Summary
Wheel Worldwas initially revealed at theAnnapurna Interactive Showcase in 2023, and it was titledGhost Bikeat the time. This reveal gave players a first look at the game’s unique art style and its focus on cycling, and it indicated that the title would release in 2024. However, it is now confirmed thatWheel Worldwill miss that projected release window, and fans will need to wait a little longer before they can hop on a bike and explore the game’s semi-open world.
Indeed, a trailer that appeared at theXbox Partner Preview on October 17, 2024indicated thatWheel Worldwill now release in early 2025. The trailer, which put forward the game’s new title, also gave players another look atWheel Worldin-motion and confirmed that it would be coming to Xbox Game Pass when it releases. While the game’s initial reveal did already indicate thatWheel Worldwould be available through Xbox Game Pass, the new trailer confirms that the changes to the title and release date have not altered those plans.
Ghost Bike Has a New Name
Developer Messhofhas provided some insight into the changes that have turnedGhost BikeintoWheel World. More specifically, the developer indicates that the game has gone through some narrative alterations since its initial reveal and states that its tone is no longer harmonious with the titleGhost Bike.
This may suggest that the game has dialed back its focus on death, which Messhof indicates was at the foundation ofWheel World’s story when it was revealed. “It was a game about dying on a bike after being hit by a car and ending up in a cycling Valhalla,” the developer writes. This emphasis on death was also baked into the game’s description prior to the reveal of its new name, as it indicated that players would be “on a mission to revive the last of the Ghost Bikes, the magical couriers who rode between the world of the living and the world of the dead.”
That description has now changed, though, and the new version indicates that players will be working to “perform the long overdue Great Shift ritual to save a universe on the brink.” Additionally, the new description states that the protagonist was “chosen by ancient cycling spirits,” and perhaps the death that Messhof references is no longerWheel World’s inciting incident. Whatever the case may be,indie video gamefans will be able to confirm the specifics of the game’s story for themselves quite soon, asWheel World’s release on Xbox Game Pass is only months away.
