This is new terrain for us but it’s been brilliant to get stuck into a booming industry bursting with exciting talent and creativity, and be part of helping another Scottish company change the game in their field. Hyper Luminal Games was founded with the goal of doing things differently - of being an independent studio that supported smaller ones. They conceived of Little Nook being presented as a literal shop front, stuffed with curiosities and staffed by a mysterious figure who would be the brand mascot, acting as guide for visitors who would use the ‘portals’ in the shop to find out about the games that Little Nook will publish in the future.

Little Nook will publish one or two games a year; cosy, whimsical adventures designed to be wholly enjoyed by players - all fun, no stress. We worked with developer Jack Gregory on the website itself, and built it to evoke the same atmosphere; engaging long-time Tangent collaborator, illustrator Dave Morrow, to bring to life the curio shop aesthetic that Hyper Luminal Games wanted to achieve. We developed Keepsy, the brand mascot - part shop-keeper, part adventurer and guide; creating a personality and style for them down to their awkward manner of speaking, their childlike wonder and their trademark, ever-present goggles.

Our clients wanted the site to be filled with stories and whimsical fun, so we developed a suite of clickable objects which each tell part of a larger story of Keepsy and Little Nook itself. As they publish more games, the site will expand, with new objects and new storylines interweaving, giving the sense that each new game is part of an expanding, familiar universe. Players will be able to return to Little Nook again and again and have the sense that stock has been updated, that Keepsy’s been on another adventure and that there’s more for them to discover within and outwith any new games themselves — including special real-world giveaways related to Little Nook’s games, released when various milestones are reached.

Little Nook’s first game launches early next year - ‘an itsy-bitsy, open world puzzle game’ called Pine Hearts. Before then, we’ll be working on expanding the website alongside social and real-world activations. Visitors to Little Nook in the meantime will be able to find out some bits and pieces about the sleepy world of Pine Hearts Caravan Park by having a good old click about the shop.

This was an exciting challenge for us as a studio - a kind of wildly creative work we don’t always get the chance to do. It was great to stretch ourselves and make a splash in an industry several Tangers are heavily involved in. We’re looking forward to seeing where Keepsy - and Little Nook - go next.