Insomniac digitizes paralyzed boy into Ratchet and Clank Future

Insomniac Games and ABC’s Extreme makeover: Home Edition have joined forces to bring some joy to the life of a paralyzed 9-year-old.

On the ABC show’s April 22 episode, the developers behind the Ratchet and Clank series will be unveiling a digital version of James Westbrook, who was paralyzed in a car accident in July 2006. The digital James will be making an appearance in Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction. Even after the accident, Westbrook never lost his passion for videogames. He even dreams of designing one of his own.

“For all of us at Insomniac, this opportunity to help such an amazing family with our game-making experience was a real honor,” said Insomniac CEO Ted Price. “We’ve never inserted a member of the public into our videogames, and we think it’s incredibly appropriate that James will be the first gamer to enjoy that unique experience.”

It typically takes about a month to do this kind of stuff, but Insomniac’s entire 160-person studio came together and churned out to produce the digitized version of James. The studio is still finalizing the details of James’ in-game character (who comes with his own flying saucer), and Insomniac’s Marketing Director Ryan Schneider says that “how we incorporate that into Ratchet and Clank Future is still being determined.”

Via IGN

Insomniac Games and ABC’s Extreme makeover: Home Edition have joined forces to bring some joy to the life of a paralyzed 9-year-old.

On the ABC show’s April 22 episode, the developers behind the Ratchet and Clank series will be unveiling a digital version of James Westbrook, who was paralyzed in a car accident in July 2006. The digital James will be making an appearance in Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction. Even after the accident, Westbrook never lost his passion for videogames. He even dreams of designing one of his own.

“For all of us at Insomniac, this opportunity to help such an amazing family with our game-making experience was a real honor,” said Insomniac CEO Ted Price. “We’ve never inserted a member of the public into our videogames, and we think it’s incredibly appropriate that James will be the first gamer to enjoy that unique experience.”

It typically takes about a month to do this kind of stuff, but Insomniac’s entire 160-person studio came together and churned out to produce the digitized version of James. The studio is still finalizing the details of James’ in-game character (who comes with his own flying saucer), and Insomniac’s Marketing Director Ryan Schneider says that “how we incorporate that into Ratchet and Clank Future is still being determined.”

Via IGN