible to achieve, yet we managed it. Early in our planning, we asked ourselves, who could be potential characters? Looking around, you can see hundreds of objects in an average household at any given moment. Narrowing down these items was the most difficult part, not creating the characters themselves, but figuring out how to combine certain objects into one object, like representing all art with a single “Art” character, for instance.

Daymond: The brilliance lay in bringing things together. We thought, “Hold on, let’s take a moment. See what’s around us. If we don’t merge this into one entity, it would remain an empty expanse.

Chase: Creating a game where you can date anything you encounter presents unique difficulties. If we’re committing to this concept for the player, then every single object within the game needs to be crafted. Many games can manage with constructing a 3D environment and perhaps allowing interaction with some elements or having decorative items. However, in our case, these decorative elements are characters from the city you live in and your own home. This makes the development process more demanding because we’re essentially creating a living, interactive world rather than just a backdrop. It’s a tough task.

Daymond: Somehow, we managed to make it work. One crucial decision we made early on was whether all items shared a single character, or if they each had their unique identities with distinct memories. In other words, could we access different aspects of a humanized character through various objects? After careful consideration, our answer was yes. We found ways to subtly hint at the differences between them. For instance, Ray particularly likes and dislikes Dorian the Door.

Q: That’s the character Ben Starr voices, right? Oh, I love him already.

Daymond: He’s great. He has 17 different manifestations or something like that.

Absolutely. There are 17 distinct doors, and for certain ones, he employs an entirely unique tone of voice and style of art. It’s quite intriguing, and we had fun exploring the possibilities. The Window, for instance, is made entirely of windows. However, the experience changes depending on which direction you look out from the window – north, south, east, or west. We can also manipulate many characters in various ways, which adds to the fun.

Daymond: Absolutely, we’ve got Curt and Rod, a duo of friends who can be potential romantic interests. Their narratives intertwine, yet you have the freedom to pursue one, both, none, or simply observe. The dialogues between them are contextually driven, depending on what they can perceive in their surroundings. For instance, if you approach them in the backyard, they’ll converse about something happening there, rather than in the front yard, side, or anywhere else they’re focusing their attention at the moment. This isn’t a feature for every character, but it adds an interesting layer to the interactions.

Curt and Rod are a curtain and a rod.

Regarding your argument, our stance had always been firm and unwavering at 100%. We held our ground strongly on this matter. I mentioned that we’d received other proposals earlier, which didn’t sit well with us, and many were asking for compromises. They said things like “It’s too much. Could you do 25? Could you do 50?” My response was essentially “I’m unsure.” Even the publisher we’re currently working with suggested scaling back, but considering our game has been delayed twice, some of their suggestions might have had merit.

Q: I bet your fans are willing to wait.

Daymond: This morning, we shared the delay news and the response across all channels was incredibly supportive. I believe people appreciate that we’re a new, pioneering team taking on a remarkably challenging project. Ray has emphasized our numbers multiple times, but it’s worth noting that our project includes 1.6 million words and thousands of choices beyond just 100 characters.

Originally, we intended to include this in our press release concerning the delay, but we decided against it. Here is what we initially planned to reveal: “We’ve been careful not to spill too many beans during these cold months, but keep your eyes peeled for numerous character and voice actor introductions over the next few months, as well as sneak peeks into gameplay sessions.” Moving forward, we will definitely unveil more of our cast members. We’ve been holding back some truly exciting names that might surprise you. Some people might exclaim, “I can’t believe this person is part of a dating sim!” We are incredibly proud of them.

This game boasts an impressive collection of data: it consists of approximately 1.6 million words, features 74,053 voiced lines, offers 27,924 choices, includes 13,090 images, has a soundtrack that lasts for five hours and six minutes, and boasts 79 hours of recorded voiceover audio. In other words, it’s an incredibly massive game, not to mention absolutely mind-boggling!

Date Everything Has The Most Stacked Cast Ever

A: In a cast with numerous characters, how did you decide on the ones that each of you would voice?

