worlds that welcome players. They offer chilled out, contemplative experiences that focus on telling stories with sensitivity and standout aesthetics. Our games are often surprising too in their depth and nuance of emotional storytelling; both games on the surface appear to be simple adventure games, but underneath are stories of loss, grief, love, happiness and hope. We’re also really passionate about accessibility, and we spend a great deal of time considering how best to build games that players of all different circumstances can enjoy. Our stories are universal, so we feel our players should be too.
What are your hopes for both games? RM: Our biggest hope is that these games create the opportunity to fulfill our OIP ambitions. We want to build a passionate fanbase that loves our stories and wants to support our team and studio message. We want to continue building bigger and better games that set the standard for effective storytelling and player accessibility. Finally we want to help other studios and content creators tell their own stories by providing business mentorship, development support, and game publishing, all from within HLG.
How has development been across your recent projects, especially during what’s been a difficult couple of years? SM: We have been incredibly fortunate to have weathered such a difficult time and not only survived but thrived
throughout it. We had a very smooth transition to a remote working setup in March 2020 and have continued to work from home throughout the entire pandemic. We have seen substantial growth in all areas of the business but not without its challenges. Rob and I both see games development as a collaborative art and working in isolation isn’t the ideal formula for creative success. We are only now just welcoming the team back to the office gradually and already seeing the in-person collaboration and creative bolster our team’s output.
What has been the biggest challenge for the studio over the last eight years, and how was it overcome? RM: I think the most challenging thing has been maintaining a true set of values and culture within the studio over eight years of change. We’ve grown a huge amount over the years as the team increased, projects became bigger and clients more prestigious. No matter how much has changed though, we’ve stuck true to our vision of creating a stable business that puts people first and provides secure and fulfilling careers for our staff. The studio is still independent; the owners are right there with everyone else working day-to-day, and this has allowed us to build the studio we want it to be, not the one that the industry says it should be.
Apart from your games output, what are you most proud of as a studio? What has been a personal highlight? SM: Hyper Luminal’s team values and culture sit above everything we do. We make many games as a studio, but we only have one team. Working together, looking out for each other, and pushing each other’s creative boundaries is at the heart of what we do. We invest heavily in skills development across the team and truly understand reward and growth within the studio. I’m incredibly proud of the team we have built at Hyper Luminal Games and I think our continued success through one of the most challenging periods of business in recent times is testament to the commitment and passion our team have for the studio and all the games that we produce.
36 | MCV/DEVELOP May 2022
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