https://smallthingstudios.com/

"After 30 years, the official PREQUEL!

Simon the Sorcerer - Origins
is the official prequel to the original Simon the Sorcerer game and transports players back to a few weeks before the events of the first episode, set in 1993.

The game world is crafted with a modern visual style filled with seamless realtime sequences, magic and puzzle solving tied together with an engrossing storyline that will finally answer some important questions raised by fans from the first game.

Official Announcement Trailer

- The prequel to the legendary saga, set a few weeks before the first episode, 1993.

- Modern cartoon graphic style, painted, with hand-drawn animations; between the future and the past

- Hours of play on an adventure through Simon's (new) house, the legendary academy of magic, absurd forests, stinking swamps, rotten dungeons, alchemical laboratories ...

- A classic point & click adventure with a modern twist. Nostalgic for fans, intriguing for new players.

- An ancient prophecy to be revealed, at least try! Puzzles, monsters, crap, comedy, bad smells, old contraptions.

- Dozens of easter eggs to discover!

- Languages: English, French, Italian, Spanish, German and more

- It is a video game for everyone! Nostalgic for lovers of the saga, exciting for new players. It is not necessary to have played the other titles."

Oh, that looks all kinds of awful. I love Simon but the design just doesn't look good. He looks like a 14 yr old girl Harry Potter dork. Not the cool cheeky arrogant teen from the first two.

It doesn't really look like a Simon game aesthetically, but it does look rather nice in it's own way with consistent artwork and proper hand drawn frames. Far better looking than that ugly motion tweened Monkey Island game that was recently announced.

But who is going to play Simon this time? I'd love it if Chris Barrie came back, but I can't imagine that happening, or else it'd be a bullet point right there already. I really can't think of anyone else worthy of filling those shoes either.

Another Official Teaser Trailer, alongside the news that Origins is also going to feature music by this chap.

I wonder if the original designers (Mike & Simon Woodroffe) are still involved in this?
Smallthing Studios seems to be based in Italy, though, which makes this quite unlikely.

No, they are not. They also were not involved in Chaos Happens and Who Wants Contact.

Ankündigungs-Trailer
Announcement Trailer

"ININ Games is proud to announce the upcoming release of Simon the Sorcerer Origins, developed by Smallthing Studios. This prequel to the beloved 1993 point-and-click classic will launch on October 28, 2025.

...

With over three decades having passed since Simon the Sorcerer first cast his spell on adventure game fans, Simon the Sorcerer Origins invites players to step back into the enchanting world of magic, sarcasm, and mystery – this time, to discover how it all began. Longtime fans will be thrilled to know that the original voice actors return in both English (Chris Barrie) and German (Erik Borner), adding an extra layer of authenticity and nostalgia to this lovingly crafted origin story.

The game features an original soundtrack composed by Mason Fischer, capturing the emotional range and whimsical tone of Simon’s magical world. And as a very special surprise, Simon the Sorcerer Origins includes music icon Rick Astley in a special role - bringing a touch of 80s soul to the fantasy adventure.

Simon the Sorcerer Origins brings the charming style of the ’90s into the modern era: hand-drawn graphics, clever puzzles, humorous and emotional storytelling – and of course, plenty of Simon’s trademark sarcasm."

Story Trailer (DE)
Story Trailer (EN)

"Set in the weeks before the events of the original 1993 hit, Simon The Sorcerer Origins invites players to venture back into the world of sarcasm, spells, and sublime storytelling. This anticipated prequel offers fans old and new a visually rich and hilariously twisted fantasy journey.

Inspired by late ‘90s and early 2000s Disney animation, the game boasts over 15,000 hand-drawn frames and cinematic sequences crafted by the talented artists who worked on the Oscar-nominated film Klaus. With 50 entirely hand-drawn backgrounds and a fully animated cast of 15 unique characters, Origins is a love letter to traditional 2D art, refined through months of rigorous visual design and testing. The game might appear a million miles away from its pixel art beginnings, but it retains its charm and originality.

Simon The Sorcerer Origins doesn’t just look the part—it sounds it too. The game’s original score is composed by industry veteran Mason Fisher, whose past work includes titles from the iconic Eye of the Beholder III to entries in the F.E.A.R. series at Warner Bros. Games. Fisher’s soundtrack blends whimsical fantasy with emotional depth, enhancing both the comedic and heartfelt moments of Simon’s journey.

Voicing the ever-sarcastic Simon once again is Chris Barrie, the iconic British comedian and actor known for his role as Arnold Rimmer in iconic sci-fi sitcom Red Dwarf and as Hilary, Lara Croft’s eccentric butler, in the Tomb Raider film series. Barrie originally lent his voice to Simon in the 90s and now returns after more than three decades to reprise the role, bringing his signature wit, timing, and unmistakable voice back to the character that fans first fell in love with.

German audiences will be treated to the return of Erik Borner, the voice actor who gave Simon his charm and irreverence in the German versions of the original games. Together, these seasoned talents ensure that Simon The Sorcerer Origins stays true to its legendary roots.

Whether you’re stepping into the Magical World for the first time or returning 30 years older, Simon The Sorcerer Origins welcomes you with open arms. Fully hand-drawn and steeped in the charm of the original saga, Origins reimagines the classic point-and-click adventure with modern sensibilities, stunning animation, and Simon’s unmistakable sense of humour."

Dreamlist entry

Voted, i would like to see here too.

StS Origins is getting a PS5 disc release, a Switch module release and a physical "Special Edition" that gives you a fucking "Steam key" instead of the game when you buy it for PC.

Doesn't bode well for a GOG release.

Simon the sorcerer !
What a deep cut.

By this point, the youngest Simon the Sorcerer fans are in their very late 30s. Most people with any nostalgia for the original games are in their 40s+. Nostalgia is the only reason to bring back a 30-year-old franchise like this. But there is nothing nostalgic about this art style. So ... what is the target audience for this game?

It's cool that a new game is being made and people are having fun making it. I'm just baffled that anyone thought this particular iteration of a new Simon the Sorcerer game was a good idea.

Looks damn good to me. But then, I'm not a Simon fan, I barely played the first game and to be honest I couldn't figure any of it out. Next to the first Discworld it was probably the most obscure and confusing point & click I played. So I look at this as it's own thing and not part of some beloved franchise, and I hope the puzzles will make more sense this time around.

Then again, as already pointed out above, it's doubtful if it will get a DRM-free release. If it doesn't, there's no shortage of point & clicks here to take its place in my backlog. That's probably my only major problem with the game from the trailer - that is not a voice that fits the kid we see on screen. I can understand wanting to bring back the actor from previous games, but come on... a 65 year old voicing a 12 year old is a bit much.