Former developers from Q-Games and Chuhai Labs have teamed up to open a brand new indie game studio in Kyoto, Japan.
Denkiworks was founded by Liam Edwards, Jan de Graaf, and Taku Arioka. All three devs met while working on the mobile version of PixelJunk Scrappers at Q-Games in 2018. Edwards then later left to work on a brand new IP, 2022’s critically-acclaimed Cursed to Golf. The studio was formed after the release of the golfing roguelike with the aim to create “innovative indie titles with a unique feel and ”East meets West” perspective.”
While the company was founded in 2023, the trio wanted to establish their roots after first meeting in 2018, hence being “established” five years earlier. And not only that, the studio is already working on its first game, codenamed ‘Project Tanuki’.
We think, given those lovely headshots, that the studio’s first codename is pretty appropriate. The studio’s name comes from the Japanese word “denki”, which can mean electricity, but can also be used to convey a “spark of creativity”, which certainly fits the team’s ethos.
Co-founder Edwards reveals that the team are “so excited” to finally unveil the studio to the world, and shared that the company’s first title is “inspired by our experiences of life in Japan, coming from an expat and native perspective… It’s essentially a love letter to this country and its beautiful culture.”
De Graaf recalls that the three “joked” when they worked on PixelJunk Scrappers that they’d reunite and make a game together. “I don’t think we actually thought it would happen, but here we are…”. Arioka revealed that the trio “needed to take ourselves out of our comfort zone” as they had “so many ideas and needed complete creative freedom”, and Denkiworks will allow them that.
Given how much we enjoyed Cursed to Golf and have been looking forward to PixelJunk Scrappers Deluxe dropping on Switch, we’re excited to see what Denkiworks has in store for us.