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New with old |Integrating Indies, developing Oldies: Akedo Studio's leitmotif!

26/4/2022

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The Magazine, Informations Entreprise wrote an article about our Studio!

​Integrating Indies, developing Oldies: Akedo Studio's leitmotif! A fully independent and 100% self-financed French video game studio, the company refocuses the focus on players in order to offer them playful entertainment, and this, through a vintage game style… without nostalgia! Let's enter the world of "Nick Reckless in The Curse of The Lost Cause", the first game from the firm.
Read it in French !
​June 4, 2019 is a milestone for Akedo Studio. On this date, the company is indeed preparing the production of the assets of its first video game. By taking advantage of its partnership with Rubika Montreal - coupled with Speed ​​Jobbing with 17 students - the independent studio is thus embarking on a 13-week race, through an assumed objective: to do something new, with old ! “We operate in an industry tamed by the majors. Here, the games certainly become more and more beautiful, but at the same time, the playful aspect is put in the background. Our desire is therefore to reshuffle the cards, to fit into another logic, which takes more account of what we could find in the games of the 80s and 90s; In short, a progressive course, which allows you to have fun, while learning” introduces for us Zoé Toussaint, Digital Marketing Manager and co-founder of Akedo Studio.

​In life and at work, the duo formed by the entrepreneur with Nicolas Juspin mixes new technologies and nineties design in order to offer all lovers of vintage video games entertainment in tune with their expectations!

​“We are obviously talking about an old-fashioned game here, where you have to find hidden parts, choose the right weapon in the right situation, etc. However, it also seemed important for us to enhance our game with new improvements, whether it be music in a "contemporary" format, the addition of special effects, etc. "explains Nicolas.


Acting as the "man behind the code", the co-founder introduces here some clues to illustrate the approach of a programmer with proven know-how!
​Within a universe made up of 4 environments - the jungle, the ruins, the cave and the temple - the players embody Nick Reckless, an upside-down Indiana Jones, struck by a curse that continues to haunt him. To get rid of it, Nick will have to overcome many obstacles, survive a whole set of traps, before returning the idol stolen by his ancestors.


Here, the hero immerses us in a colorful world, made up of randomly generated levels: “this will offer players almost infinite replayability” specifies Zoé in a second step.


Thanks to the magic of pixel art, Nick Reckless in The Curse of The Lost Cause takes up the codes that have made 2D platform games successful, with, it is true, a natural consideration of technological innovations.
“By developing the “little bit of technology” on top of that, we managed to create a game that was small in terms of weight, therefore presenting very low constraints. In the form, we have chosen a pixelated universe, with bright and contemporary colors. Even if the Oldies aspect is essential, we do not limit ourselves”. Continue Mr. Justin.
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No limit ; this is the idea that we can retain here! Thanks to its financial autonomy, Akedo Studio enjoys total independence, freedom of movement, the basis of an approach that makes it unique!


However, it is a question of not being mistaken. Behind this strong choice lie several challenges. Statistically, an independent studio is only profitable from its 5th game. Aware of the problem, Akedo Studio has launched the Loot Zone, an online store offering various products bearing the image of the firm. T-shirts, mugs, mouse pads, etc. A participatory campaign logic, which has the quality of trying to create a real relationship with the community!

​The Akedo Studio front

Initiated by Nicolas Juspin, Akedo Studio draws its expertise from the career of a 3D programmer who studied with the famous firm Ubisoft Montreal. Participating in the development of games such as Rainbow Six, Watch Dog or Splinter Cell (just that!), this enthusiast has evolved for more than 11 years within the AAA. Despite the attractiveness of his position, the programmer felt the need to rediscover what was the essence of his job. Nostalgic for his first lines of code on the Amiga 500, he decided to abandon the comfort of the majors in order to create his own gaming technology.

