Latest news with #BlackSaltGames
Scoop
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Black Salt Games Announces New Studio And Next Projects
Black Salt Games, the indie studio behind the award-winning sinister fishing adventure DREDGE, today announced the formation of a second studio, Disc 2 Games, and confirmed that both teams are now working on new, original titles. Following the launch of DREDGE in 2023 and its final major expansion The Iron Rig, Black Salt Games has officially wrapped content development on the title. The team is now deep into pre-production on a new game. ' We've taken DREDGE as far as we can technically – especially while continuing to support players on previous-gen consoles,' said Nadia Thorne, CEO and Producer. 'It's time to turn our attention to something new.' While details on Black Salt's next project are under wraps, the studio promises it will stay true to their focus on atmosphere, intrigue, and surprising mechanics – but in a brand new world. "Creating DREDGE was so rewarding for us," said Joel Mason, Programmer & Writer at Black Salt Games. "Seeing players respond so positively towards our work is incredibly fulfilling. It's reaffirming to know that players enjoy the types of worlds that we want to create - and gives us the confidence to try to do it again." Around the time DREDGE launched, Nadia Thorne co-founded a second studio, Disc 2 Games, alongside longtime collaborators Kris Nicholson and Johannes Otte. Operating independently but under the same roof in Christchurch, Disc 2 shares creative DNA with Black Salt - along with Thorne, who is Producer on both studios' titles, and Michael Bastiaens, who is also contributing to Disc 2's debut game. "We've been quietly working on our first game for a bit over a year now." said Kris Nicholson, Technical Director at Disc 2 Games. "It's a fusion of ideas that we think work well together, we're really excited to share more about it soon!" When asked about what can be expected from Disc 2's first game, Creative Director Johannes Otte says, 'The game initially welcomes players with a bright, stylish, and fun facade. However, beneath this polished surface lies a gritty world, waiting for players to immerse themselves in and join our characters in rebelling against.' More news on Disc 2 Games debut title will be 'dropping in' in the upcoming months. Members of the team will be attending a variety of video game conferences throughout the year to promote the game. If you would like to meet the team and/or demo the game once it is announced, please contact hannah@ to arrange.
Arabian Post
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Arabian Post
Apple's App Excellence Crowned with Balatro, Neva and Dredge Triumphs
Apple awarded top honours across its six categories at the 2025 Apple Design Awards, celebrating innovation, aesthetics and social impact across apps and games. Standout recipients included Balatro, Neva and DREDGE, which secured wins in key categories and reflect the diversity and creativity of today's digital creators. Balatro, developed by Canadian indie studio LocalThunk, claimed the 'Delight and Fun' game category. This roguelike, poker-infused deck-builder has gained acclaim for its addictive stakes and clever mechanics, combining classic card play with strategic depth. Apple described it as a 'captivatingly innovative card game' that reaffirms the potential of indie titles. Its creator, working solo under a pseudonym, has emphasised the joy in balancing playful randomness with carefully crafted gameplay. In the Interaction category, DREDGE from New Zealand's Black Salt Games attracted praise. It merges slow-burn horror elements with maritime exploration, putting players at the helm of a fishing vessel navigating eerie islands and hidden mysteries. Apple highlighted its 'seamless interactions' across iPhone, iPad and Mac. Nadia Thorne, CEO of Black Salt Games, commended the award as a recognition of the careful adaptation process for mobile controls and atmosphere. ADVERTISEMENT Neva, released by Devolver Digital, secured the Social Impact award. This atmospheric action-adventure tells the tale of a girl and her wolf, journeying through seasonally shifting landscapes and exploring themes of environmental loss, care and connection. Apple noted its 'visually stunning and emotionally resonant' approach, framing it as a contemplative meditation on the bonds humans form with the natural world. Apple's vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations, Susan Prescott, emphasised at WWDC that these awardees exemplify boundary-pushing creativity, well-crafted design, and meaningful user experiences. The event also recognised excellence across app categories. CapWords, from HappyPlan Tech in China, won Delight and Fun for its intelligent language-learning tool. It transforms everyday images into interactive word stickers, offering immersive multilingual engagement. Productivity and creativity saw innovation rewarded with Play by Rabbit 3 Times, a SwiftUI-based prototyping platform that bridges Mac and iPhone workflows. Inclusivity was honoured with Speechify, which offers extensive language-to-voice conversion for neurodiverse and low-vision users, and Art of Fauna, a wildlife-themed puzzle game combining conservation and accessibility features. Visuals and Graphics awards went to Feather: Draw in 3D by South Korea's Sketchsoft, and Infinity Nikki, a richly animated game from Singapore's Infold Games. Watch Duty, a wildfire monitoring app, earned the Social Impact app award for delivering evacuation data, fire perimeter updates and wind information during California wildfires. Its volunteer-run team continues to rely on community feedback to improve communication effectiveness. ADVERTISEMENT The awards, featuring 36 finalists across six categories, reflect Apple's criteria: technical proficiency, design craft, accessibility, user engagement and social responsibility. Notably, the 'Spatial Computing' category from 2024 was omitted, underscoring a renewed focus on cross-platform usability. Each winner demonstrates a commitment to both form and function. Balatro delivers addictive mechanics; DREDGE provides immersive controls and atmosphere; Neva offers emotional and visual storytelling; apps like Speechify and Watch Duty place real-world needs at their heart. Industry analysts say the Apple Design Awards play a significant role in spotlighting independent developers. Tech site AppleInsider noted the retention of all six core categories this year, marking a notable departure from 2024's emphasis on spatial apps. The awards can boost visibility in the App Store, offering small studios a major platform. Balatro's prior accolades — including Game Developers Choice Awards' top honours and DICE recognitions — align with its Apple accolade. DREDGE's win underscores its mobile design excellence, while Neva's recognition continues the narrative trend toward socially conscious storytelling in games. This year's awardees also highlight Apple's focus on global representation. Winners and finalists span China, South Korea, Austria, New Zealand, Canada, and the United States, representing varied genres, languages and development scales. Of special note is Apple's call to developers to integrate accessibility in mainstream gameplay. Winners Speechify, Art of Fauna, and Neva incorporate VoiceOver, haptics, and adjustable modes, affirming the platform's push for inclusive tech. These awards were timed to coincide with WWDC 2025, presenting creators with high visibility and the chance to be featured by Apple. For example, apps like CapWords and Play benefit from showcases in the App Store and WWDC sessions. The unified messaging from Apple and the developers interviewed emphasises a baseline of high-quality experience. Whether crafting elegant UI, refining user engagement, or embedding purpose-driven features, the recognition from Cupertino underscores a shared standard: excellence must be felt by users.
National Business Review
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- National Business Review
From a ‘cupboard' to $60m: How one game studio bolstered another
'Oh gosh, it sounds like humble bragging but we definitely didn't expect the level of interest or success we had,' says Black Salt Games co-founder and chief executive Nadia Thorne about the success of her company's first game, Dredge. Black Salt's debut title broke through the company's
