The Wait Is Finally Over for N++ Fans
Metanet Software — the two-person indie studio that spent the better part of a decade perfecting the art of brutally hard 2D platformers — is back. More than ten years after releasing N++ in 2015, cofounders Raigan Burns and Mare Sheppard have announced a brand-new entry in the long-running N series, and this time they're turning the focus squarely on multiplayer.
The new game is called, in gloriously absurd fashion, N Plus Infinity Times Two. It's a title that feels very on-brand for a studio that has never taken the straightforward path.
From Flash Game to Cult Classic
For the uninitiated, the N series has a surprisingly deep history. It began life as a freeware Flash game simply called N — a minimalist, physics-driven platformer where you guide a tiny ninja through increasingly punishing obstacle courses. The game built a devoted following online through the mid-2000s, leading to N+ on consoles and then the magnum opus release of N++ in 2015.
N++ was pitched as the definitive, final word on the solo N experience — over 4,000 levels, tight controls polished to a mirror sheen, and a hypnotic electronic soundtrack. It landed on PlayStation 4 before making its way to PC and Switch. Critics loved it. The fanbase loved it. And then Metanet went quiet.
At launch, Burns famously quipped that he hoped it wouldn't be "another 10 years" before the next project. Spoiler: it was.
Going Multiplayer
The key creative pivot with N Plus Infinity Times Two is the shift toward cooperative and competitive multiplayer. While N++ was designed as a solitary, meditative (if occasionally maddening) experience, the new game is described as "the ultimate virtual co-op" take on the N formula — built from the ground up for playing with others.
Details are still limited, but the announcement signals that Metanet isn't simply reskinning what came before. The multiplayer angle suggests new level design philosophies, new mechanics built around coordination or competition, and presumably new ways to blame your friends when you inevitably fall into a spike pit.
Why This Matters for Indie Gaming
Metanet's return is a small but meaningful moment for the indie game scene. Studios this small — literally two people — rarely sustain careers across multiple decades. That Burns and Sheppard are back, clearly energized by a new creative direction, is a testament to what passion projects can become when given enough time and care.
The N series also holds a special place in platformer history. Long before Super Meat Boy or Celeste made precision platformers mainstream, N was putting players through their paces in browser windows at school libraries everywhere.
What's Next
No release date or platforms have been confirmed yet for N Plus Infinity Times Two. Given Metanet's track record, patience is probably a good idea — but if the wait is anything like the last one, the end result might just be worth it.
Source: The Verge