A newly established studio is gearing up to explore further into their first major project.
Raiders of Blackveil
In June’s Steam Next Fest, the spotlight was on Wombo Games, a studio comprising developers known for their work across numerous popular gaming titles. Headquartered in Copenhagen and Budapest, this company employs a focused team under the leadership of Janos Flösser, who previously served as the Creative Director at Square-Enix West before becoming Wombo’s CEO.
Game Rant had a conversation with Flösser and
Raiders of Blackveil
Director Christopher Nelson before his studio’s announcement, talking about what led to the formation of Wombo and why.
Blackveil
Was the game that the studio created for their initial endeavor?
The following interview has been condensed for brevity and clarity.
Introducing Wombo Games
A: Could you tell us about yourself?
Nelson:
I’m Christopher Nelson, the game director at Wombo Games. I’ve been working with Janos for quite a while now, I think eight to nine years at this point. It’s my first time in the role of game director, but previously, I’ve worked as a game designer and as a product director and building software rather than games. I have an educational background in game development, and I’m excited to talk about the game with you.
Flösser:
I am Janos Flösser. With a extensive history in gaming, my experience also spans across television, radio, and music production, which I pursued for a decade. My academic focus was on music. I began venturing into game development around 1997-1998 when I founded IO Interactive as a studio based in Copenhagen. During this time, we worked on several titles—the standout being the most recognized one—
probably the
Hitman
series
, but we also carried out the
Kane and Lynch
series,
Mini Ninjas
, and
Freedom Fighters
.
At one stage, we offloaded our studio to Eidos Interactive based in the UK. Subsequently, they transferred ownership to SCI STI, which was later acquired by Square Enix—a major Japanese company—and led to the establishment of Square Enix West. This new entity took charge of overseeing the studios located in both the U.S. and Europe. As part of their plan, they invited me to take on the role of Chief Creative Officer. During my nearly eight-year tenure working alongside them, after which I decided to venture out independently, engaging myself in various projects until eventually founding an exceptional independent studio together with Christopher along with several members who were originally part of the core team behind Hitman.
We consist of a blend of individuals with extensive experience in gaming, dating back to the ’90s, alongside extremely gifted younger developers hailing from Scandinavia; Christopher is an example of this latter group. Our company has two offices: one based in Copenhagen and another significantly smaller office located in Budapest. Given my Hungarian heritage, collaborating closely with our Hungarian development team was natural, as they’ve been part of our journey for quite some time—three members even became official team additions recently. Currently, I am stationed in Budapest whereas Christopher works out of Copenhagen.
A: You were discussing your background as well as the history of several individuals at Wombo. The company boasts members who have been part of many prominent projects. How does the studio utilize such varied expertise?
Flösser:
What matters most to me is allowing individuals to utilize their talents fully. The group came up with an idea for a roguelike game, which led us to start experimenting with various ideas quite early on. Christopher’s primary focus—and I concur—is on evolving the project progressively and getting practical experience from the beginning. This way, we can see tangible outcomes and engage directly with them, ideally involving our audience throughout development. Consequently, whenever my vision differed from what the rest of the team proposed, more often than not, they were correct in their approach.
We ultimately landed on a distinctive take for our roguelike game, which Christopher will elaborate upon. The atmosphere and overall vibe of this title really resonate with everyone at the studio. We have a deep appreciation for concept art and mood boards, so we embraced these elements fully. Our primary objective was to see how extensively we could bring them into life within the game. Maintaining playability throughout development has been crucial as well. It seems that Christopher won’t settle until it becomes highly engaging.
The essence behind making an independent game lies in revisiting the delightful aspects of gaming. Concentrating on the positive experiences and fostering community interaction were key focuses during production. This approach led us to create the current iteration of our project.
A: How did your studio form?
Flösser:
Sure, I mentioned that among us, our Chief Technology Officer and several developers have been with IO for quite some time—three of us were part of the original founding team. In fact, we established the studio ourselves. As for the others, well, throughout my career, I’ve collaborated with around a thousand additional individuals.
Copenhagen is a hotbed for very talented game developers. We have plenty of game education courses in Copenhagen, combining the fine arts and, you know, the creative schools with the universities. IT University of Copenhagen, the Technical University of Denmark, and the Animation Workshop in Viborg, and you have the National Film School of Denmark in Copenhagen teaching gaming. And we have something called DADIU (The National Academy of Digital, Interactive Entertainment). This is the combination of all these institutions doing games, and we just match up as we go.
