Five years ago, Mike and Amy Morhaime founded Dreamhaven with a vision to create a sustainable publishing and support pillar for game studios. In an interview at the time, the founding members shared their ambitious goals, which included nurturing both their internal studios, Moonshot and Secret Door, and collaborating with external partners. Mike Morhaime boldly stated their aspiration to be a "beacon to the industry," symbolized by their lighthouse logo, emphasizing a better approach to game development and business operations that could elevate the entire industry.
At the time of Dreamhaven's inception, numerous studios led by former AAA executives were emerging with similar visions of building sustainable and innovative gaming ventures. However, the gaming industry has faced significant challenges since then, including a global pandemic, economic instability, widespread layoffs, studio closures, and project cancellations. Many of these visionary studios have either shut down or postponed their plans indefinitely.
Despite these industry-wide struggles, Dreamhaven has not only persevered but thrived. In a significant milestone, Dreamhaven partnered with The Game Awards to showcase four upcoming games. Two of these are internally developed: Sunderfolk, a turn-based tactical RPG with couch co-op set to release on April 23, and Wildgate, a newly announced crew-based first-person shooter centered around space heists, which we have already previewed. Additionally, Dreamhaven is publishing and supporting two external games: Lynked: Banner of the Spark, an action-RPG from FuzzyBot in Los Angeles, currently in early access and slated for a full 1.0 release in May, and Mechabellum, a turn-based tactical auto-battler from Chinese studio Game River, which launched last September and aims to maintain long-term updates with Dreamhaven's support.
Dreamhaven's activities extend beyond game development and publishing. The company is actively supporting ten other external studios, many founded and operated by former AAA developers, through investments, consultancy, and fundraising support. Mike Morhaime, speaking at the Game Developers Conference (GDC), highlighted the company's aim to create a "net" to capture and nurture the dispersing talent in the industry.
Wildgate - First Screenshots
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Morhaime emphasized the importance of maintaining relationships and providing guidance to these studios to ensure their success. He addressed the ongoing industry crisis, where profit prioritization often leads to cancellations, shutdowns, and layoffs. He believes that craft and business are not mutually exclusive but stresses the need for an environment that allows for innovation and occasional failure to foster creativity. Dreamhaven's focus is on creating the best gaming experiences, which Morhaime believes is the most effective long-term business strategy.
Reflecting on his time at Blizzard, Morhaime highlighted the importance of an iterative game development process, acknowledging that success rarely follows a straight path. The key lesson he took away was the need for flexibility and adaptability to overcome obstacles. In contrast, the biggest difference at Dreamhaven is the level of agency given to studio leadership teams, fostering a partnership-like relationship between the studios and the central company.
Regarding new technologies, Morhaime discussed the controversial topic of generative AI. While acknowledging its potential and exciting developments, he noted Dreamhaven's cautious approach, limiting its use to research and internal policy drafting, rather than incorporating it into their games. He also commented on the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2, viewing console transitions as both disruptive and invigorating for the gaming industry, particularly beneficial for startups like Dreamhaven.
As we concluded, Morhaime reflected on whether Dreamhaven has achieved its initial mission of being a "beacon to the industry." He remains cautiously optimistic, stating that true success would be evident once their games are released and well-received by both players and the industry. His ultimate goal is for Dreamhaven to build a reputation where the brand signifies quality and trust, encouraging gamers to explore their titles across any genre with anticipation and excitement.
