thatgamecompany, the developers behind Journey, Flower and Sky: Children of Light, have announced the launch of Dear Van Gogh, a new interactive experience within Sky; available now on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Mobile and PC.
The game allows players to step into a living, painterly rendition of Vincent van Gogh's world, tracing his most iconic paintings through 3D recreations rendered in the bold brushwork and vivid color that made his work unmistakably his own. Outside of the paintings, Dear Van Gogh focuses its story on the family whose belief in him never wavered, helping him through his hardest years and preserving his legacy long after he was gone.
"Telling Van Gogh’s story meant honoring the parts of his legacy most
people never learn," said Jenova Chen, CEO and Creative Director of
thatgamecompany. "His story is often told as one of solitary genius and
tragic suffering, but Sky reveals a different truth: That Vincent may
never have been discovered without the people who loved and believed in
him when almost no one else did. That quiet, decades-long devotion is
what finally brought his work into the light. Sky has always been about
community and lifting each other up, so exploring Vincent’s story
through the people who endlessly supported him felt like the most honest
way to bring it into our world.
"From Journey to Sky, our studio
builds experiences where the emotion is the mechanic, not just the
action. With Dear Van Gogh, we wanted players to feel how much it means
to be believed in, especially in the moments you can't believe in
yourself. That's the emotional truth we hope every player carries with
them once the experience ends."
To learn more, here is the official overview and launch trailer as provided by the developer.
About:
Step into a living canvas in Dear Van Gogh, where art, emotion and human connection intertwine. Embark on a journey to bring Van Gogh’s masterpieces into the light, traveling inside his paintings to witness his earliest uncertainties, his Paris awakening, and the fragile beauty of his final years.
At the heart of this experience are the letters between Van Gogh and his brother Theo, a decades-long exchange of doubt, wonder and unfailing devotion that made Van Gogh’s art possible in the first place. Through them, players discover the full depth of that bond: Vincent’s lifelong struggles, Theo’s steadfast belief, and a correspondence that became one of history’s most remarkable artistic records.
Guided by Theo’s wife, Johanna, players become quiet witnesses to a life shaped as much by that invisible support as by Van Gogh’s own restless vision. Through her, players learn how the birth of her son inspired Vincent into a new era of painting, along with her tireless work to promote Van Gogh’s paintings after his tragic death at age 37.
Key Gameplay Features include:Dear Van Gogh is available through the Sky: Children of the Light game app on iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC via Steam.
- Art Comes to Life: Explore beautiful, playable environments made from Van Gogh's best known paintings, from sunlit fields in the Netherlands to the glowing night skies that only he could imagine. Each and every landscape is a work of art in motion, rendered in his bold, expressive brushstroke style and alive with the emotion he poured into every canvas.
- Witness his Story Unfold: The world knows the legend. Few know the full story. Through hope and ambition, heartbreak and quiet resilience, you’ll meet the people, places, and experiences that formed not only his art but also the man.
- Paint the World with Others: Just as Van Gogh was never truly alone in his creative journey, neither are you. Use Sky’s signature brushstroke mechanic to collaborate with other players, bringing color and light back to the world together. Because some things are simply more beautiful when shared.
- Return to the Real World, Evolved: At the end of the experience, pause and look back at what you just experienced. You’re welcome to reflect on and share what you observed and what moved you. Dear Van Gogh is more than just a game, it is an invitation to see one of history’s greatest artists in a new light, and question everything you thought you knew about the story behind the art.
Sky: Children of the Light released as a free-to-play iOS game on July 18, 2019, receiving critical and commercial acclaim. It earned Apple’s iPhone Game of the Year award in 2019, ‘Best Mobile Game’ and ‘Audience Award’ at the 2020 Game Developers Choice Awards, and ‘Mobile Game of the Year’ at the 2020 SXSW Gaming Awards. Sky later expanded to Android, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC via Steam, hitting 300 million downloads as of 2026.
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