OutOfTheBit is an independent game development studio known for creating retro-inspired games that blend classic arcade aesthetics with modern gameplay. Founded in 2008 and based in London, UK, the studio has gained a reputation for making accessible, fun, and engaging games for a broad audience. Their portfolio includes titles for mobile (iOS and Android), PC, and consoles. We had the chance to talk to them about their most ambitious project yet, Nanuka: Secret of the Shattering Moon.
At the helm of OutOfTheBit is Ali Motisi, the Lead Developer and Director. The creative visual aspects of their games are brought to life by Leo Halwart and Tom Cullen, both talented Pixel Artists and Animators. The studio’s success is also supported by Rosalia Trupiano, who handles PR and Marketing, while Robyn Powell composes music for their games.
OutOfTheBit’s philosophy focuses on creating games that are accessible, nostalgic, and community-oriented. They design games that are easy to pick up and play, appealing to both casual and dedicated gamers. By drawing inspiration from classic arcade and board games, they attract players who love retro gaming. Many of their games also feature online multiplayer modes and leaderboards.
On of their most standout title is the puzzle platformer Full Void. Full Void transports you to a grim, dystopian world where an oppressive regime has taken control. The protagonist, a young child, must navigate through dangerous environments filled with obstacles and enemies. The game’s narrative unfolds through environmental storytelling, with minimal dialogue, allowing you to piece together the story as you progress. The game, has in fact been well-received by players and critics, praised for its atmospheric storytelling, challenging puzzles, and beautiful pixel art.
Next year, the team will launch their new game, Nanuka: Secret of the Shattering Moon. In this game, you control Nanuka as she explores diverse environments, solves puzzles, and battles enemies. The game emphasizes exploration with hidden secrets and collectibles that enhance the story and provide depth to the game world.
OutOfTheBit studio was founded in 2008. Looking back at your portfolio, which game are you most proud of?
It definitely feels like a lifetime ago when Ali Motisi (Founder, Director, and Lead Developer of OutOfTheBit) started making apps for the newly released App Store, with his laptop as his only asset! We’re proud of every single game we’ve developed, but if we have to pick, we’d say our proudest mobile app is the rhythm game Planet Quest. It was our first original project and even won a few awards for us.
When it comes to what projected us into the indie scene, our first games for PC and consoles, Super Arcade Football and Super Arcade Racing, stand out. Both are labors of passion, inspired by our love for retro games like Sensible Soccer and Micro Machines. With those games, we wanted to create something that captures that same nostalgic vibes.
At the same time, it’s hard to convey just how incredibly proud our latest release, Full Void made us. The game was extremely well-received by the community, who showed so much love for it and for us, and the accolades it earned truly validated our efforts.
OutOfTheBit is renowned for creating pixel art and hand-animated games. Why did you choose this approach, despite it being more time-consuming?
We choose pixel art and hand animation because we love the creative freedom they give us. Besides, through frame-by-frame hand animation we can really showcase the distinctive style of the artists working on the game – in the case of Nanuka, only two, Leo and Tom. Such a personal touch quite often becomes lost when working, for example, with 3D and bigger teams.
How challenging is it to port games to different platforms? Since you’ve also developed games for mobile, which platform has been the most successful for you?
In truth, the porting process is quite an easy task for us since our games run on our own custom engine written in C. Thanks to that, only the code specific to the platform has to be ported, and just once.
As for which platform has been the most successful for us, it depends on how we define success. Although our mobile games are greatly appreciated worldwide, for us they have been stepping stones towards the original games we have been making since Super Arcade Football and Super Arcade Racing, with Full Void being the most accomplished so far.
In terms of comparing the PC and console markets, we find them both highly competitive. For indie games, to be discovered in such crowded environments is quite the ordeal. Although, one particular scene we have been fortunate to find ourselves in is that of the retro-inspired devices, when we released for Evercade. Publishing Full Void for the Evercade was an extremely successful experience. We found a community of collectors and affectionate players that truly appreciated our work and started supporting us as a studio, beyond the game itself.
How long has Nanuka: Secret of the Shattering Moon been in development and would you consider this to be your most ambitious project yet?
Nanuka: Secret of the Shattering Moon has been in development since last June (2023), as we started brainstorming on it just before releasing Full Void in July. This is certainly our most ambitious game so far. We aim to give the player an engaging gaming experience and the decision to add combat mechanics unlocked a layer of gameplay that is giving us so much creativity.
