How to Get a School Project Published by a Studio
Here's how we crossed that tough line of getting our indie game published!
We created a deeply atmospheric horror game that we dreamed about. With a lot of perserverance, you can do it too.
We’ve all had that game idea, the one that comes up at 2 AM with friends, deep in debate over mechanics, gameplay loops, or just passionately arguing about what the final boss should wear. By the end of it, everyone agrees: this would be a masterpiece. But turning that late-night brainstorm (and probably a few beers) into an actual, playable game? That’s where the real quest begins.
We were a naive team of eight students, four designers and four artists, randomly grouped together in school. As anyone who’s survived a group project can tell you, ending up with people you actually know, let alone friends, is nothing short of a miracle.
Comparison over Out of Sight's development
If you had told us back then (three years ago) that our 2 AM idea, Out of Sight, would be launching to the world in less than a month, we probably would’ve laughed, cried, and then asked what you were drinking. Sure, we loved the concept and totally fell for the eerie, atmospheric little world we built, but it was a scrappy school project, the kind you pull all-nighters for, powered by instant noodles and questionable energy drinks. And let’s be honest, the games industry isn’t exactly known for handing out dream jobs with a gold ribbon. It’s tough, it’s crowded, and we were just students with a dream.
Things started to shift when Out of Sight casually swept the Swedish Game Awards, taking home Game of the Year, Gamer’s Choice, Best Design, and Best Art. That’s when it hit us: maybe this wasn’t just a student project anymore.
Winning gave us the chance to pitch the game at an investment event, where one of the founders of The Gang happened to be in the audience. As luck would have it, one of our team members was already interning there, and after the pitch, they reached out.
From there, we dove into a whirlwind of pitching rounds and industry events. We made connections, had a lot of exciting conversations, and started looking for the right match, a partner that believed in both our concept and our team.
When we began, we didn’t know how to make a “real” game. It was a lot of trial and error, finding our rhythm, shaping the vision, learning what the full game wanted to be. As the team grew, we found the structure, tools, and skills we needed to build everything ourselves.
Then: Eight students with a wild idea and a whole lot of hope.
Now: Thirteen game developers, with desks buried in figurines and coffee mugs, and a deep sense of pride in what we’ve created together.
Over the past few years, we’ve somehow turned our scrappy little school project into a fully-fledged, real-life video game. Our baby grew up! After nearly a year of refining the direction, we had a clear vision and the technical know-how to make it happen. Once our vertical slice got the green light from stakeholders at The Gang, we went all-in on building the final version.
There were, of course, hiccups. Last-minute decisions pushed deadlines, tensions flared, and our calendars wept, but it was all in service of the game. One surprise? The length. We started with a goal in mind and ended up nearly doubling it. No regrets!
The biggest lesson? Swing for the fences. Stay consistent. Spam your project to every inbox you can find. You’ll get ghosted more times than you’d like to admit, but wear it like a badge of honor. Each unanswered email gets you one step closer to that breakthrough moment.
We can’t wait to finally share our dream with you.
Out of Sight has come a long way, but at the core, we’re still the same Gang. And yes, Sophie and Teddy are still right here with us.
Get Out of Sight on Steam on May 22nd.
Also, get even deeper into the horror atmosphere with a special Out of Sight audio preset, available on SteelSeries GG via Sonar.
Thirteen game developers, with desks buried in figurines and coffee mugs, and a deep sense of pride in what they created together.
