Cyan is remaking Riven. The news comes today after 25 years since the best-selling point-and-click puzzle game achieved critical acclaim and commercial success, and two years after Cyan already remade its predecessor, Myst, for virtual reality platforms.
Today’s announcement comes in the form of an understated trailer showing the symbol for Riven that links to a page of FAQs. Cyan calls it a "modern remake" that will feature a "fully traversable" world "in 3D space." When the FAQ asked if original Riven owners will get free copies of the remake, Cyan thanked fans for their support but asked for fans to pay for the remake as it’s going to be expensive to develop.
"Riven is one of the most highly regarded games in Cyan’s history. We didn’t want to approach it lightly or frivolously," explained the developer. "Cyan is a small indie studio. We wanted to make sure we could take on such a difficult, costly, and complicated endeavor – and do it well."
Cyan added that the Riven Remake is actually not a continuation of the Starry Expanse Project, a fan-led initiative that sought to remake Riven in much the same way Cyan just announced. Starry Expanse updated its website to note that the team was invited to Cyan’s offices in 2019 to share its work. Afterward the team "handed the reins over to Cyan in the months following our meeting."
One person from Starry Expanse apparently now works at Cyan, while the rest of the Starry Expanse team moved on to other projects. Cyan admits that Starry Expanse helped kick off its new remake but it didn’t want to announce the project until it was a little further along.
For those who didn’t play the original, Riven takes place immediately following the events of Myst. The Stranger arrives in the Age of Riven to help Atrus free his wife from the clutches of his power-hungry father, Gehn, whose disastrous rule is causing the slow destruction of Riven. Following Myst's success, Riven sold 1.5 million copies across PC, Mac, and PlayStation in its first year, and is widely regarded as one of the best puzzle games of all time.
No platforms have been announced for the Riven remake, nor is there a release schedule. You can sign up for Cyan’s newsletter for updates.