​And while Nick Reckless in The Curse of The Lost Cause is currently only available on PC, the time has now come for deployment: “our desire is to release our game on other media, such as Linux, or even Nintendo. There is also talk of developing a new universe, around a cyberpunk. At the same time, we are working hard on a project called Behind The Screen, a book whose role will be to answer questions about the development of a video game,” punctuates Madame Toussaint.
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Entrepreneurship as a couple: Challenges expressed in the Voice of Leaders 2022

17/1/2022

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​The backstage of a great experience

​On a beautiful day in December 2021, the film crew came to meet us in our Studio to discuss pixels, pleasure and lightness. A great experience, and a funny exercise. It's quite extraordinary to find yourself in front of the camera to talk about your daily life as an entrepreneur - knowing that it will be published on national territory!

We had a lot of fun! And we hope that you will have as much to discover the article: AKEDO STUDIO - PIXELS, PLEASURE AND LIGHTNESS: At the crossroads between retro gaming and modern gaming. Akedo Studio integrates the Indies by rethinking the Oldies... continue reading in French >>>

​If French is not in your coding! We have translated the article for you!

​Complementary duo in life and at work, Zoé and Nico have created Akedo Studio, a 100% independent and self-financed video game development studio Launched in 2016, Akedo has just released its first game Nick Reckless in The Curse of The Lost Cause. Journey of a very young company, with ethical values ​​and playful creations, told by Zoé Toussaint, Digital Marketing Manager at Akedo Studio.

​Your first game Nick Reckless in The Curse of The Lost Cause has just been released, what is it?

​Our character Nick Reckless is a kind of anti-Indiana Jones, touched by a curse that never ceases to pursue him. It's a platform game with a retro twist. The player will have to return the idol stolen by Nick's ancestors while avoiding the traps that will be in his way. The hero evolves through randomly generated levels, which allows Gamers almost infinite replayability.
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In this game, the imagination takes over thanks to the magic of 2D, pixel art and neo-retro gameplay. We chose to take the game ideas that made us vibrate when we started playing.

Nick Reckless in The Curse of The Lost Cause has been available on itch.io and steam platforms since October 2021 and works on PC.

​What are your projects ?

​For 2022 we would like to release our game Nick Reckless on other media like Linux and maybe Nintendo. We are also developing our next game, the universe will be completely different, since the hero will be a cyberpunk.

And I'm working on a new project at the same time: it's called Behind The Screen. It is a book that answers the various questions that people may ask themselves: What is going on behind a video game? How do we code? How does pixel art work? To discover our universe and share our journey, we designed the Ak'Mag, with our stories of pixels, encounters, favorites, etc.

​Who is the man behind the code?​

​Akedo Studio is the initiative of Nico, a 3D programmer who studied at Ubisoft Montreal - from Rainbow Six to For Honor via Splinter Cell and Watch dog. Nostalgic for his first lines of code on the Amiga 500, when he created his first game: an "Asteroid" shooting game, Nico wanted to rediscover the taste for creation, as well as the beauty and magic of old school video games. In 2016, after eleven years dedicated to big budget games, Nico left the AAA industry to create his own game technology, to develop low and medium budget games. A big fan of e-sports games such as Street Fighter and Dota, Nico also draws his passion from games like Mario, Zelda, Quake III, Counter Strike, Starcraft, Unreal Tournament, Heroes of Magic and Might, Sonic, Tomb Raider and many more. others, from the late 80's to the most recent versions... The list would be too long.

​What is the challenge when you are an independent studio?

​Statistically an independent studio starting to be profitable after the 5th game, the challenge for us is to finance ourselves. This is why I created the loot zone in reference to a video game principle known to all Gamers. It's an online store that allows you to buy different products in limited series, it's like taking part in a participatory campaign. We offer t-shirts that take up the visuals of our first game, mugs, mouse pads but also the Artbook of the game Nick Reckless in The Curse of The Lost Cause. It is a sixty-page book that follows the evolution of the characters and places them in the universe of the game.
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And of course, the video! ​

These are the debut in front of the camera, where we present the path of Akedo Studio since its creation, but above all its future projects! Watch it to find out how 2022 is shaping up. And above all, if you haven't already, discover Nick Reckless in The Curse of The Lost Cause and the Loot Zone.
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Akedo: "Company of the week for CNEWS", an Ak'interview !

