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When We Made...


Vince Pavey talks to Josh Grier, COO and co-founder at Ember Lab about turning an animation studio into a video game studio and developing a hit video game all at once, as the pair avoid evil spirits


K 54 | MCV/DEVELOP February/March 2024


ena: Bridge of Spirits is a game that was one of PlayStation’s biggest exclusive releases of 2021, but at the start of its development, the team behind the title had never even attempted a game before. An animation studio changing its production strategy and putting its focus on another medium could’ve been a disastrous move, but the team at Ember Lab somehow pulled it off. The final game is a well-paced action adventure that combines fast paced combat while provoking a feeling of exploration, challenging puzzles, and high- quality filmic storytelling. It is however, one that is a fair


amount shorter than its contemporaries (which frankly in a time where many releases are feeling bloated and padded-out is a welcome change) and it turns out even that is by design. “We set out to make a story-focused, action adventure game in a smaller but AAA quality package, and we pitched an experience that was digestible – something you could complete in a weekend, but with high quality visuals and really fun gameplay,” says Josh Grier, COO and co-founder at Ember Lab. “All in all, we stayed true to that pitch. Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a story driven adventure game, with rich


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