There are a lot of sessions and a lot of friendships across everything, and you have your preferences working with other talented guys. I’ve been working with these guys for a long time. So, at some point,
we decided to form an indie studio
And focusing specifically on this game, I believe Christopher required an activity involving others that aligned perfectly with the rogue-lite genre. Observing the development of this title, I must acknowledge that there’s room for enhancement within the roguelike category as well, which is our aim. However, it largely revolved around enjoying collaborative work and sharing a similar perspective on what constitutes a game and its creation process. Thus, the atmosphere and shared feelings harmonized effectively.
There aren’t too many individuals in the studio, yet we boast robust talent pools in areas such as art, animation, visual effects, special effects, audio production, and musical composition. Each person here wears multiple hats; for instance, Christopher handles both level design and significant aspects of game direction. Additionally, our art director contributes significantly to audio work, with audio artists often stepping into music creation roles as well. Meanwhile, those focused on community engagement balance their efforts between overseeing business operations and participating in tasks like level design and sound mixing. This setup mirrors what you’d expect from an average independent studio today, which aligns perfectly with my vision.
I prefer keeping things intimate rather than expanding further—I’ve managed large-scale studios before where, despite all the excitement, responsibilities shifted towards personnel oversight instead of direct involvement in gaming projects. That’s why returning to a smaller scale felt necessary—it brings humility along with authenticity. For me personally, Wombo embodies these values.
Q: As you pointed out about this initial game,
Raiders of Blackveil
It’s truly motivating the team and fostering unity. What makes this the ideal debut game for you?
Nelson:
I’ll provide a brief five-minute overview of the game, which should address your query as well. Our team consisted of coworkers and buddies who frequently collaborated. We found ourselves repeatedly engrossed in games from exactly three categories: MOBAs, action RPGs, and roguelikes. During discussions, we decided to combine the best elements from each of these genres into one cohesive experience.
inside of an original IP
– so a world that we could create on our own from scratch.
We ultimately chose the fast-paced roguelike style as the foundation for the whole game. Then, we incorporated strategic battle mechanics inspired by Mobile Champions, followed by integrating the captivating equipment systems seen in action role-playing games. This combination essentially formed our original concept.
Raiders of Blackveil
, and we refer to it as
RoB
. And
RoB
It’s an adrenaline-fueled roguelike experience where mastering your character and employing intricate strategies via numerous synergistic bonuses and myriad items lead to a highly gratifying gameplay filled with intense challenges and thrilling moments. Players often mention how enjoyable each second of the game is, whether they choose solo mode or team up with others in online multiplayer settings for teams of up to three players.
In a whimsical yet grim fantasy realm known as Wildguard, the game unfolds—a universe inhabited by both humans and anthropomorphized creatures who coexist uneasily. Here, humanity’s colossal industrial conglomerate, Blackveil, exploits nature and subjugates wildlife for financial gain. As a participant in an uprising led by rebellious animals, your task is to combat this oppressive force. You’ll assume the identity of one of the movement’s leaders; perhaps you might become Ironhorn, a tough rhino clad in heavy armor, or adopt the persona of Beatrice, a resourceful bee druid.
Your primary objective involves raiding various Blackveil facilities scattered around the land, with orders to disrupt operations through acts of sabotage and destruction. Additionally, gathering valuable assets from within these locations will aid in strengthening the resistance. In time, you may even have the chance to confront and dismantle the malevolent corporation’s top executive—the nefarious head honcho at Blackveil himself.
In short, the main idea behind this game revolves around animals battling ruthless industrialization. The gameplay itself is quite simple: pick one of the Blackveil operation zones you wish to confront; start by choosing your hero, assemble your squad or go alone, set the challenge level, and dive into numerous battle grounds. Here, your group must continually decide just how risky they’re willing to be during fights. After emerging victorious from these skirmishes, collect gear and supplies—these treasures will need to be secretively transported back to the resistance movement since losing means forfeiting whatever gains were made. Additionally, considering its roguelike nature, players design their character’s progression path by picking various abilities that work well together, aiming to craft unbeatable setups typical in such games.
Raiders of Blackveil
is offering
notable champions possessing unique playing styles
And personalities, along with cooperative gameplay where each champion’s role is crucial. You have the option to take on the role of a tank, healer, or damage dealer, engaging in intense battles that focus heavily on fluid combat and achieving a state of flow. The game also features evolving power dynamics through skill progression and introduces an inventive perk system akin to deck building. All of this unfolds within a distinctive universe blending somber tones with lighthearted comedy and captivating fantastical elements. Our plan is to launch the game into early access during the upcoming summer season.
Inside Raiders of Blackveil
A: Many varied genre influences can be found here.
Raiders of Blackveil
How do the various genre influences blend to form a cohesive entirety?