15/11/2021

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​The article is in French because it is CNEWS, but we will translate it for you, right away in our blog!
Good enough, I will translate it myself !
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​AKEDO STUDIO: THE CREATIVITY OF A FRENCH STUDIO AROUND 2D VIDEO GAMES AND PIXEL ART

​For the past few weeks, the independent video game studio has released its adventure game Nick Reckless in The Curse of The Lost Cause, which immerses you in an immersive and bewitching universe alongside a hero, Nick Reckless, struck by the curse.

Created by Nicolas Juspin and Zoé Toussaint, Akedo is a fully independent and 100% self-funded French video game studio. The company wants to develop small and medium budget games.

"Nicolas worked for many years at Ubisoft Montreal on major video games such as Watch dog, Splinter Cell, and Rainbow Six at For Honor. At one point, Nicolas wanted to change his working environment by touching on something other than 3D development. Nostalgic for his first lines of code on the Amiga 500, his desire was to return to more creative and artisanal work. The idea then came to create Akedo Studio " explains Zoé Toussaint, Head of Communication and Marketing at Akedo and partner of the founder.
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​Starting from scratch, Nicolas Juspin then independently developed his own technology. The objective was then to design independent video game creations using the aesthetic codes and the magic of video games from our childhood, adding touches of modernity; video games that could be called "neo old school".
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​NICK RECKLESS: AKEDO STUDIO'S FIRST RETRO GAME

From 2019, the studio is working on its first platform game called "Nick Reckless in The Curse of The Lost Cause". In this 2D game, the hero takes the form of an anti Indiana Jones affected by a curse that continues to haunt him throughout his epic.

The player must then avoid all the traps present on his way through completely randomly generated levels; a feature that gives gamers access to almost endless replayability.

“Each environment has four levels with gradual difficulty. In all environments, the curse plays an essential role: it can be beneficial to the player, or on the contrary harmful; this element then gives rhythm to the game. In this unrealistic universe, the imagination takes over thanks to neo-retro gameplays, the magic of 2D, and pixel art ".

Officially launched in October 2021, the game whose mission is to reveal players through many stimulating challenges is currently available on the itch.io and Steam platforms.

​"THE VIDEO GAME AS A REFLECTION OF OUR CREATIVITY"


​​Passionate about designing video games, the founders of Akedo wanted to create a development lab. The objective is then to carry out research into a "wizard-magician" as Zoé Toussaint explains, by offering simplicity in technology, complexity of the game, but also pleasure; and this thanks to stimulating experiences.
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​“We want to offer an immersive neo-retro experience and convey our passion for video games and our enthusiasm to be an independent, self-funded development studio. This form of entrepreneurship allows us to make video games a reflection of our creativity, in complete freedom! "

​THE “LOOT ZONE”: AN ONLINE STORE TO SUPPORT THE STUDIO

Akedo Studio also offers its players and Internet users an online store called "The Loot Zone". The main purpose of this platform is to financially support the studio through the sale of all kinds of objects bearing the image of its video game (sweaters, T-shirts, mugs, USB keys, mouse pads, notebooks, artbooks , etc.). From November 15 to 29 on Black Friday, the company will be offering AK’WEEKS. Internet users will be able to take advantage of a 15% discount with the code "AKWEEK15" and free delivery in mainland France for any order.
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September 15th, 2021, AK'INTERVIEW BY FORBES FRANCE!

15/9/2021

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The article is in French because it is Forbes, certainly, but Forbes France!
Good enough, I will translate it myself!

For those who want to find out what it says ... but in English, read on

​Can you present your business?

Akedo is an independent game studio, commonly known as Indie, created in Montreal by Nicolas Juspin, 3D programmer in the triple AAA who notably worked on video hits games, and myself, Zoé Toussaint, in charge of marketing , communication and business development.
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Who are your clients ?
Our Studio is aimed above all at Gamers, we work mainly in BtoC. We thought we would reach gamers who started playing video games in the 90s. Finally, our studio also attracts an audience interested in retro.

