Netflix will launch a spin-off mobile prequel game to its upcoming sci-fi adventure The Electric State. Developed in collaboration with AGBO, the media company formed by The Russo Brothers to expand, The Electric State: Kid Cosmo is a "bite-sized adventure prequel" that will expand on the backstories of Michelle and Chris.
The Electric State is based on the 2018 novel of the same name by Simon Stalenhag. Set in the aftermath of a robot uprising in an alternate version of the '90s, the story follows orphaned teenager Michelle as she ventures across the American West in search of her younger brother, Chris. Accompanying her on this adventure are cartoon-inspired robot Cosmo, smuggler Keats (Chris Pratt), and his wisecracking robot sidekick Herman (voiced by Anthony Mackie).
Speaking to Variety, the Russos, who direct and produce The Electric State, revealed that the game's storyline expands upon the relationship between Michelle and Chris, revealing details they just couldn't fit into the film's two-hour run time.
"It does expand upon the relationship that the lead characters have in the movie, Michelle and her brother Chris," Anthony Russo said. "So it does get into a part of their relationship that we don’t follow in the film, that kind of predates the film, but also post-dates the film as well."
"And the game is able to explore the relationship in more depth," he continued. "We certainly explore the relationship very thoroughly in the movie, but there’s just a limit in a two-hour medium to how much ground you can cover, in terms of story. So the game does hold something very special in terms of like, who these people are, what their relationship is to one another, and how it evolves and grows over time. And I think people will find it very relatable. It’s a wonderful, complicated brother-sister relationship in everything that that entails."
Kid Cosmo needs your help! Blast through an '80s-inspired puzzle adventure game-within-a-game alongside boy wonder Chris and his big sister Michelle.
Wichita, Kansas — 1985: Go on a journey through the eyes of Chris and Michelle as they navigate coming of age in the retro-futuristic world of The Electric State. This narrative-driven game takes place before the events of the movie and spans five years, blending gameplay with emotional storytelling to create an immersive experience.
The Electric State: Kid Cosmo will be released for iOS and Android on March 18, four days after The Electric State debuts on Netflix. The game will be free to anyone who subscribes to Netflix. The Russos assured that both the movie and game have been created in a way that you can approach the universe "from either direction," so you don't need to worry about spoilers if you play the game first or vice versa.