Chase: Scandalabra has always been my go-to character. He was one of the initial dateable options we created from the start and he just appeared fully formed. I have a clear idea of what he wants to become, a character who’s aggravated by you dating others, serving as a contrast to you. He’s a character I’ve wanted to give a voice for quite some time now, but I’ve been working on other characters that haven’t been introduced yet.

Daymond: I’m like Hanks. Honestly, I didn’t come up with the idea of playing Hanks. That was someone else’s thought. Was that your idea, Amanda?

The Hanks are a group of hangers.

Hufford: Yeah. It’s perfect.

Daymond initially hesitated to assign characters as he wanted everyone involved, but when Tom Hanks joined, he enthusiastically agreed to participate. However, another character was the one he ultimately played. Unfortunately, someone who was supposed to appear that morning dropped out last minute. As a small company, they were left in a bind. Daymond stepped up and took on the role, finding it enjoyable. He’s content with how things turned out, and everyone seems pleased with their final positions. They had to adjust roles here and there to make it work.

In this scenario, Amanda served as the producer, ensuring her involvement throughout each phase of production. With a deep understanding of every character and a knack for crafting many more, she presented a challenge that some voice actors face: her acting range was exceptionally broad. This versatility allowed Amanda to excel in auditions for an impressive 15 characters, but the challenge lay in finding a suitable balance within our cast. Since she was ideal for all roles, we couldn’t have her play every character. Consequently, Amanda’s flexible acting skills led to frequent adjustments as we finalized our casting decisions.

Amanda, I won’t presume to speak on your behalf, but I must say, your portrayal of Rebel was outstanding! You truly brought the character to life, displaying a wide range from humor and spunk to tender sensitivity. It was a fantastic performance!

Rebel is a rubber duck.

Hufford: I thoroughly enjoyed working with Rebel. It was a blast! The best part for me was getting the chance to move different characters around and toss in a few surprises. I found myself saying, “Check that off the list. What’s next?” And when we arrived at Rebel, who was exactly where we needed them to be, it felt like we had reached our destination perfectly.

As a gamer, I’m curious: Did the creators have certain actors in mind for specific characters when they were designing them, or was the casting decided upon at a later stage in the game development process?

In Chase’s words: Each character embarked on their unique path since we had numerous paths to explore. Some characters seemed to develop naturally, already fully-fledged, such as Dante for instance. Others, during the creation process, we found ourselves saying, “We must do this,” like with Dante.

Daymond: For more than ten years, Dante Basco has been my friend. In my eyes, he has a truly captivating voice. I remember thinking, “This voice would be perfect for a dating sim!” We have this magnificent fireplace in the center of our living room, and I thought to myself, “Ah, this is where Dante belongs.” Of course, there’s a subtle nod to Avatar, but don’t we all love a wink and a nod? I couldn’t resist asking him to voice this role, and he absolutely nailed it. In our game, Dante Basco will be voicing the character, Dante the Fireplace. He’s an engaging character with an intriguing, unexpected storyline. With its grand, beautiful presence in the environment, I believe players will naturally gravitate towards it, just like they do with a toilet… [Laughs]

A: How did you manage to team up David Sobolov and Neil Newbon, similar to how Curt and Rod are paired, or come in a set? This collaboration resulted in some fantastic duos, including the unexpected match of Washford and Drysdale, like the washer and dryer. How did this partnership occur?

Daymond: It was destiny, if you will [laughs]. The cast wasn’t exactly the same as in the initial cut. Instead, we adjusted certain aspects and located different roles for those two performers.

Chase: No, David was in the slice, and we had a different Drysdale.

Daymond: They complement each other wonderfully. I recall our search for a fitting duet partner for David. He possesses such an extraordinary, resonant voice, one that vibrates like a powerful subwoofer. During the casting process for this project, we knew Neil was essential to the game. There were numerous potential roles for him, but this role seemed the most organic. Upon combining their voices, it was as if something was missing – that crucial ingredient we had been seeking.

