Take a deep dive into Cuphead's animation process with this 30-minute talk

After its initial reveal almost a million years ago (alright, maybe only three), Cuphead is just around the corner from its expected release. As announced at E3 2017, StudioMDHR will finally be releasing its run and gun platformer on September 29, 2017 on both the Xbox One and Windows 10, via the Windows Store.

While Cuphead does pose some interesting gameplay traits, the game's focus undeniably lies with its portrayal. Stylized to look like a 1930's cartoon, the hand-drawn animation process stands out amongst the competition – a major reason for why the game has maintained a strong following leading up to launch.

For those enthralled by its art style, a keynote behind Cuphead's animation process has now released on the official Games Developers Conference (GDC) YouTube channel. Despite taking place back at GDC 17 in February, the session has now been made available to the public.

Hosted by an animator at StudioMDHR, Jake Clark, the talk covers how the concepts behind Cuphead's bosses evolved into fully animated characters. Running just short of half an hour, Clark explains how a simple idea progresses, while exploring both the artistic philosophies and technical feats overcome during development.

For those interested in visual arts or any form of design, the talk is worth a watch simply for the artist's breakdown of Cuphead's animation process. Even if you're just looking forward to the game, the session is also a great way to get your fix of Cuphead content, prior to its launch next month.

If you're looking forward to Cuphead's release, make sure to check out the store listing below, where the game is available for digital pre-order for $19.99.

See at Xbox Store

Matt Brown

Matt Brown was formerly a Windows Central's Senior Editor, Xbox & PC, at Future. Following over seven years of professional consumer technology and gaming coverage, he’s focused on the world of Microsoft's gaming efforts. You can follow him on Twitter @mattjbrown.