Isles of Sea and Sky Name Change FAQ / Information

Formally “Akurra,” the game’s name has been changed to “Isles of Sea and Sky.” Read on for more information about why this change was made.

Why did you change the name?

After thinking long and hard, I’ve decided to change the name of the game from Akurra to Isles of Sea and Sky. I am choosing to change the name for the reasons explained below, with no outside pressure to do so. I have made this change because I feel it is the right thing to do.

As for my reasoning: My game is a myth-like story of my own creation. Like countless other stories, my own has been inspired by motifs and themes that are common in countless myths and ancient stories. In researching these myths, I was amazed by how often ideas and themes are shared across disparate cultures and times, sometimes completely independently! It got me thinking about how connected humans are in our interpretations of the world around us, and how amazing it is that people can simultaneously and independently have the same creative thoughts.

One of the myths I came across was the Adnyamathanha story of Akurra. Like many of the myths I read about, it shared some of the motifs I am inspired by that are common in stories from around the world. Previously, I foolishly thought using the name Akurra was like using an ancient mythological name, a common trope in games. However, after more research I learned that the Akurra story is still of great significance to the Adnyamathanha people of South Australia!

When I first started this project, I never imagined that the scope of my game would grow by such a substantial amount, become surrounded by such a large and passionate community, or gain the global visibility that it has now. The trajectory of the project has risen far beyond my wildest expectations. So when I chose the name, I did not think much about the process of making that decision. I was unaware of the future potential issues and impacts of that choice.

Now, after a lot of consideration and thought, I believe that taking the name Akurra and using it for my own myth would be a form of cultural erasure. For most people in the Western world, their only exposure to it would be through my game. Since my game is not a retelling of the story of Akurra, it would influence and overwrite many people's understanding of it, and the Adnyamathanha people in South Australia and many other indigenous groups around the world already struggle enough with these kinds of issues. Changing the name might have a small negative impact on me and my game, but not changing the name could have a huge negative impact on an entire culture. The potentiality of overwriting what people understand is the story and meaning of the name Akurra is not acceptable to me.

Why Isles of Sea and Sky?

I wanted a name that captured the essence of the game, something with deep relevance to the story. I was searching for a name that could help someone imagine the themes and setting without actually seeing the game. The old name did not accomplish these goals.

I don’t like the new name, what about X or Y as an alterntaive?

It’s OK to dislike the new name, and I understand how the old one may have grown on you. However, ultimately the name doesn’t matter nearly as much as the quality of the game. The new name is final and we aren’t looking for input on alternatives or reasons not to change. I’d like to continue focusing on what matters: The game itself!

What impact will this have on the game!?

As far as the game istself, none at all! These things happen. In fact here’s an example in which the game Donut County had a name change for very similar reasons.

- Jason