The classic platformer series Dizzy is set to return with a new entry developed by its original creators, the Oliver Twins. The announcement, made during a talk at Play Expo in Blackpool, revealed plans for a remake of 1989's Treasure Island Dizzy, incorporating elements from both the ZX Spectrum and NES versions, alongside a new Sega Mega Drive version and an 'Ultra' version featuring modern visuals.
Phillip and Andrew Oliver, the twin brothers behind the beloved series, are notably open about their use of generative AI in the development process for both the new Dizzy game and another upcoming title, Journey to the Emerald City. Phillip Oliver stated that generative AI significantly reduces development time and cost, allowing projects that would have taken over a year and cost around £100,000 with traditional methods to be completed more efficiently.
"Somebody came up to me yesterday at the signing table and they basically said, it allows indies to compete on a level with the production quality that these massive studios with really good financing can afford," Andrew Oliver explained, according to Time Extension. He added that AI "opens the door to actually be able to compete on a quality level, for visuals and everything else." The Oliver Twins view AI as a tool that levels the playing field for independent developers.
The Dizzy series, starring a bipedal egg, was prolific in the late 1980s and early 1990s, with sixteen releases between 1987 and 1992 across various platforms including the ZX Spectrum, NES, and Game Gear. The series saw a significant slowdown in releases after the millennium, making this new announcement a notable return for the franchise.