In We Happy Few, you’ll play the tale of a plucky bunch of moderately terrible people trying to escape from a lifetime of cheerful denial in the city of Wellington Wells. In this alternative 1960s England, conformity is key. You’ll have to fight or blend in with the drug-addled inhabitants, most of whom don’t take kindly to people who won’t abide by their not-so-normal rules.

When discovering the retrofuturistic city’s dark history, you’ll play through the intertwined narratives of three quietly rebellious citizens of Wellington Wells. Each with their own strengths and weaknesses, you’ll discover their pasts, prepare for their future, and engage in activities that aren’t exactly status quo in the artificially enthused society.

The first of these characters is Arthur Hastings. Utterly unremarkable, Arthur is a British everyman. As a mild-mannered redactor at the Department of Printing, Recycling, and Archives, he is apologetic, self-effacing, and easily embarrassed. He wouldn’t warrant a second glance if he was sitting on a bench next to you… until the day he goes off his Joy and gets chased out of his comfortable life in the Parade District into the abandoned Garden District.

Forced to live off the scraps of their former civilization, Arthur must survive by scrounging, sneaking, and fighting in the ruins of Wellington Wells. He has finally remembered what he’s been trying so hard to forget, and is now desperate to reunite with Percy, the brother he abandoned during the German Occupation.

And that means escaping Wellington Wells by any means necessary.

“Arthur was inspired by the archetypal, awkward bureaucrat: the paper-pushing everyman.” says Whitney Clayton, Art Director for We Happy Few. “It was important that he looked bookish and cerebral, hence the crimped hair and glasses; while his long limbs and exaggerated features are meant to evoke something similar to stop-motion character design.”

“Being an everyman, so he’s the benchmark for the other playthroughs” adds Alex Epstein, the Narrative Director. “But he’s also tall and gawky and used to do track and field, so he is very, very good at running away – which is a perfectly cromulent tactic.”

As you unravel Arthur’s past and guide him on his journey, you’ll meet the other two playable characters, Sally and Ollie, who each have their own secrets, motivations, and special skills in the story of We Happy Few. Stay tuned to Xbox Wire in the coming weeks to learn more about Sally and Ollie.

We Happy Few is coming to the Xbox One family of devices and enhanced for Xbox One X on August 10, 2018. Pre-order now on the Microsoft Store and get $9 off plus the exclusive Jolly Brolly weapon at launch!