How Symphonia’s Features Were Tailored for Speedrunners

Symphonia made its debut on the Xbox Series X|S on December 5, 2024, dazzling players with its intricate level design, precision platforming, and unique speedrunning features. This game offers not just a playground for casual enjoyment but also a deep dive into the world of speedrunning, complete with insights and tips from seasoned players.

From its very beginning, Symphonia was crafted to be a game that rewards those who master control and timing. What started as a project to introduce classical music to a broader audience quickly revealed its potential as a speedrunner’s paradise, thanks to its fluid mechanics and flexible level design. We spent countless hours fine-tuning character controls, aiming to create a game that would be gratifying to both casual players and competitive speedrunners, with additional layers of depth for those eager to delve deeper. This vision laid the groundwork for Symphonia’s mechanics and collectible items.

In Symphonia, we’ve incorporated challenges to cater to those seeking a thrill. Our protagonist, Philemon, is a violinist journeying through the hushed world of Symphonia with a single mission: to bring back the best of the orchestral sections. His violin bow is his most valuable asset, pivoting into various functionalities as you progress. Players can make it act like a pogo stick, a catapult, or a grapple, and mastering the perfect aerial timing is no small feat, but it’s incredibly rewarding when you get it right. Precision in maneuvering pixel by pixel aligns perfectly with the speedrunner’s quest to shave seconds off their time.

The development team shares a history with speedrunning, some as spectators, others as active participants in games like Celeste and Katana Zero. Even in its embryonic phase as a student project back in 2020, we were speedrunning Symphonia, competing for the best times, with some even keeping exploits to themselves for an edge! The public caught on too when we released a small demo online, racking up 500,000 downloads and sparking entries on speedrun.net. Recognizing a special potential, we moved beyond university to start a studio dedicated to realizing our game’s full vision. It took another four years to bring Symphonia to its official launch.

We didn’t solely adhere to the precision platforming genre; we intentionally developed features with speedrunners in mind. Adjusting a block or collider by just a few pixels can open up a world of new pathways for the creative player. Much like Celeste’s strawberries, Symphonia’s collectible music notes are peppered throughout challenging spots, rewarding risk and unlocking new areas. Completing a full playthrough unlocks Shadow Philemon, your character’s doppelgänger, adding an exciting twist. Players can experiment with abilities like double jumping or modifying game speed, originally designed for accessibility but now serving as tools for creative gameplay challenges.

The game’s December release was met with excitement, especially among speedrunners. We encouraged this enthusiasm by creating a dedicated discussion channel on our community Discord.

Speedrunning has transformed from a niche interest into a global phenomenon over the last two decades. Whether it’s first-person shooters, platformers, or even unexpected genres like RPGs and strategy games, the speedrunning community has thrived thanks to platforms like Twitch and YouTube. Millions of players have been drawn to speedrunning, and events like Games Done Quick (GDQ) have raised vast amounts for charity, hosting major events twice a year alongside regular Hotfix episodes.

The passion for speedrunning was clear when I spoke with Queuety, GDQ’s showrunner, about what makes speedrunning special. He shared, “Speedrunning turns any game into both a puzzle and a competitive performance, something which fascinates me and keeps me coming back.”

Our publisher shares this excitement, with CEO Dieter Schoeller himself coming from a speedrunning background with games like Quake 3 and Sonic the Hedgehog in the ’90s. Dieter says he loves speedrunning because “the person to beat is no one but yourself.” This shared passion led to a collaboration with GDQ, and we were thrilled to be a part of a recent GDQ Hotfix episode. Being part of the show was an unforgettable experience, enhanced by the contribution of our community members performing live. You can watch the episode online.

If you feel inspired, the speedrunning community welcomes newcomers, whether you want to try your hand or engage with other enthusiasts and developers. We’d be thrilled if you checked out Symphonia and joined our Discord discussions about speedrunning.

Whether or not you’re a speedrunner, we hope you’ll explore the enchanting world of Symphonia in your own unique way.