Q: Amanda, were any of the characters you wrote for particularly fun or particularly challenging?

Hufford: Indeed, Volt, my creation and electric persona, has been through numerous revisions and caused quite a bit of emotional turmoil as I strived for perfection. However, I believe the final outcome is satisfactory.

Chase: They’re quite entertaining. In fact, there are a set of two that offer an interesting twist – you get to observe various facets of the same subject, yet each one embodies distinct personalities.

Daymond explained that over twenty writers contributed to the project, each bringing their unique perspectives, but it was Ray who coordinated and ensured the stories aligned with the game’s main storyline and tone. He admitted he didn’t write as much for the game as initially intended, but still managed a considerable amount. Approximately six or seven characters were his creation, followed by an unusual two-month period where he collaborated with Ray on revisions of early characters.

For me, one of the hardest tasks I faced was revising around eleven initial character sketches. These early versions seemed so far from what we’ve developed over the past 18 months that it felt daunting. It was a struggle because we are deeply invested in these characters, but to ensure they could keep pace with the others, we had to expand their roles significantly.

As a gamer, I’d say it went something like this: Initially, our characters were categorized based on size and challenge level. So when I encountered a one-star character, I thought, “This seems fun, should only take me ten minutes to finish the date.” But then, we decided to shake things up, and I found myself saying, “Nah, let’s make them all equal. No more easy pickings!

As a gamer, I found myself confronted with an issue while playing a game featuring a smaller character – the Smoke Alarm. The feedback from the game publisher suggested that it felt incomplete and ended too abruptly. But hey, I get it, she’s not the main character. However, this experience led me to ponder: why are there smaller characters in the first place? They deserve their own spotlight just like the big guns!

Hufford mentioned that it was quite challenging due to the developmental changes in the writing process. It was essential for Ray to review everything, ensuring consistency with the established tone, and this required a significant amount of effort towards the end from Ray.

Daymond: Ray took on most of it, but we also recruited exceptionally skilled individuals like Logan Burdick and Nick Thurston who contributed significantly in the final stages. We had a dedicated team of writers who were refining and perfecting these characters to ensure they crossed the finish line from a writing perspective.

A: In what way did you manage to develop this game, handle voice acting duties, and work on other tasks simultaneously? It’s truly impressive!

Daymond: [Laughs] To the detriment of our health and personal relationships.

Hufford: I was on stream for six hours last night, and then I got up to do this interview.

The Future Of Date Everything

Inquiry: Could you discuss the reasons behind the shift in release date for Date Everything, which was originally scheduled for February but is now set for June instead?

Chase: This game revolves around the intriguing aspects and possessions of each character. Each character has a distinct quality, which is one of the game’s strong points when you play it. But, to create something like that, you need to test every detail within all 100 characters and how they interact with each other.

The project has been completed. We created all necessary items and components initially, but discovered some missing assets and unfinished tasks during this process, which caused a delay. After addressing those issues, we are now focusing on fixing the remaining bugs. In a final attempt to expedite progress, I traveled to Portugal to collaborate with our lead programmer, working together daily around the clock. However, given the vast scope of the game, it’s taking longer than anticipated to resolve all outstanding issues.

We’ve decided to delay our release one more time, ensuring everything is thoroughly polished and players can enjoy the game as we originally intended. This means eliminating any potential bugs, glitches, or other issues for a seamless gaming experience.

A: In the press release, it was stated that we can determine the occurrence of the issues we’ve been handling. Is this correct?

Chase: Absolutely, you can go on a date with Daemon. He’s one of my favorite characters because he has this unique ability to cause chaos in the game that none of the other potential dates possess. In essence, he has an extraordinary power that sets him apart.

It seems that won’t turn out well for me – I can tell I’m setting myself up for attempting a positive outcome with everyone. In other words, I’m planning to win their hearts.