What can you tell us about this title, what are the inspirations and concept behind this game?
Nanuka: Secret of the Shattering Moon follows Nanuka, a teenage girl with a purple belt in karate, who suddenly finds herself amidst a looming disaster. Despite being initially unprepared, Nanuka steps up to the challenge, journeying through wondrous lands to uncover the secret of the shattering moon, all while battling numerous enemies trying to block her path.
Talking about the idea behind the game, we can say that with Nanuka we want to build upon the experience we gained developing Full Void. We aim to further develop on the concept of cinematic 2D puzzle platformers and this time we do it with a more playful gaming experience. The choice of a cartoony graphics style pairs up with this idea as it allows us to push our imagination and include humorous twists to an otherwise serious storyline. You might think of games like the original Monkey Island as something we draw inspiration from (well, it’s no secret that we love games from the 80s and 90s…) but in Nanuka you can also see the influence of classic hand animated cartoons like Looney Tunes, Tom & Jerry, the original Mickey Mouse and Studio Ghibli films.
Can you give us a brief overview of the story and the setting of the game?
When we developed the storyline for Nanuka, we decided to have the beginning of the game in a believable setting. We drew inspiration from the sunny and vibrant Sicilian landscapes, where two of our team members are originally from. So Tom created a fantastic hand animated intro that sets the tone right from the start. In that sequence, Nanuka is just late for her karate class, and it’s clear it isn’t the first time… But after a light-hearted beginning, we’ll have our first plot twist and the player will be catapulted in an adventure for which Nanuka is utterly unprepared for!
What was the inspiration behind the character of Nanuka? How did you decide on her background and why the purple belt?
With the decision to include combat mechanics came an initial design of Nanuka that was a bit warrior-like. Leo and Tom gave her a sword and a shield to try the character out in the prototype. She really looked like a brave heroine! But it wasn’t that much fun to play with… So we stepped back and took our time to re-imagine her. Both Leo and Tom iterated on how she should look and on her abilities until she simply sparked out from one of Tom’s drawings. He portrayed her in a completely different light: clumsy and goofy and she was a martial arts student! When we saw that sketch, we all thought that was her! At that point we only needed a name!
The reason behind giving her a purple belt is that in most karate styles it represents a level that falls more or less in between a beginner and a black belt. With that detail we hint at the fact that she is skilled enough to fight but not so experienced that she actually knows what she’s doing every time. And it also gives us the opportunity to stage funny situations where, for example, she might do the right thing, but by mistake!
Can you describe some of the unique combat mechanics players will experience?
Puzzles will be key elements throughout the game, so much so that combat will also be part of puzzle solving at times. We are designing the platforming elements through our unique lens, ensuring they are integral to the gameplay experience.
In general, our approach to game design sees gameplay and graphics go hand in hand. Being a small team allows us to iterate quickly on both the visual and gameplay aspects. Often, the elements on the screen behave the way they do because of their appearance, and vice versa—they have certain abilities due to their design:
- Each location we are including in the adventure of Nanuka will present unique challenges, with puzzles and platforming elements tailored to the environment.
- In terms of unique combat mechanics we are planning many secret and end level bosses that feature unique moves and patterns.
- We also have a variety of enemies that can be defeated in different ways, sometimes but affecting the environment. Or sometimes you can avoid the fight altogether if you can figure out how.
We’re also planning an exciting way to get help from some of the allies you make along the way. We are really excited about this but we cannot reveal more at this stage!
Could you share one unique puzzle idea that you came up with for the game?
One thing we can say is that some puzzles might have multiple ways to be solved… And that applies to combat as well. If we have to pick one to share, we could choose a particular puzzle that plays on the cartoonish aspect of the game in a location we call the “Tea House.” We find that the team got particularly creative with that one!
In other areas in the game the player will have to figure out how to interact with the environment, and sometimes even the enemies, in order to solve some puzzles. As a main characteristic for the puzzles we are designing, we decided to make sure they do not slow down the gameplay too much. As a martial artist, Nanuka is quite an agile character and we want to make sure to respect her abilities throughout the game even when it comes to puzzle solving.
What kind of diverse regions and environments can players expect to explore?
