Abzû

Abzû was developed by Giant Squid, a studio founded by Matt Nava, who was the art director on Journey at Thatgamecompany. While the two games share a similar visual and atmospheric sensibility, they are made by entirely different studios. Giant Squid and Thatgamecompany have no corporate affiliation.

No, Abzû has no death mechanic, fail states, or game-over screens. The experience is entirely focused on exploration, swimming through underwater environments, and interacting with marine life. Players progress at their own pace through caverns, ruins, and open water sections without any time pressure or threat.

The sonar call is the player's primary interaction tool, used to communicate with sea creatures, activate ancient machinery, and restore life to depleted areas. Emitting a sonar pulse near dormant coral or fish populations revitalizes them and often opens new pathways. It functions both as a narrative device and a light puzzle mechanic.

Abzû launched digitally in 2016 on PlayStation 4 and PC via Steam, published by 505 Games. It later expanded to Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Amazon Luna. Physical editions were also released for some platforms after the initial digital launch.