Daymond: Of course, you have that option, but consider this: not all love stories end happily. Sometimes, it’s better to choose a different path. However, it’s your decision entirely. There could be a character whose worst fate is to fall in love again. But here’s something to ponder: You can indeed achieve a “love everything” ending. You can also opt for a purely platonic journey, or even play the game as someone who hates everything.

Regarding the setback, could you tell me about the upcoming months for your team and Date Everything?

In terms of marketing, this extra time allows us to present more content to you. You can expect another gameplay trailer soon. Additionally, we plan to reveal a Day One release trailer. Furthermore, we aim to announce approximately 30 to 50 new voice actors within our project.

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but feel elated about certain characters in our game that we’ve chosen to keep under wraps, especially those that are challenging to unlock. They’re simply too extraordinary not to share the excitement they bring!

In another interview response, I may have hedged my bets by saying “I think this is the most impressive video game cast ever.” However, I stand by my words now and can confidently assert: This IS the most impressive cast of any video game ever.

Chase: I guess it’s true. You’ve got all the stars together. Normally you don’t get that.

Daymond: Typically, in most games, you’d only have a main cast of around 10 to 15 characters. But this game is exceptional, even overwhelming. You’ll encounter main characters from various video game series spanning the last 15 years, cartoons, anime, TV shows, and even popular streamers. It’s hard to believe, but we’re going to reveal more about this exciting development.

We’ve got exciting updates coming your way! Expect to see more movie trailers. We’ll also share details about upcoming events, pre-orders, and pre-release content. Additionally, we’ll keep you informed on various editions that offer additional content. And lastly, if all goes well, we plan to host an enormous cast party, sharing snippets and building anticipation for what’s in store.

There have been informal wagers on which actors might participate, suggesting that there could be more of these bets in the future. The main topic of contention was whether or not Matthew Mercer would make an appearance.

Daymond: We did get Matthew Mercer! His name’s Chance. He’s a twenty-sided die, of course.

Q: Anything else you’d like to share with Game Rant’s readers about Date Everything?

Hufford expresses his enthusiasm for those who are also excited: I can’t wait for everyone who shares my excitement! I believe the game has a lot going on at first glance. It’s amusing, playful, even a bit sarcastic, but I think people will be delightfully amazed by the depth hidden within these seemingly silly, outrageous, and seductive characters. This writing is filled with emotion. As Robbie mentioned earlier, we had an extensive team of writers. Each one of us contributed to creating characters, and each writer infused a piece of themselves into those characters. There are many layers yet to be discovered in them beyond the humor.

I’m eager for folks to witness the emotional depth of that game’s character. I’m thrilled for those who will attend and express, “I resonated deeply with this character. I expected only humor, but it mirrored my own experiences, and it carried profound significance for me, to be understood in such a personal way.” These moments hold deep value for me.

In my opinion, I’d like to give credit to our publisher, Team17, for taking such a significant risk with us. As voice actors, we have no prior experience in game development. We are creating a game in a genre that is typically unpopular among traditional publishers. Many traditional publishers shy away from this type of field. However, we are diving into this genre with an unique twist, a heavily asset-intensive, heavily voice actor-intensive twist. Most publishers would say “No, we’re not going to do that. We’re going to cut back on all these resources. We’re going to replace it with AI.” All the usual tactics that publishers might use to save costs.

Throughout the process, Team17 has shown immense patience, giving us the opportunity to bring our vision to fruition. Rest assured, in due time, you’ll be immersed in a treasure trove of a game filled with fresh discoveries, which is nothing short of amazing. Frankly, I must commend them for taking such a significant risk. As the game nears completion, their enthusiasm seems palpable as they witness its positive reception and enjoyment by players. I believe they have every right to be proud, as this was indeed a daring venture when viewed in retrospect.

Daymond is expressing that the team’s initial game is underway, and members have shown leadership and creativity to foster a genuinely collaborative environment. Although there are delays, he assures they are necessary and the final product will demonstrate their enthusiasm and confidence in the game. They just require a few more months before it can be shared with the world.

[END]

Read More

2025-02-21 19:30