For fifteen years, MachineGames has been pushing boundaries, redefining what it means to craft immersive, story-driven thrill rides.
From their early days as a small team in Uppsala, Sweden, to their rise as the creative force behind the modern Wolfenstein saga and the globe-trotting adventures of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle™, MachineGames has spent a decade and a half doing what they do best:
Making games that matter.
As we mark this milestone, we’re celebrating the culture of the studio with insights from people who have helped shape every chapter. Join us as the team at MachineGames shares what they feel makes their studio so very special.
Words from MachineGames
Time flies when you're having fun, and here we are, still doing what we love: making the games we ourselves want to play.From the bottom of our hearts, we wouldn’t be where we are today without you. Thank you for your continued support and for playing our games.Our mission has always been to craft rich, deep, narrative-driven experiences, and we’re thrilled that so many of you share our passion for storytelling. At MachineGames, it all begins with a story, and we still have plenty left to tell.Here’s to another 15 years of spectacular, cinematic, bombastic, suspenseful, and beautiful games! Cheers!
- MachineGames
What makes MachineGames special?
Fredrik Ljungdahl, Associate Game Director & Studio Founder – 15 Years at MachineGames: A lot of us have been working together for a very long time. I think this creates a very stable foundation and culture. It’s part of what gives our workplace and games a special feeling.
Henrik Håkansson, Animation Director – Nearly 15 Years at MachineGames: We care about the games as well as the people who make them. Our founders have set a very high standard.
Olga Angelova, VFX Artist – 2.5 Years at MachineGames: This whole studio is made up of talented people across every discipline who have been brought together to work on special projects that tell special stories.
Mitra Ashkan Far, Senior Capture Producer – 5 Years at MachineGames: To me what makes MachineGames special is the trust, confidence and support we all choose to show and put in our colleagues during the creative process. Whether we’re creating a cinematic, developing new tech or building a richly detailed world, character or prop, everyone chooses to trust one another’s skills and ideas and continue to hold each other to high standards. Working toward the vision, we experiment and aren’t afraid to take creative risks together – trusting the process and our teammates passion, and in doing so, creating a shared ownership.
What are some lessons you’ve learned as a team that you want to see carried forward?
Ljungdahl: We make entertainment. We always try to see things from a player perspective. Even during the toughest times in game development, we know it will be worth it when we see players react to what we created as a team.
Pontus Wåhlin, Lead Prop Artist – 12 Years at MachineGames: When dedicated individuals collaborate and motivate one another, the results are often outstanding – demonstrating the value of believing in people’s passion.
Angelova: Collaborating on everything – large and small – is what makes the development process amazing, and in the end we get a game that stands out. Also, compliment each other! It can make someone’s day and builds positive energy in your environment, especially in the last months of development when the view of your work is a bit tunneled. It becomes extra valuable to hear that someone appreciates what you do.
Ashkan Far: I feel like each and every one of us has grown as developers, and that came from many lessons learned. From trusting the process and not being afraid of trying new things to trusting your ability to make hard calls and standing by those decisions.
What does the future of MachineGames look like to you?
Ljungdahl: MachineGames is a creative inferno that will keep crafting intriguing gaming experiences for players around the world to enjoy.
Håkansson: Exciting, especially for me as the Animation Director! We’ve recently had the chance to upgrade our in-house mocap studio to handle performance capture. Even though we’re very familiar with performance capture, doing it in our own studio is a huge, exciting undertaking. We welcome challenges!
Wåhlin: I’m excited about our future. With our upcoming projects, we’re well-positioned for continued growth and success. The experience gained from our work on Indiana Jones and the Great Circle™ has provided valuable insights that will only enhance our future initiatives.
Angelova: We’ll be rolling on a highway of success and roaring loud and proud! But speaking seriously, from what I can see, the road ahead looks thrilling. Stay tuned!