To our great surprise, we are in contact with an entertainment company dedicated to airlines who wish to provide their passengers with games on small screens.
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​Akedo was born because Nicolas wanted to become a craftsman again and challenge himself and rediscover the pleasure of playing and creating. For this, we have made the choice to self-finance the company since 2016, and we use our own technology to develop our video games.​ Indeed, we do not use video game creation software dedicated to Indies, we have chosen to develop our own technology in order to better control our creation tools and to control our production costs. Being completely independent is essential for Akedo.

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​Can you describe your different services?
We currently offer games for Windows PCs, which we would also like to develop on other platforms such as Linux, and Nintendo Switch. Our studio offers video games in an unrealistic world where the imagination takes over thanks to the magic of 2D, pixel art and neo retro gameplays.

In our first game, Nick Reckless in The Curse of the Lost Cause, the character is a sort of anti Indiana Jones, touched by a curse that never ceases to haunt him. Our hero evolves through levels generated randomly, which allows Gamers an almost infinite replayability. Despite the challenges before him, his goal is to get rid of the cause of his curse.

We also have an online store with derivative objects, called the Loot Zone, in reference to a video game principle known to all gamers. The funds collected are used to finance our studio and are reinvested in the creation of new video games. It's sort of a participatory campaign in which we offer items in exchange for the support provided by our community.
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Developing our technology was our first challenge. Then, in 2019, after participating in five events in Montreal, I created a web series of ten episodes called Once Upon a Time which covers all the stages in the creation of the studio. It is part of the Ak'Mag, a process of transparency on the life of our Indie. We will also be launching the “Dev Diary” which traces all the often overlooked steps in the creation of a video game.

What has been the impact of the health crisis on your business? During this period, we were able to move faster in the programming and development of our projects. However, it cut us off from the gaming community and we were unable to participate in one of the oldest French video game festivals, the Stunfest, in Rennes. In the past, this type of event has been very positive because we were able to give our game a live try. This allowed for constructive feedback from gamers; these exchanges have enriched our development. Indeed, after only 3 months of development, 298 people tried our game, during iconic Montreal events such as DreamHack and MEGAMIGS, in 2019. And to our greatest happiness, our demo was greeted with enthusiasm and benevolence. It is this connection to the community that has been missed the most during this crisis.
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In order to remain completely independent in the creation of our products, we wish to remain a self-financed company. So our current challenge is to seduce the public with our gameplays and our goodies so that we can make dozens of other neo-retro games, in an Indie spirit, without imposed specifications.

Since 2016, we have been making a risky bet in this extremely competitive industry, but it is an adventure that we are living to the full, together

Obviously, we have plans to make other games. Our next concept is already bubbling with ideas. But we also want to improve our technology, because in the long term we want it to be participatory, so that other Indies and projects see the light of day. In this age of individualism, we want to put people back at the heart of our discussions. This is why we would like to develop a “mentoring” program that would be a collaborative exchange link to discuss and share our experiences.
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​Do you have a news on which you would like to communicate? All products in our online store are on presale until September 27 inclusive. The sales from this space will aim to finance our second video game. As for our first video game, it will also be available in September on itch.io and on Steam. Today, we also invite your readers to follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram and to subscribe to our Newsletter so as not to miss our next news.
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Ak'interview with Geekbecois and Le Lien Multimedia

24/8/2021

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Geekbecois is a blog focused on geek culture whose journalists are geeks from all over Quebec wishing to share their passion.
Le Lien Multimedia is the portal for digital professionals.
​As an anecdote, we were able to give our game a try to one of the TVA Nouvelles journalists who was passing by! And we were able to discover later, that it was filmed and broadcast!
​We had the chance to be interviewed by Suzanne Clémente during DreamHack in Montreal in 2019.
Find out what she wrote!
And at MEGAMIGS in Montreal we were interviewed by Oriane Morriet, check out what she wrote about Nick Reckless in The Curse of The Lost Cause!
10 seconds on TV
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    Akedo Studio, a new Indie in Town tells you its stories of pixels, but especially its adventures since 2016.

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