Welcome to Birmingham, during the aftermath of the Great War. Set right before the events of Season One, Peaky Blinders: Mastermind lets you join the Shelby family's criminal gang. Follow the rise of Tommy as he successfully uncovers a sinister plot to put the family out of business, proving himself worthy of being the true mastermind of the Peaky Blinders.
Mastermind refers to Tommy's ability to plan complex scenarios in his head. As the player, you get to exercise this power by taking control of key members of the Shelby family including Tommy, Arthur, Polly and more. Become the Mastermind as you freely reset and rewind each character's path in order to tune all of their actions for perfect coordination.
Achieve the highest mission rating by strategically utilizing characters and stealth to solve increasingly complex puzzles with optimum timing.
It’s a crafty, credible, and most importantly creative take on the world of Peaky Blinders that, as James Marsden, Game Director at FuturLab explains, saw the development team use a key juncture in the series as the inspiration for the core mechanic employed in play:
“There’s a point in the show where Tommy Shelby explains he has no concern for the past, nor the future; all he cares about is a crucial moment he recalls the soldier’s minute,” details Marsden. “We designed our game around that idea, allowing the player to plan actions backward and forward in time, choreographing an ensemble cast of characters to synchronize their actions during these crucial moments. The player gets to feel like the smart and sophisticated leader that Tommy is, so we think becoming the mastermind will resonate with fans of the show and gamers alike.”
As Marsden describes, In Peaky Blinders: Mastermind, players will be able to freely set and rewind each character's path in order to tune all of their actions for perfect coordination, tactically utilizing characters and stealth to solve increasingly complex puzzles. It’s an inventive take on the series that suitably impressed publisher Curve Digital.
“We were floored by James and Kirsty’s original idea for a Peaky Blinders game,” says Simon Byron, Publishing Director, Curve Digital. “At its heart, Peaky Blinders is a story about a family, and capturing the ability to control the Shelbys simultaneously across the game’s narrative is such a smart way to bring the show to life. The mechanic they’ve created to allow players to directly control Tommy, Arthur, Polly, John, Ada and Finn across one looping timeline opens up unique gameplay possibilities, stylishly brought to life in FuturLab’s trademark gorgeous art style. It’s a game that almost defies categorization – part action, part puzzle, part adventure, but all inventive.
"There’s often skepticism about licensed titles, so we’ve worked really hard to ensure this is a game which stands within the Peaky Blinders universe, whilst bringing something completely fresh and original. We’ve lived with the secret for a while now. It’s such a relief to be finally able to unveil Peaky Blinders: Mastermind.”
Key to the game’s development has been the involvement of those behind the source material, with Steven Knight - Peaky Blinders creator and writer - commenting: “Peaky Blinders has become more than a TV show, it has become a worldwide phenomenon. With the launch of the Peaky Blinders: Mastermind game we are inviting you to enter that world and take part in it, live in it and take your place beside the Shelby family as they fight for their very survival. You’re going to have to be as smart as Tommy, as tough as Arthur, as ruthless as Polly. Good luck and remember, you really are a Peaky Blinder now.”
Jamie Glazebrook, Executive Producer at Caryn Mandabach Productions adds, “As the TV show continues to find new audiences around the world, it’s a real thrill to see Peaky Blinders brought to life as a video game, especially in a way that properly understands that the Shelbys are about brains just as much as they are about brawn. I’ve no doubt that Peaky Blinders: Mastermind will prove every bit as addictive and immersive as the series that inspired it.”
Key Features:
- TRUE TO THE TV SHOW: Take control of Tommy, Arthur, Polly, John, Ada and Finn as they navigate through familiar locations including The Garrison Tavern, Charlie Strong’s Yard, Shelby Parlour and more.
- THE RISE OF TOMMY: When a Peaky Blinder is implicated in the murder of a Chinese opium dealer, Tommy embarks on a mission to find out the truth, slowly growing into the true Peaky Blinders' Mastermind.
- BECOME THE MASTERMIND: Exercise Tommy's power to plan complex scenarios in his head, by taking control of each key member of the Shelby family and perform their actions in parallel.
- MANIPULATE TIME: Each character’s actions are automatically logged in a timeline which you can freely reset, fast-forward and rewind, until the plan is perfectly adjusted.
- STEALTH AND STRATEGY: Each mission is an increasingly complex puzzle to be solved undetected and on time. Choose the right characters and abilities to coordinate and execute the optimum plan.
FuturLab has collaborated with Feverist, the U.K. art-rock band who were involved in the soundtrack to Peaky Blinders Series 1, to create an original bespoke soundtrack for the game. They are revealing tomorrow the single Reveller from the upcoming soundtrack album, as well as The Secret featured in the reveal trailer.
Peaky Blinders Season 5 is available from today on Netflix in the UK. The season launched on BBC One in autumn 2019 to its highest ratings yet.
Peaky Blinders: Mastermind is in development for Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One and PC (Steam), scheduled for Summer 2020.
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