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South Park: The Fractured But Whole

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This page details pre-release information and/or media for South Park: The Fractured But Whole.

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Not long after the critical and commercial success of South Park: The Stick of Truth, Matt Stone and Trey Parker decided to partner up with Ubisoft and start working on a sequel. The game was originally called South Park: The Butthole of Time, however publishers didn't approve of the word "butthole" in the title, which lead to Matt Stone coming up with the title "The Fractured but Whole". Development most likely started around 2015, and was going to be released on the 6th of December, 2016, however it was delayed many times, which lead to the game being released on the 17th of October, 2017.

2015#

Watch on YouTubeThe game was first announced via an animated trailer on the 16th of June, 2015, which means development most likely started around this time.

2016#

June 13#

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On June 13, 2016, some snippets of gameplay were released. Given how early the build is, there are a TON of differences:

  • The combat in general appears very sloppy and unfinished.
  • The combat UI looks completely different.
  • The range icons for the powers don't exist.
  • The first clip shows the cut fight against the Peppermint Hippo Bouncer, where the New Kid is accompanied by Mysterion.
  • Mysterion's 2nd power is different. It appears to be some sort of lobbed power, where he would throw a dirty underwear at an enemy.
  • Super Craig's 3rd power is different. It was originally called Zero Fucks Given, and would give Super Craig some Shields when used. Strangely, in the trailer it's marked as an offensive power.
  • The animation for Super Craig's first power is different. He shoves the enemy instead of punching them.
  • The fight against the Cooks also has quite a few differences:
    • The door is on the left side instead of the right.
    • Wonder Tweek's 3rd power is different. He would've most likely used coffee instead of water to heal allies.
    • The Cooks have different timeline portraits.
    • Wonder Tweek's 1st power works differently. Lightning is summoned in a straight line instead of a T shape, and it doesn't give Shocked to enemies.
  • The Strippers have different idle animations.
  • This trailer showcases the unused Skip Timefart, which puts you and your allies in front of the timeline. The Timefart also has a completely different effect.
  • The Speedster's Ultimate animation is completely different.

August 17#

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A playable demo was made available at Gamescom in around August, which was also given out to some YouTubers. Once again, there are a lot of differences:

  • The Ubisoft logo at the beginning is different.
  • The title screen's background and music are completely different: the background was originally a video of The Coon looking over South Park, which can still be found in the final game, unused. The music is also unused, but can be heard in the also unused "fpp_startmenu" menu, which also mentions this video of The Coon.
  • The loading screen is completely different and rather bland.
  • The text "PRE-ALPHA GAMEPLAY" can be seen on the bottom throughout the game, which is still present in the files of the final game.
  • The Mission notification (which can also be found unused in the final game) also looks completely different and more basic compared to the final version. The sound effect is a phone buzzing sound instead of a generic swish.
  • The loot notification is, once again, completely different. Every component item originally had their own icon, which was changed to the generic component item icons.
  • Lianne Cartman is standing near the table instead of sitting on the sofa.
  • The graphics and sound effects for the Keypad minigame are different.
  • A recipe for a cut item appears on the 2nd floor of the house: the Cappucino Enema. The graphic still exists in the files.
  • There's no toilet minigame, instead it's just a short animation like in Stick of Truth.
  • There's no animation for opening doors.
  • The camera doesn't zoom in on Cartman's closet when it's opened.
  • Cartman's journal is on the ground instead of behind a broken lamp on the shelf.
  • The drawings in Cartman's journal seem to be censored in-game.
  • The UI showing the passcode looks completely different.
  • The custcene inside of the Coon Lair reveals a different version of the story. Instead of them searching for Scrambles, they were searching for someone in the town who had a connection with Netflix.
  • Everyone stays in the Coon Lair after the cutscene. In the final game everyone leaves.
  • Faspass can be seen replying to The Coon after he tells the New Kid he can't play, which doesn't happen in the final game.
  • The texture on Cartman's iPad shows an earlier version of the Character Sheet.
  • The Class selection menu has a ton of differences:
    • The general design is different. This version can be found in the final game, unused.
    • The Brutalist's 3rd power was originally called Muscle Flex, however the text for it seems to describe the final version of the power.
    • The Blasters' 2nd and 3rd powers were different: Plasma Lance was originally the 1st power, and would inflict Burning, Gamma Wave was called Brown Dwarf, which would apply Marked and knock back enemies and Rad Burn was called Plasma Lance.
    • The Speedster's 2nd power was originally called Resonance.
    • Only the Speedster and Brutalist have their class portraits finalized, the rest are different.
    • The two cut classes, the Mystic and Demonchild appear here.
    • The Plantmancer class is known as Commander at this point.
    • Martial Artist is known as Karate Kid.
    • The Brutalist's and Blaster's default costumes are completely different.
  • The fight transition is different: the characters walk to their positions instead of being teleported there off-screen.
  • The New Kid's old house appears to be unfinished or untextured
  • The battle grid for the backstory fight is a straight line.
  • The effects for the Speedster's powers are different.
  • The Ultimate meter is different.
  • Cartman's dialogue after the backstory is different.
  • The text "later that day.." appears before the next part of the demo starts. This menu is still present in the final game.
  • Bartles (the Sixth Grader you fight when going to Craig's house) can be seen walking around the overworld.
  • A crosswalk can be seen in front of the Photo Dojo, which was removed from the final game.
  • The marker for Fartkour areas was originally a pile of trash instead of a pinwheel.
  • The box from the top of the pink building was removed.
  • NPCs sometimes stop walking and start texting on their phones, a feature that was removed from the final game.
  • Human Kite and Mysterion have different idle aniamtions.
  • The 3rd powers for both Super Craig and Human Kite are locked. They were most likely going to be unlocked via the cut "loyalty" missions.
  • Super Craig's Shiny Hate Finger power gives him Shields instead of Block.
  • Tupperware's Tupper Tornado doesn't do Knockback.
  • The inspection mode looks completely different:
    • The combat objective says "Stop the Intruders!"
    • Originally, every character had their own levels and classes, which would be displayed in the inspection menu. This was removed in the final game.
  • The animation for Mysterion's Dread Rush power looks different.
  • While it's not shown in this video, Human Kite's Jetstream power (then called Galvanizing Gust) worked differently. Instead of pulling back allies in a straight line, it would only heal one ally, similarly to his 3rd power, Galvanizing Gust.
  • There's no transition after the battle ends.
  • The demo ends with a "thank you!" screen, which can still be found in the final game.