Nelson:
Yeah, it is a roguelike game at its core. So the entire framework is very much a roguelike. You have one life. You have to get as far as you can through as many biomes as possible until you die. And if you die, you do have to start over. And you have to make a lot of choices. The arenas are modularly generated. The ammunition counters are generated, the items you find are generated, the perks you pick up, all generated. So that’s very much, you know, the roguelike format. And we love that because it’s accessible, it’s easy to get into, and it’s dynamic, and it changes every time. The MOBA part of it is very much on the champions. So each champion has five abilities and a passive trait, and they’re all, you know, super handcrafted to give you this very particular play experience and for and to fit a very particular role inside a team, for example.
So you have the big guy with the shield, you have the stealthy assassin, you have the mage, you have the healer, etc. Of course, these characters can be taken in any direction you want, depending on the perks you select and then, finally, the action RPG element, or the more like RPG element, is the fact that you have an entire inventory system going on. You have your stash in your base, and all enemies drop items and loot and trinkets and resources, and they’re all put into your inventory – even the currency that you spend on a raid is it takes up an item slot in your inventory, and you have to constantly evaluate, what am I choosing to keep on this run, and what am I choosing to extract back to the base.
Sure! Could you please introduce the game’s winners?
Nelson:
Sure thing! Right now, our group consists of four champions: one who plays as a tank, another acting as either a healer or supporter, and two dealing out damage. For instance, the tank champion resembles a huge rhinoceros—significantly larger than his teammates. This armored behemoth fights using dual rocket-powered shields. Although primarily a close-combat fighter, this champ boasts impressive defense mechanisms too. He can provoke foes into attacking him instead, soak up incoming harm before reflecting it, create swirling vortexes to disorient opponents, and immobilize them through various stuns. Additionally, he’s adept at dragging enemies across the battleground. Essentially, he combines powerful offensive skills with robust protective ones, making him both an asset to his team and formidable when going solo.
Then we have Beatrice.
She is a bumblebee
All of our characters or champions essentially blend an intriguing fantasy role with an animal aspect. For instance, Beatrice combines elements of a bumblebee with those of a druid-type character. This means she has the ability to call forth roots from beneath the earth, release seeds which transform into turrets when activated, and also offers healing support along with providing armor and beneficial effects for her teammates.
We possess the elusive assassin—a shape-shifting killer armed with dual blades. This adept can turn invisible at will. Additionally, he has the ability to launch himself toward unsuspecting foes using his elongated appendage. We also have an acrobatic flame sorceress who moves like lightning across the battleground. She pounces from one enemy to another, setting them ablaze until they combust spectacularly.
A: What are the differences between playing solo and playing cooperatively?
Nelson:
A major design challenge we faced with this game was crafting an experience that heavily emphasizes cooperation yet still offers a standalone mode that is just as engaging—or potentially even more so—for individual players. Thus, it’s
a couple of issues that we had to tackle
. The first one was “how do you make a healer that can play solo, without anyone to heal?” And it’s going to be a little bit nerdy and detailed, but we had to come up with some creative solutions. For example, health in the game is fully restored after each combat session. That means that when you’re done with a combat arena, everyone is healed back to full, but depending on how much damage you’ve taken, you will accumulate injury. And injury makes your health pool smaller. And that means that having a healer in the team means that you can prevent this injury from accumulating, but not having a healer in the team means that you need to find another way to prevent this from accumulating. So this healer is fully viable in single-player, but it’s a great benefit to have in multiplayer.
The same with a tank, for example, a tank is just super beefy in single-player, maybe does a little less damage, but just has greater overall survivability. And the damage dealers, of course, you have to play quite a lot more carefully, or you have to – this is getting to the perks of the game–you have to choose the perks that can kind of substitute for the lack of a healer or of a tank. So you can choose very defensive perks, or you can choose perks that allow you to mitigate this injury mechanic or heal yourself up during combat. Other than that, I would say that it’s very much like the same experience, actually, single-player and multiplayer. We made it a goal to do that.
Q: Could you share some of your preferred benefits?
Raiders of Blackveil
?
Nelson:
My top favorites among the perks are the ones with double functionalities. In this game, there are eight distinct character classes, each one rooted in classic fantasy archetypes. These include roles like mages, warriors, guardians, priests, druids, monks, and warlocks. Every class comes equipped with specific abilities and conditions associated with them. For instance, the assassin-specific perks allow for both critical hits and poisoning foes. Mages possess powers over ice and fire, freezing or burning opponents respectively. Meanwhile, warlocks excel at cursing adversaries and conjuring creatures from thin air.
