McGee pitching gory Red Riding Hood

By Robert Purchese Published 3 March, 2010

Looking for publisher at GDC.

Slightly bonkers game designer American McGee appears to be working on a gory reinvention of Little Red Riding Hood.

According to annotations on two striking pieces of art, he'll be pitching the idea to publishers at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco next week.

"Something Ken Wong and I have been working on for years - a concept built on Little Red Riding Hood," wrote McGee on his flickr page.

"...A game concept I'll be pitching at this year's GDC. If we're lucky an interested publisher will help us move it into production," he added.

The illustrations, created by artists at McGee's Spicy Horse studio, depict an axe-wielding "Red" that hacks into snarling wolves.

'McGee pitching gory Red Riding Hood' Screenshot 1

My, what big jugulars you have.

McGee is currently hard at work on a follow-up to Alice, the PC game from 2000 that made Lewis Carroll's famous story one of nightmares. Return of Alice will be released on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 next year.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (17) Latest comment 2 years ago

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  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #1 2 years ago

    At least fairytales is new ground for a God of War clone.

    But given the quality of Bad Day LA (and indeed, the slightly disappointing Alice), I don't expect much from this.

  • Red_Bool #2 2 years ago

    Didn't we already get this with Fairytale fights?

    NEXT!

  • tomjoadsghost #3 2 years ago

    I've got to admit that i'd already decided to bitch and moan about yet another edgy reimagining of an existing property when i read the title, i was also going to mention that red riding hood has been done recently (the path, i've also got to admit that i didnt play it though)

    ... but i kinda like the concept art shown, so im not feeling quite so negative after all.
    Edited by 1 at 03/03/10 @ 10:13

  • Farfarer #4 2 years ago

    Very cool :D

    I started a model of Ken's Red Riding Hood concept ages back... never did get it finished :(

  • Eldritch #5 2 years ago

    McGee is vapour ware incarnate. And, as far as I know, the times when you could pitch a game with two artworks at GDC are long gone...

    Still loved the original "Alice" to bits (we had the Oxmox statue in our office back in 2001). What ever happened to "Oz" anyway?

  • menage #6 2 years ago

    I love his ideas, and even the artwork most of the time. Too bad his games are mostly not so great.

  • Gastrian #7 2 years ago

    Not exactly a new idea, there's been a comic based on a gory Red Riding Hood for years, can't remember the name and the work's internet filter and policy won't let me look for it so I'll look for it when I get back home.

  • DoctorZoidberg #8 2 years ago

    The Path was great, but there is room for more than one game in any particular genre. At least someone's going for a fresh palette and direction rather than churning FPS games like (nearly) everyone else.

  • TeaFiend #9 2 years ago

    "I drew these two pictures, now if you will just give me a zillion dollars?"

  • jebus #10 2 years ago

    Decidedly average game designer pitching for work at GDC. Him and about a million others I should think.
    Is it a slow news day or something?

  • VicViper #11 2 years ago

    The concept are is certainly selling me on the idea at least, fairy tales are ripe for a good game but it needs to really take them somewhere, the alice games are a good start, I always liked the character designs in those games.

  • TeaFiend #12 2 years ago

    I think most publishers would prefer some actual gameplay. Otherwise I am getting my crayons out.

  • Kami #13 2 years ago

    Red Riding Hood is really one of those fairy tales that just works in an adult retelling - see The Company of Wolves as a prime example. Though I have to say, I always thought Snow White was the potentially gory one and Red Riding Hood was the... well... y'know... scary Silent Hill-esque one. (Which is why I liked The Path!)

    McGee is a bit of a crazy guy and I do sort of see his ideas, but in reality I'm not convinced by Red Riding Hood going all bloody God of War. The tale is horror, psychological horror, an innocent person being stalked by a beast... of murder and intrigue and cupcakes. If you want a crazy Red Riding Hood, go play Darkstalkers and select B.B. Hood.

    Next he'll be pitching Cinderella going all Kill-Bill "The Bride" on us... wait, actually... PISS OFF MY IDEA MY IDEA!

  • kangarootoo #14 2 years ago

    Yes the artwork is nice, but what is the actual game concept?

  • Bigglesworth #15 2 years ago

    I keep thinking of McGee's Alice whenever I see the trailers for new Burton/Depp film. I've no idea if the comparison is justified however.

    edit: forgot what I first meant to say - the concept art up there reminds me of Heavenly Sword (not sure this adds any value to this comment =))
    Edited by 1 at 03/03/10 @ 15:21

  • taurus82 #16 2 years ago

    Red Riding Hood is still a chick, right?

  • metalangel #17 2 years ago

    Fans of NSFW should check out Little Red Riding Ho on Newgrounds.