2017#

May 17#

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A short trailer was released months after missing the initial release date of December 6, 2016.

  • The second day's news cutscene was different. It originally started off with the Channel 4 News logo (which is still in the final game). The reporter is seen standing on the Main Street instead of outside the Peppermint Hippo. The dialogue is also different.
  • The fart effect and sound at 0:09 are different.
  • A different version of the Cooks fight can be seen at 0:10, which looks more like the final version, however there are still some small differences.
  • An unused design for the Bum Swarmers can be seen at 0:24.
  • The background for Tupperware's Ultimate animation is slightly different.
  • The cut Bike Creek area can be seen at 0:46, 0:57 and 1:10.
  • An early version of what appears to be Mosquito's Ultimate can be seen at 0:47.
  • The New Kid can be seen reacting to Mosquito's Skeeter Swarm power.
  • The background for Fastpass' ultimate is different.
  • The effect for Fastpass' Blind Side power is different.
  • One of the cutscenes for SM64 can be seen at around 0:56.
  • An earlier version of Toolshed's Ultimate can be seen at 1:00.
  • The ally version of Doctor Timothy appears in one of the clips.
  • The Mephesto cutscene shows honey badgers and porcupines alongside the cats.
  • An early version of Captain Diabetes' Ultimate can be seen for a split second at 1:12.
  • Butters' dialogue at 1:15 is a tiny bit different.

June 12#

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Another trailer was released almost a month later.

  • The effect for Fastpass' 3rd power at 0:16 is different.
  • The brown-haired cop at 0:17 has a different idle animation, and the unused black-haired cop also makes an appearance.
  • For some reason, at 0:18, when Human Kite attacks, Call Girl's "Hiya!" line can be heard.

E3 Demo#

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Walkthrough of the E3 demo was released on Ubisoft's channel on the same day.

  • A different version of the loot pop-up can be seen on the top right of the screen at 0:46.
  • A different version of the mission pop-up can be seen at 1:59, which features a unique night version of the Coon and Friends logo.
  • The combat objective for the fight again the VIP Johns referrs to them as "VIP Clients".
  • Early effects for the Slow (also known as Encumbered) status effect can be seen at 7:29.
  • The archetype icons for the powers are in a different artstyle.
  • The icon for the Elementalist's Sand Trap power is different, and was called Venus Dirt Trap originally.
  • The icon for Captain Diabetes' 2nd power is different, and his Insulin Shock power was originally the Brawn type instead of Spunk.
  • There's no combat outro screen.
  • The component icons are different.

August 22#

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For some reason, part 2 was released a month later.

  • The title screen shows Captain Diabetes staring at the Peppermint Hippo. The assets for the menu are still in the final game and can be accessed easily.
  • Interestingly, at 2:13, buyback and return are options in the shop menu, which would've most likely functioned the same way as it did in The Stick of Truth. This feature was removed from the final game.
  • Early names for some apps can be seen at 4:04, which include: DropStuff, an early name for the Inventory, SUITup, an early name for Costumes, COONstagram, with different capitalization, and Craftsy, an early name for Crafting.
  • When opened, the Crafting app displayed the word "Craftsy" on the right, which was removed.
  • The icons for interacting with doors and chests are transparent
  • At 6:39, instead of the bar being converted into XP, a star appeared next to it.

October 17#

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A trailer that was released on the same day as the game.

  • The nose on The Coon's mask appears to be glitched.
  • A clip from SM64 can be seen at 0:46.

DLCs#

From Dusk till Casa Bonita#

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A trailer for the DLC was uploaded on the same day it came out. Despite this, most (if not all) of the clips appear to originate from earlier versions of the DLC.

  • At 0:10 and 0:42, an early version of the cutscene at the main gate can be seen, which is still in the final game, albeit unused.
  • At 0:19, the Mariachi band can be seen in the background. In the final game, they run away when the battle starts.
  • At 0:11, 0:20, 0:38 and 0:50 an early version of the summit can be seen. It appears to be smaller, and the exit was originally on the back of the mountain instead of the side.
  • At 0:21, an early version of the Black Vamp cutscene can be seen. In the final game, he runs towards the camera and the Vamp Kids don't put their fists up.
  • Henrietta's model seems to be the same as her base game model. Her fishnets are completely black.
  • At 0:50, an early version of the back room can be seen, which appears a lot brighter.
  • At 1:03, an early version of the ending cutscene can be seen, which has different dialogue.