Unravel

Unravel is a puzzle-platformer franchise developed by Swedish studio Coldwood Interactive and published by Electronic Arts under the EA Originals label, following small creatures made of yarn called Yarnys through naturalistic environments rendered in a Nordic aesthetic. The original Unravel released February 9, 2016, and Unravel Two released June 9, 2018, the latter announced and launched simultaneously during EA’s 2018 E3 press conference in one of the more unusual game releases in recent memory. No third entry has been announced.

Unravel (2016)

Unravel was the game that launched EA Originals, Electronic Arts’ initiative to fund and publish independent studios while allowing them to keep their intellectual property and profits after repaying development costs. Creative director Martin Sahlin presented the game at E3 2015 in an appearance that became notable for its sincerity, holding up a handmade Yarny figure and speaking about what the game meant to him personally in the middle of a corporate press conference. The game released February 9, 2016, for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, and February 28, 2017, for Nintendo Switch.

Unravel follows a single Yarny, a small character made of red yarn, through naturalistic environments inspired by Scandinavian landscapes, collecting yarn to replenish its own body and connecting locations with the thread it unspools as it moves. The environments shift from gardens to coastlines to industrial settings, always rendered with a specific attention to natural light and seasonal detail that gave the game a distinctive visual warmth. The gameplay combined platforming with puzzle-solving built around Yarny’s thread mechanics, using the material to swing, lasso, and create bridges across obstacles.

Unravel Two (2018)

Unravel Two was announced and released the same day at EA Play 2018, introducing a second Yarny and making the franchise’s first cooperative experience. Two Yarnys connected by a single thread can work together or be controlled by one player managing both simultaneously, with the thread between them usable for swinging, carrying, and solving puzzles built around their physical connection. Unravel Two released June 9, 2018, for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, with a Nintendo Switch version following March 22, 2019. Creative director Martin Sahlin described the game as being about the bonds that form when people cut ties to the past, continuing the personal thematic thread of the original. The cooperative addition changed the dynamic significantly, with the game’s challenge levels and speedrun design appealing to a different audience than the original’s solitary, contemplative tone.