Christophe De bont 
09/05/2018Regulars of this blog probably know all about the likes of Larian, Happy Volcano and I-Illusions. The latter’s Space Pirate Trainer bagged yet another award this weekend and while that’s amazing news, we also want to put the spotlight on new and upcoming talent. Here’s three new Flemish studios you probably haven’t heard about yet.
First up is FlowVR, a new VR studio headed up by software developer Timothy Freyne. Their first game Deadly Cryptids puts you in tense shoot-out scenarios, where you’ll have to move every inch of your body to survive. Be ready to keep one eye on the enemy and one eye on the stock market though: as a bizarre gimmick, the difficulty of the game goes up and down with the stock of popular cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. Deadly Cryptids is out for HTC Vive, with a PS VR and Oculus Touch version in the works.
Marie’s Room recently showed there’s an audience for Belgian made narrative experiences and that’s exactly what Shuttle to the Sun aims to bring to the Belgian Games Industry table. Partly born out of a certain frustration with not finding a writer’s or narrative design gig at a Belgian studio, Kilian Biscop and his fellow founding crew members are fuelled with a burning passion and perseverance to succeed. They are currently preparing a crowdfunding campaign for their debut game.
Last but not least there’s Poppins & Wayne. The new venture of Wim Wouters and Yasmin Van de Werf. Once upon a time the driving forces behind GRiN, the couple isn’t exactly new to the industry, but Poppins & Wayne is the start of a new story. One where narrative meets technology to create memorable experiences, like Peacecraft. This serious game aims to broaden the understanding of the refugee crisis by putting high school kids in the shoes of a peer fleeing their war-torn home.
