Tora Edizioni and Little Sewing Machine Together for Bye Sweet Carole
An editorial partnership for the Italian video game created by Chris Darril
Tora Edizioni and Little Sewing Machine announce the start of a partnership dedicated to the editorial development of Bye Sweet Carole, the work created by Chris Darril that in recent months has marked one of the most significant milestones for Italian video games on the international scene.
The agreement is born with a precise objective: to expand the narrative world of Bye Sweet Carole, strengthen its central themes, and accompany its characters beyond the boundaries of the video game, through a line of publications designed for the Italian and international markets.
The project arrives at a particularly significant moment. Bye Sweet Carole won the Webby Award 2026 in the Games - Independent Creator category, a result also indicated by the specialized press as a historic first for an Italian video game. This recognition and important step for Italian excellence further enhances the title's international journey.
Bye Sweet Carole's journey had already entered a rare dimension for an Italian production with its nomination for the Annie Awards in the Best Character Animation - Video Game category, alongside major international productions, one of which is Death Stranding 2: On the Beach.
Created by Chris Darril, developed by Little Sewing Machine, and distributed by Maximum Entertainment, Bye Sweet Carole is a hand-drawn narrative adventure, built in the style of classic animated films, with a creepy component. The story follows Lana Benton in search of Carole Simmons, between the Bunny Hall orphanage and the fantastic Kingdom of Corolla.
Behind the dark fairy tale facade, the work addresses profound themes: emancipation, human rights, loneliness, loss, bullying, and social silences. Xbox Wire described Bye Sweet Carole as a narrative experience that goes beyond entertainment, while Darril spoke of the game as a modern fairy tale, born from the encounter between classic animation, childhood memory, and survival horror.
The partnership between Tora Edizioni and Little Sewing Machine starts from this material: an already recognizable universe, already inhabited by strong characters, already traversed by themes that can support new narrative forms. It's not just about bringing Bye Sweet Carole to paper, but about building a coherent editorial expansion, capable of deepening the lore, characters, and emotional lines of the original work.
In the coming months, the first editorial projects related to Bye Sweet Carole will be announced, along with a dedicated roadmap that will include formats, release dates, and international partners involved.
With this collaboration, Tora Edizioni continues its work on the relationship between publishing, video games, and international imaginaries. After projects related to major properties such as Street Fighter, Arcane, and Death Stranding, the Italian publishing house embarks on a journey with a work born in Italy and already capable of speaking beyond its borders.
The original artwork attached to this press release was created by artist Michela Cacciatore to mark the beginning of the new editorial project dedicated to Bye Sweet Carole.