Game Wise: The IGEA Educates Podcast – Community First: Building Macabre from the Ground Up

This is yet another episode in our series highlighting Australian success stories, aimed at inspiring the next generation of game makers.

In this episode, Jens speaks with Jay Topping, Co-Founder and Creative Director of WeForge Studios, about the journey behind the co-op horror game Macabre. Starting as a lockdown project between friends with no prior games industry experience, WeForge gradually built a community around the game through continuous iteration, transparent communication and a deep understanding of audience engagement. Jay shares lessons on validating ideas early, using marketing to inform development, running a successful Kickstarter campaign, and navigating the challenges of self-publishing and launching an indie game. It’s an honest conversation about the realities of building a studio from scratch, and the persistence, adaptability and authenticity required along the way.

You can listen to the episode below:

For an overview of all released episodes, go here: Game Wise – The IGEA Educates Podcast.

If you have any suggestions for future conversations, please let us know! We already have a range of more exciting episodes in our pipeline.