Our Focus
Waking Games was formed under the belief that games today offer players no more depth than games from a decade ago. Much of the innovation in this industry came in the early ages of gaming and peaked with the end of the 2D platforming console era. Since the movement into 3D, games have seen monumental advancements in technological complexity, but not in maturity.
Games today still mainly focus on quick routes of escapism similar to B-rated action movies or Saturday morning cartoons. Little has been done to engage audiences in a more intellectual or responsible way and Waking Games hopes to change that.
Our goal is to create unique game-play experiences that engage players in enjoyable mechanics while allowing them to reflect on their own lives or the world they live in. We have seen countless examples of narrative structures that tell us about the grief and tragedy in the world, or the love and loss of an individual, but with the interactivity of games, we feel that we can bring to light those emotional responses in a much stronger way, through a player’s direct involvement in the situation. We believe that this will not only welcome a new audience into the world of gaming, but also facilitate a means to expand the current stagnant state of the industry.
Games today still mainly focus on quick routes of escapism similar to B-rated action movies or Saturday morning cartoons. Little has been done to engage audiences in a more intellectual or responsible way and Waking Games hopes to change that.
Our goal is to create unique game-play experiences that engage players in enjoyable mechanics while allowing them to reflect on their own lives or the world they live in. We have seen countless examples of narrative structures that tell us about the grief and tragedy in the world, or the love and loss of an individual, but with the interactivity of games, we feel that we can bring to light those emotional responses in a much stronger way, through a player’s direct involvement in the situation. We believe that this will not only welcome a new audience into the world of gaming, but also facilitate a means to expand the current stagnant state of the industry.
History
Waking Games began in late 2003 in Burnaby, B.C. by a group of former Arts Institute of Vancouver students. The group spent the next year locking down a game project to prove they could build. In 2004 they began work on their first Project "Once Upon a Time". A game that would be small enough to have a relatively short production cycle but that would allow them to try working together to complete a project.
Determined to finish the project and move onto the types of games they as a company wanted to be creating, the group incorporated Waking Games in 2005. Since then, they have been looking to find financial stability as a company. Now, in 2006, their first game "Once Upon a Time" has just been released.
Presently, Waking Games has recently completed a prototype of a game that more closely matches its mission and is looking to fund the development of this second title.
Determined to finish the project and move onto the types of games they as a company wanted to be creating, the group incorporated Waking Games in 2005. Since then, they have been looking to find financial stability as a company. Now, in 2006, their first game "Once Upon a Time" has just been released.
Presently, Waking Games has recently completed a prototype of a game that more closely matches its mission and is looking to fund the development of this second title.
Our Team
Justin Meagher - Project Manager / Designer / Sound Artist
Justin is a graduate of the Grant Macewan Design Foundation program and the Art Institute of Vancouver Game Design program and is currently working as a Teaching Assistant at the Vancouver Film School’s Game Design program. Justin’s studies in psychology and motivation make him a natural storyteller and leader. Justin’s game designs present the player with challenging, personal dilemmas.
Stephane Conde - Lead Programmer
Stephane acquired a bachelor’s in Computer Science from Dalhousie University in 2003. Since then, he’s worked as Lead Programmer at FIG4 Interactive on the creation of prototypes for next generation consoles and served as a Scripting Instructor in the Vancouver Film School’s Game Design Program. Stephane is committed to the inclusion of social awareness into our games.
Justin McGuire - Designer / Art & Animation
Justin is a graduate of Art Institute of Vancouver Game Design program. He’s worked at Electronic Arts and at Vancouver Film School’s Game Design program as a Teaching Assistant and Games Lab Instructor. Justin is also a talented writer, artist, and thespian. His interest in storytelling constantly infuses our games with personal conflict and believable emotion.
©Waking Games Inc. All Rights Reserved | Copyright Information | Validate