Apart from the bright environment of the initial levels, Nanuka will travel through lands that will be very different from each other and each of them with their own characteristics. We rather keep the details under a veil of mystery for the time being, although we might reveal more in one of our Dev Diary episodes on YouTube.
What types of enemies will Nanuka encounter, and how do they impact the gameplay? Are there any particularly memorable boss fights or challenges you can tease?
Wanting to really push the custom experience, we are implementing a great variety of enemies that Nanuka will have to fight against. Each enemy will have different characteristics and abilities, and the player will have to figure out specific strategies to defeat them. Enemies are an integral part of the gameplay, adding layers of challenge and excitement to the adventure.
Boss fights will feature unexpected twists and offer multiple solutions, keeping players on their toes. Some boss battles will combine combat skills with puzzle-solving elements, while others might introduce unique mechanics that players will need to master. We are also including secret bosses for an additional challenge for those who love to explore a bit more.
To give an example, a secret boss fight will only happen if the player does something on a different screen. We believe that the design and fighting abilities of this boss are quite unique and look forward to having feedback from players!
How did previous successes, like Full Void, influence the development of this new title? What did you learn?
There’s a strong link between Full Void and Nanuka. While the first was very much born out of our feelings of helplessness and isolation suffered during the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021, Nanuka sparked from the amazing experience that releasing Full Void was: the accolades, the love we received from the indie community and the fun we had working together for almost two years.
Also, talking about lessons learned, Full Void was like a break-in period for the team, allowing us to learn the best way to work together. We refined a project management style that suits us and allows us to be fast and flexible while also sharing management responsibilities.
What was the artistic vision for the game, and how did you achieve its colorful, cartoony look? Were there any particular influences or inspirations for the game’s art style?
The vision is to have a game that is fun to play and that leaves the player with an experience. In terms of art, we push our hand drawn pixel art and animation and we make the most of the skills we have in the team. Leo is exceptionally skilled in pixel art and sprite animation; Tom is a specialised animator with a preference for the cartoony style. We are playing on their strengths to realise our vision for Nanuka.
Will there be a playable demo anytime soon?
We aim to have a playable demo in October 2024, in time for the Steam Next Fest.
What are your hopes for Nanuka – Secret Of The Shattering Moon once it releases? Are there any plans for post-launch content, updates, or expansions?
We hope that the players who appreciated Full Void will be even more enthusiastic about Nanuka: Secret of the Shattering Moon. This title can appeal to those who played Full Void, but it has the potential to reach a wider audience with its unique look, feel, and light-hearted atmosphere.
In terms of post-release plans, it’s difficult to say at the moment, as the three of us are really focused on making the game, having the demo ready by October, and aiming for a release in about a year’s time.
However, with the wealth of ideas we have collected in our notebooks for enemies, scenarios, puzzles, and abilities, we felt it fitting to give the game a subtitle, Secret of the Shattering Moon. This is not only to enrich the story but also to hint at the possibility of future content and new adventures for Nanuka.
You often choose to self-publish your games. Is this something the studio can afford to do?
Being our own publisher has been our choice since the beginning and it has paid off so far. We enjoy being independent and the freedom that comes from it. Although there are challenges of course. In our case, we benefit from a solid income stream provided by our previous games. Some of them were released as far back as 2008, and they’re still doing well today. This long-lasting success has given us a strong foundation to build on.
We are also very careful with our budgeting. Right now, our team consists of just four members, and we outsource the music to keep our fixed costs low. We also keep our marketing costs down by relying on organic engagement rather than paid campaigns. This lean approach allows us to manage our resources effectively and focus on creating quality games without overextending ourselves.
Having said that, we enjoyed having a publisher in Blaze when we released the physical editions of Full Void for Evercade and we do not rule out partnerships with other publishers in the future.
Are there any advices, based on your experiences, you’d like to share to other aspiring developers?
Being a developer can be extremely rewarding. It is a highly creative job where you also have to apply organizational skills, time management and so much more. And being a developer doesn’t necessarily mean coding. You can be an artist, a musician, a writer and still find your place in the game industry.
The tip we think is most valuable is: get yourself out there. Meet people, go to events, take part in game jams, see for yourself what this industry is about and start doing what you like to do.
Also, there are great resources and mentorship schemes available for whoever needs some more tailored help to start off.
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