In the midst of layoffs and studio closures, it is refreshing to read about a team of developers who come together to form a new studio. This time, it is former Mediatonic Games developers who have come together to form a new studio called Kindred Spirit Games.
The studio was founded by Megan Ralph and Joel Herber, both of whom had previously worked together at Mediatonic Games and Land & Sea. Herber announced the new studio on LinkedIn on June 5, 2024.
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“After quietly working behind the scenes for the past 6 months, we’re thrilled to finally reveal our new studio… We are Kindred Spirit Games!” Herber wrote. “A brand new indie game studio co-founded by industry veterans Megan Ralph & Joel Herber”.
“With a combined 20 years of experience, we’ve been department leads on acclaimed titles such as Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout as well as L.A. Noire and the upcoming indie game Summerhill the Alto’s Adventure series. Now, we’re channelling our passion and expertise into our debut title, and we can’t wait to share updates on our progress and show you what we’ve been working on.”
Herber worked as a lead client engineer at Mediatonic Games from 2018 to 2020 before moving to Land & Sea where he played the role of lead programmer from 2020 to 2022. Ralph has more robust experience in the gaming industry.
After working as lead level designer at Mediatonic Games between 2019 and 2021, Ralph moved to Ninja Theory where she played the role of senior experience designer from 2021 to 2022 before joining her current business partner at Land & Sea where she played the role of senior game designer.
Kindred Spirit Games is working on a debut title
The studio’s LinkedIn page is still scanty. However, it appears the studio was created six months ago. Only the two founders are the accounts linked to the page suggesting that the co-founders may be working on their debut title by themselves or in the process of hiring talents to join them on the project.
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“Kindred Spirit Games is a new studio founded by long-standing industry professionals,” read the studio description on their website.
While the name of the debut game the founders of Kindred Spirit Games are working on has yet to be revealed, GameBaba Universe hovered over the only image on the website and the text “SlicedConcept” was displayed, suggesting the name or working title of their debut game may be “Sliced”.
We will continue to follow Kindred Spirit Games and cheer for their success as we eagerly await the official announcement of their debut game.
Update 6 June 2024
We reached out to Herber and he informed us that the Sliced on the image on their website has nothing to do with their upcoming debut game. He further provided us with a Press Kit that gave a bit more insights about Kindred Spirit Games. Their mission read;
“Kindred Spirit Games was born from a shared dream to create games for an underserved market, specifically women who desire a core gameplay experience coupled with an emphasis on elements relevant and engaging to them like strong narrative and multilayered characters. The studio aims to set a new standard for a healthier, more creative, and more productive studio culture by focusing on strong communication, emotional maturity, and sustainable growth.”
In terms of what to expect, the new studio said;
“The studio is currently in the prototyping phase of their debut title. While details are still under wraps, Megan and Joel promise a game that channels their passion and expertise into an experience that will captivate and challenge players.”
