LAS CRUCES – Las Cruces-based independent video game studio Ganymede Games revealed their debut video game, “Xenotheria,” Tuesday after working on the project for over two years.
Ganymede Games moved their offices and studio space into the Bank of the West/BNP Paribas building downtown in February 2019. By November 2019 they had raised $550,000 in seed money to invest into a demo of their first video game.
The company describes “Xenotheria” as a single-player, science-fiction role playing game for PC and console platforms. They surveyed more than 7,500 gamers last year to determine preferences and opportunities for RPGs (role-playing games).
“One of our goals with Ganymede is to give players a voice in the development process and the survey was the first step towards that goal. The survey strengthened our conviction that the community for single-player games is still thriving and hungry for new experiences,” said Ganymede Games CEO Jerry Prochazka.
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Rob Thompson who oversees publishing and operations for Ganymede Games said they created three prototypes of the game and one moved forward. He added that the survey done at the end of 2020 validated the team’s focus on immersive stories.
Results from the survey revealed that 65% of turn-based RPG players are over 25 and a majority prefer playing solo. The most preferred video game platforms were PC, PlayStation, Switch and Xbox.
The company also opened sign-ups on Tuesday for players who are interested in testing the game before it is officially released. Those interested and sign up at Xenotheria.com.
“We’re very excited to unveil ‘Xenotheria‘ to the world and start getting feedback from a wider group of players,” Prochazka said. “We’re committed to delivering a high quality, single player RPG experience with memorable characters, an immersive world, and strategic combat.”
No other games are currently in production, according to Thompson. He said the focus of the five fulltime employees and contractors is “Xenotheria.” The team is also exploring developing the game for play on other mediums down the road.
Thompson said the company is aiming to fully release “Xenotheria” to the public in late 2021 or early 2022.
The company’s decision to operate out of Las Cruces has a positive one, Thompson said. Employees “love it” here and he said the community has been very welcoming.
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Ganymede Games received an investment of $350,000 from the City of Las Cruces and the State of New Mexico through Local Economic Development Act funding — used to entice companies to move to and remain in the state. New Mexico Economic Development Secretary Alicia Keyes said in February 2019 that Ganymede Games would contribute to the state’s creative economy.
She also added that the company would “create up to 51 new high-tech, high-wage jobs.”
Other capital sources included the New Mexico Angels investment group, ABQid which invests in early-stage startups and the Arrowhead Innovation Fund.
Leah Romero is the trending reporter at the Las Cruces Sun-News and can be reached at 575-418-3442, lromero@lcsun-news.com or @rromero_leah on Twitter.
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