Obtaining perks implies receiving numerous opportunities for various status effects. With many mage perks at your disposal, you can ignite anything around you easily. However, the truly fascinating aspect lies within the dual perks when combined between different classes. These combinations create remarkable interactions and outcomes where setting up one element often leads to another effect; hence my comparison to deck-building games. Each setup has a probability of stunning enemies, which also increases their likelihood of shooting fireballs indiscriminately.
For instance, the legendary mage perk involving meteors falling from the heavens is incredible, as it ensures that both frost and fire meteors continually descend from above. Additionally, you could acquire another perk which causes enemies ignited by these meteors to launch a fireball towards a close-by foe. However, the real enchantment lies in how you combine various perks and design your overall character setup.
Q: Could you elaborate a bit more?
Raiders of Blackveil
‘s setting?
Nelson:
You’ll find yourself aboard the rebellion’s airship named Liberator, floating over a world known as Wildguard. It’s here within the heart of the rebellion that you engage with key figures like merchants, smugglers, and mystics—each offering access to exclusive perks and perk categories. Additionally, you meet the rebel commander seated on their throne, capable of enhancing different aspects of your faction. Thus, during breaks between missions, you relax in this cozy setting filled with ambient warmth, flickering fires, and soothing tunes. However, when duty calls, you venture off towards an operational site located in Blackveil; our initial focus being one such critical area.
the [Steam] Next Fest
will become the meat processing plant.
This location serves as a site where Blackveil produces rather subpar food for the global population of Wildguard. The process is highly mechanized, resulting in large-scale production that compromises the quality across the board. Moreover, these practices lack both morality and ethics. This area is grimy and filthy—let’s call it ‘production-oriented.’ Picture numerous conveyer belts and massive machinery everywhere. During your mission, you will battle against Blackveil Corporation staff and their robotic counterparts. These automatons carry out tasks and contribute to the food manufacturing within what can only be described as an abattoir. Additionally, you’ll confront high-ranking officials from Blackveil. Facing off against the chief culinary officer—who acts as the ultimate boss in this section—and other pivotal figures from the company forms part of your challenge within this setting.
The Outlook for Wombo and Blackveil
A: What is the current status of the path leading up to the release date?
Nelson:
We’re planning to feature the game at Steam Next Fest this upcoming June. Everyone’s extremely enthusiastic about launching the game and tying up all loose ends. A tight deadline is fast approaching, so we’ve been pushing hard in the studio lately. Our focus now is primarily on rigorous testing and refining, with an eye towards Early Access. This involves incorporating additional content such as new features, extra bonuses, and introducing another mini-boss, while also locking down which elements will not make it into the subsequent test version.
What do you have planned after the early access release?
Nelson:
Sure, we’re getting close to launching the early access phase for our game. We’re reaching out to players who’d like to contribute to shaping its development moving forward, and we welcome everyone to join us in this process.
take community input
, exactly as it should function. We aim to hear feedback and tweak the game accordingly, moving it in what we believe is the correct direction, all while integrating input from our community. Additionally, we plan to introduce new features such as an efficient perk system enabling us to swiftly add numerous perks. Our objective includes adding fresh biomes, specifically those left for the Blackveil missions, along with a concluding biome eventually.
final
Boss, our aim is also to introduce numerous additional champions. Designing and building these champions has been incredibly enjoyable for us.
A: Is Wombo developing any additional projects?
Flösser:
Not at the moment.
Is there anything else that both of you would like to include?
Flösser:
After being focused on brand building, it’s nice to meet the world out there, as getting to hear from audiences is always super exciting. You never know if you hit it right, despite being super excited about, you know, the game as it develops. But, yeah, I mean, be a bit humble about expectations, because you never know. We’ve seen all of it, but it feels – it feels right at the moment. It feels right. And just focusing on getting it to a place of quality where it will entertain, that’s the focus, I guess, and we can take it from there. You know, it’s easier to make plans once you make real money and are successful. Until then, it’s one big dream, which is totally what we go for.
Nelson:
I think I would just add that if it’s not apparent – and I know this is a very common thing – but
it’s such a passion project for us
We’re incredibly delighted to reach this point where we can finally launch our project. Our team feels extremely enthusiastic about the universe we’ve crafted, along with the blend of gameplay elements which, in my opinion, offers a fresh perspective and introduces innovative aspects to the genre.
Flösser:
The enjoyable aspect is observing both invited testers and audiences diving into the game. Sometimes, players spend up to four or five consecutive hours engaged with it, which suggests that things are going well. It’s truly delightful. Personally, I’ve tried it too. Our viewers include many young participants who frequently send emails expressing their excitement about the upcoming release. Witnessing this enthusiasm makes it clear that the game resonates strongly with everyone involved. This feedback indicates that the project is on track and should be available for broader testing very shortly.
[END]