Made as a satire of the gig economy, the upcoming Parcel Corps puts the player in the shoes of a freelance bicycle messenger trying to make an honest living from frenetically delivering packages. But when they get into trouble with the law, they suddenly find themselves on the run from the city police.
Developed by Billy Goat Entertainment Ltd., Parcel Corps is all about making a living as you weave through traffic, make daring jumps, and grind your way to the finish to complete a delivery. It’s a high-octane action game where players explore a semi-open world city, and it’s also got a ton of laughs packed in.
We spoke with game director Will Barr (who gamely showed up in cycling kit) about what inspired the making of this wild and weird bike action game.
Parcel Corps was one of the more exuberant games showcased at Level Infinite’s booth at Summer Game Fest Play Days 2024. The fast-paced and high-stakes urban action game puts the player in the shoes of a bike courier whose sole goal is to clear gigs fast to climb the city’s social ladder.
Moving from one gig to the next
In Parcel Corps, players are tasked with picking up jobs from various oddball residents in the city, such as a half-man, half-fish who runs a fish-n-chips shop or a wine merchant who fancies himself as royalty.
As players clear jobs, the company will increase their reputation, earning access to new areas of town and more high-profile clientele. But to do so, players will need to finish jobs as quickly and stylishly as possible to satisfy their clients and the growing audience of viewers on social media.
For the game director, Parcel Corps is about poking fun at the current state of the gig economy in an over-the-top parody game. Still, the initial idea also came from his early days building his career as a game developer.
I was also inspired by games of the 1990s, like classic Sega arcade games that had blue skies and were optimistic and fun.
William Barr, Parcel Corps game director
“Back in my youth, I did a lot of cycling and just prepared myself for a potential career as a bike courier if the game development didn’t work out,” said Barr.
“Since I was a cyclist, that inspired me to make a game about being a bike courier, and I was also inspired by games of the 1990s, like classic Sega arcade games that had blue skies and were optimistic and fun. We thought no one was making games like that anymore, so we decided to take a stab at it with Parcel Corps.”
Completing the job in style
Parcel Corps blends the mechanics of an extreme sports game with a semi-open world platformer. By using in-game QR codes, players will find new delivery jobs, which will ask them to ferry packages from one area to the next or drop off fragile items with little to no damage.
Parcel Corps isn’t just about delivering packages; it’s about doing it in style. The bike company livestreams your deliveries for the characters in the world, and in-game fans will react to your performance with love or laughter.
To keep the audience entertained, players will need to execute slick tricks and daring stunts. Each successful delivery and maintained online buzz will enhance your reputation, propelling your company up the ranks.
For the game director, Parcel Corps is all about leaning into the absurdity of people having to work and perform in the gig economy.
We empathize with other people working in the service industry who often aren’t treated very nicely.
William Barr, Parcel Corps game director
“We’re going for satire with the story in Parcel Corps, as it’s a commentary on the gig economy,” said Barr.
“Being in the video game industry, developers often have to go from job to job or gig to gig, and we’ve empathized with other people working in the service industry who often aren’t treated very nicely. So we try to joke about that in this game, how people have to handle their job, and what we can do to laugh about it.”
Parcel Corps is planned for release on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S in September.
