A trio of former developers from BioWare, Inflextion, and Timbre Games has announced the establishment of their new Canadian independent studio, Studio Reset, offering an early glimpse at their forthcoming game.
As the popularity of video games continues to grow, a fresh Canadian indie studio, Studio Reset, has emerged. It was founded by Kaelin Lavallée, Kris Schoneberg, and Francis Lacuna, who bring extensive experience from their time at BioWare, Inflextion, and Timbre Games. The team’s ambition is to concentrate on creating intimate narrative-focused worlds. Supported by the Canada Media Fund, they have also released a sneak peek of their inaugural project: a supernatural mystery game with a neon-noir aesthetic, set within a stylized Canadian urban landscape.
Kaelin Lavallée, the Producer and Creative Director at Studio Reset, stated regarding the studio’s launch: “Studio Reset is intentionally smaller. Our goal isn’t to replicate blockbuster development on a reduced scale. We aim to craft original worlds with focus and purpose, and to foster a team that can maintain a close connection to the work, the creative vision, and the players we are developing for.”
Drawing from their work on titles such as Mass Effect, Dragon Age, The Long Dark, and Anthem, Studio Reset has provided a preview of their debut project. The upcoming game is expected to blend classic adventure mysteries with contemporary 3D visuals, featuring multiple investigators, discoverable clues, mature themes, and replayability. This title is designed for players who appreciate mystery, an unusual atmosphere, and well-crafted puzzles.
Inspired by the concept that perceptions can alter the understanding of a subject, Studio Reset employs a design approach called “Parallax Deduction” for their narrative mysteries. Beyond merely collecting clues as an investigator, Parallax Deduction offers each investigator a unique perspective on a case, informing the player about what each character can observe and what they are likely to believe.
Kris Schoneberg, the Design Director at Studio Reset, elaborated on the significance of Parallax Deduction: “We are drawn to mysteries that respect the player. A well-designed mystery should make you feel intelligent, not bewildered. Through Parallax Deduction, we want players to grasp that perspective is an integral part of the evidence. The viewpoint of the investigator is crucial, as each brings their distinct expertise, background, intuition, and potential blind spots.”
In addition to Parallax Deduction, Studio Reset adheres to a principle they call “no moon logic” in their clue and puzzle design. Instead of relying on the designers’ specific thought processes for solutions, “no moon logic” encourages players to find clues by uncovering hidden motives, unlocking pathways, or connecting disparate pieces of information.
Francis Lacuna, the Art Director at Studio Reset, shared their vision for the studio’s identity: “We aspire for Studio Reset to be recognized for games that explore peculiar settings, untold stories, and the intriguing characters driven to uncover them. Visually, we are striving to create a world that feels beautiful, unsettling, and eerily familiar—a place where the ordinary seems to conceal something more.”
This covers the current known details about Studio Reset and their debut title. For further information about the studio and its upcoming projects, interested fans are encouraged to visit the official Studio Reset website.
English Translation:
From BioWare, Inflextion, and Timbre Games, three former developers have united to announce their new Canadian indie studio, Studio Reset, offering a glimpse into their upcoming title.
As video games continue to surge in popularity, a new Canadian indie studio, Studio Reset, has emerged, founded by Kaelin Lavallée, Kris Schoneberg, and Francis Lacuna. With extensive backgrounds at BioWare, Inflextion, and Timbre Games, the trio aims to focus on smaller-scale narrative worlds. Furthermore, with support from the Canada Media Fund, the trio has shared a sneak peek of their debut project: a neon-noir supernatural mystery game set in a stylized Canadian cityscape.
Upon the announcement of the new indie studio, Kaelin Lavallée, Producer and Creative Director at Studio Reset, commented: “Studio Reset is smaller by design. We are not attempting to recreate blockbuster development on a smaller scale. We wish to build original worlds with focus, intention, and a team that can remain close to the work, the creative vision, and the players we are making it for.”
Having contributed to the development of titles like Mass Effect, Dragon Age, The Long Dark, and Anthem, Studio Reset has offered a preview of what to anticipate from their first project. Based on current information, the upcoming title will merge classic adventure mysteries with modern 3D visuals, featuring multiple investigators, clues awaiting discovery, mature themes, and replayability. Additionally, the title will be crafted for players who enjoy mysteries, an odd atmosphere, and thoughtful puzzles.
Inspired by the idea that something can appear different depending on the viewer’s perspective, Studio Reset employs “Parallax Deduction” in their approach to narrative mystery design. Alongside collecting clues as an investigator, Parallax Deduction provides a distinct perspective to each investigator during a case, informing the player about what they can perceive and what they can believe.
Focusing on Parallax Deduction, Kris Schoneberg, Design Director at Studio Reset, shared: “We are interested in mysteries that trust the player. A good mystery should make you feel clever, not confused. With Parallax Deduction, we want players to understand that perspective is part of the evidence. Who is looking at the case matters, because each investigator brings their own expertise, history, instincts, and blind spots.”
In addition to Parallax Deduction, Studio Reset utilizes a concept called “no moon logic” for their clue and puzzle design. Rather than players discovering a puzzle solution based on the designers’ thought process, “no moon logic” prompts players to find clues by seeking a hidden motive, unlocking obscured paths, or connecting the dots.
As Studio Reset teases their debut title, Art Director Francis Lacuna stated: “We want Studio Reset to be known for games about strange places, hidden stories, and the curious characters compelled to uncover them. Visually, we are building towards a world that feels beautiful, uneasy, and familiar in the wrong way. The kind of place where the ordinary starts to feel like it is hiding something.”
This encompasses everything currently known about Studio Reset and their debut title. To learn more about the studio and its first projects, fans can visit Studio Reset’s official website.