After sweeping the GDC Awards with Journey, all eyes are on Jenova Chen and thatgamecompany. What will their next game be? We know it will be online-enabled somehow, and not exclusive to PlayStation. But beyond that, little is known.

Asher Vollmer, a former employee of TGC, announced yesterday that he's planning on leaving "one of the indie-est companies on the planet" to go indie himself. Why? Because the "New Game" is still years away, and he didn't want to give up all that time for "a game that isn't truly mine."

Read more: It's going to be an 'important' game »

thatgamecompany was celebrated for its unique take on online gaming with Journey. You could encounter strangers on your quest to the top of the mountain, and you could choose to help each other... or simply ignore one another.

But what if you want more interactivity on your journey? Listening to fan requests, TGC has announced a new Journey DLC that should make playing the game online far more thrilling.

Watch: 'A fresh new take on anonymous online adventure' »

They say that adversity breeds greatness, and the struggles faced by the critical hit Journey seem to prove the rule. The game received a spot on many 2012 lists, including our own and, just recently, the top honor at DICE 2013. But to get there, thatgamecompany faced a perilous financial situation.

Read more: 'We basically laid off all the employees' »

Like Flower before it, Journey is a deceptively simple game that belies its aspirational experience. The game begins inexplicably with a vast desert stretching out ahead, and no direction of what to do. It needs none; instincts kick in and the game immediately lives up to its title.

From beginning to end, Journey elicits a profound emotional response. Controls consist of nothing more than movement and jumping, but it does these with such grace, that never once does it feel like something is missing. Setting emotions aside for a moment, simply playing Journey provides many memories that capably stand on their mechanics alone. From effortlessly gliding over and above the shifting sands to platforming through visually spectacular environments Journey delivers a fantastic controller-in-my-hands game. This is not an art game for which one must make special accommodations to see its beauty.

Read more: Why Journey made our Top 10 »

The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) has announced its plans for the 16th Annual DICE Awards, including the full list of nominees. Chris Hardwick, comedian and founder of the Nerdist, will host this year's festivities. The awards ceremony will take place February 7 in Las Vegas.

Read more: Journey leads nods, Walking Dead just behind »

Thatgamecompany's Journey has hit the critical sweet spot this year, already circulating in year-end discussions. But its artistry is getting some notice outside the gaming bubble too, as the game has earned a Grammy nomination for its score.

Read more: Journey against John Williams, Hans Zimmer »

While thatgamecompany's three game deal with Sony produced three financial and critical successes, studio co-founder Jenova Chen admits that platform exclusivity was something that held them back from their true aspirations. "A lot of people tell us that flOw or Flower is the first game that their girlfriend, or mom, has played," proof that TGC's emotional experiences can attract new audiences. Still, with "over 90% male distribution" on PlayStation hardware, TGC wants to broaden its horizons.

"We just want to bring these games to the people. For us, we can make a good game on any platform, but we'd like to choose platforms on which we can deliver an experience that we can give to everyone, rather than just people that have a PlayStation 3. I think Sony understands that desire."

Read more: How free-to-play can become a 'business opportunity' for the dev »

As the Journey Collector's Edition hits retail stores today, it marks a series of milestones for thatgamecompany. With three critical darlings under its belt and its first retail title now available, the company is preparing to strike out on its own again and develop for a wider range of platforms. Company co-founder Jenova Chen recently took a look back at Journey with Shacknews, sharing thoughts on artistic games, griefers, and touching feedback from fans.

Read more: 'We made one game trying to move people, but many of them wrote back to move us' »

Indie dev thatgamecompany is beloved for its unique game designs. From flOw to Journey, the studio has surprised gamers by offering something truly unique.

So... why did they make a multiplayer zombie shooter? "Gravediggers" is the result of one of the studio's 24 hour game jams. The goal, according to studio co-founder Kellee Santiago was "to see how much fun we could generate in 24 hours."

Watch: Five player zombie-shooting action »

We've gotten a few drips of information about the Journey Collector's Edition, but developer thatgamecompany has finally spilled all of the beans. It's set to release as the studio's first disc-based retail game on August 28, for $29.99.

Read more: The full line-up of extras »

If you're an avid thatgamecompany fan, the news of a Journey compilation may have been bittersweet. Sure, it would be nice to have all three games in one place, but if you already own those games, what's the point? What is shelling out some more money going to get you? Quite a bit, actually.

Read more: Extras include mini-games, documentaries »

thatgamecompany, developer of flOw, Flower, and Journey, is no longer a PlayStation-exclusive studio. With the studio's three game contract with Sony now over, the company has confirmed plans to expand into a multiplatform studio.

"Many of you have asked what's coming up next for TGC and whether our games can be played on other platforms. I have good news for you," studio co-founder Jenova Chen said.

Read more: VC funding makes independence possible »

Journey may have been a tremendous commercial and critical success for thatgamecompany--but it also marks the end of a number of careers at the revered indie studio. In addition to the departure of studio co-founder Kellee Santiago, executive producer Robin Hunicke has also announced she's leaving the studio.

Read more: Moving onto Glitch »

Apparently, you trusted our opinion--and you all purchased Journey. thatgamecompany's Jenova Chen announced that thatgamecompany's third game has become "the fast-selling game ever released in the SCEA region on the PlayStation Network." The record is based on the game's first two weeks of sales. The previous game to hold that record was the Halloween-themed spin-off, Infamous: Festival of Blood.

Read more: Fan support pouring in »

Thatgamecompany co-founder and president Kellee Santiago is leaving the developer responsible for Journey, Flower and flOw. With Journey released and TGC starting a new project, she's off to sow her knowledge in new pastures.

Read more: Going off on her own Journey »