The Last Waltz: The Story Behind The Most Beautiful Sport Of All
DigitallyDownloaded.net is thrilled to announce The Last Waltz, a visual novel about the people who commit their lives to a truly unique combination of art form and sport.
Dancesport athletes don’t compete at the Olympics. The world championships aren’t broadcast on television. Most people wouldn’t know if they passed a champion dancer on the street. And yet you would be hard-pressed to find people more passionate and committed to what they do than dancesport athletes.
Their story is the focus of this game. You don’t need to know anything about dancing to play The Last Waltz and walk away with the understanding of just what these athletes sacrifice for their sheer passion for dancing.
In fact, you may just be inspired to look up the nearest dance studio in your area to try it for yourself!
About the Game
Spanning a 20-year career in competitive ballroom dancing (i.e. dancesport), The Last Waltz is the first visual novel about this wonderful, high-energy, visually intense sport (at least, as far as we can tell).
Through it, you’ll follow the story of DigitallyDownloaded.net’s mascot, Danica (Dee Dee), and her dance partner, Micah, from the first days of their partnership, right through to their final dance, many years later.
It is a story of highs and lows, with an intense focus on one of the most complex and dynamic relationships in sport.
The Last Waltz is an opportunity to see dancers in action, thanks to its unique use of real dance footage, blended into the anime aesthetics created by some of the finest independent artists. It’s an opportunity to hear the music they dance to, with an all-original and authentic soundtrack.
And it’s a chance to fall in love with a sport where the journey to become the best in the world is its own reward.
Features of The Last Waltz
Not everyone has seen dancesport in action before. You don’t need to, because you’re going to see plenty of it as you read through The Last Waltz’s deep story.
The Last Waltz features more than 30 minutes of video performance by real dancers, showcasing the ten different dances that dancesport athletes train in for competition. See what each dance looks like when performed at its best by top professionals. By the end of it, you’ll know the difference between a Cha Cha and Paso, Waltz and Foxtrot.
Then strap yourself in for a 20-year journey that takes you through all the highlights of a dancesport career, both on and off the dance floor. It’s a story filled with laughter, tears, joy and frustration that takes Dee Dee and Micah from the most humble of origins right through to the elite competition of their sport.
The Last Waltz is a full-scale visual novel, supported by some of the most talented up-and-coming music and visual artists. Key features include:
- 10 chapters, covering an entire sporting career for two athletes.
- Over 30 gorgeous key art CGs, showcasing both the dynamics of dancesport, and life off the dance floor for these athletes.
- Dozens of backgrounds and costumes for all the characters.
- Comic art too, to show a lighter side!
- A full, original soundtrack featuring more than 35 pieces of music. It’s all real dancesport music that you can jive, samba, quickstep and rumba to!
- Real footage of professional dancers and dancesport competitions.
Sign up for updates on the game
The Last Waltz releases on PC – and potentially other platforms – in 2025. Sign up to the newsletter below for updates on the game as the release gets closer, including the platforms it will be available on, details of a special limited edition, pricing, and more.
The Talent Behind The Last Waltz
The Last Waltz is written and produced by DigitallyDownloaded.net Editor-in-Chief, Matt Sainsbury. This is a story he’s been mulling in his head (and procrastinating on) for more than ten years.
Thankfully, the art and music has not been done by Matt – you really don’t want to see or hear that. To deliver on his vision, he’s pulled together a team of highly talented independent artists and musicians who really make those words come to life:
The art team:
- Character designs and key CG art: Weiphe (@weiphe_arts): Gallery
- Background art and character costumes: WhiteNamikaze: Gallery
- Comics, logo and interface design: Ray N: Instagram
The music team:
More art from The Last Waltz:
We look forward to seeing you on the dance floor in 2025!