The world of game development is a world filled with unique tales and personal stories. And we’re not just talking about the wide range of endlessly creative projects that see the light of day on a daily basis, but also the brilliant minds that will these titles into existence. Our series of game developer interviews began with a simple goal in mind: to introduce you to some of the most wonderfully creative people of the industry, and to learn a bit about their personal experiences and perspectives while working in this field.
It’s shaping up to be an exciting journey, and we’d love to have you along for the ride – so, without further ado, let’s dive right in.
This week’s interview is about a team that’s consistently managed to surprise us with its inventiveness – whether it’s making you pack orders in a haunted warehouse or having you pretend to be human as a disguised alien at a gas station, their games never fail to intrigue. Today, we’re having a little game dev chat with Mike Coeck from Cybernetic Walrus, the development studio behind the warehouse horror game ORDER 13 and the freshly-announced Roadside Research.
First things first: could you please introduce yourself for our readers?
My name is Mike Coeck, and I’m one of the founders of the Belgian game studio Cybernetic Walrus.
With ORDER 13, setting a stealth-based horror game inside a lonely warehouse turned out to be a surprisingly terrifying concept. Was it how you envisioned the game from the get-go, or did you initially want to “just” make a horror game, and added the warehouse elements to it later during the brainstorming process?
The idea for Order 13 actually started with our team looking at some warehouse assets we had lying around. We thought, “Why not build something with this?” The concept of a vast, dark, and eerie space quickly led us toward horror. But we didn’t want it to be nonstop tension, so we added a cozy office as a safe zone to balance things out. From early on, we also decided that interactions should feel tactile — something you physically do, not just press a button for. Since warehouse work and order picking come with their own set of horror stories, the setting ended up fitting perfectly.
What inspired you to get into game development?
I’ve been fascinated by games since I was a kid. I'm almost 50 now, so I’ve had the chance to experience everything from board games to card games to video games across many hardware platforms. But I only entered professional game development at 38.
What would you say has been the biggest challenge you've had to face while working on your game?
The biggest challenge was definitely the short development time. Order 13 was made in about three and a half months, so we had to work extremely efficiently and make smart decisions about what to include.
What is the one thing that you believe every game developer should be aware of?
That this industry is tough — especially now, when funding is harder to come by than ever. Passion helps, but you also need to be realistic.
In your opinion, what is needed for a game to be recognized by the gaming public? What will make people pay attention to the project?
Our approach is to focus on gameplay mechanics that content creators will love. If streamers or YouTubers start playing your game, the audience tends to follow. Getting visibility through creators can really help your game break through.
Do you have any words for aspiring game developers?
Having a successful game is rare — it took us eight years to make one that really hit. Start small. Make short games, and make a lot of them. Upload them to platforms like Itch.io to get feedback and learn from each project. Keeping your scope small is key. Trying to replicate existing games or mechanics is also a great way to learn.
If you could go back in time, what would you tell your past self? Is there anything you'd do differently?
There’s a lot I’d do differently, but hindsight is always easier. That’s also why most people’s first games don’t succeed — you need time and experience to build your skills.
Finally, could you tell our readers where they can follow you and your work if they’d like to stay up to date with any future developments?
The best place to follow what we’re working on is our Discord or our website. While the Discord was mainly focused on Order 13, we have just announced a new game called Roadside Research and changed it up a bit to also welcome these players.
If you haven't already, check out our previous episodes as well, where we interviewed The Wild Gentlemen (Chicken Police) and Lucky Cat (The Silent Kingdom)!
