A new independent game studio has entered the chat. Studio Reset, a Canadian indie studio from developers of Mass Effect, Dragon Age, The Long Dark, and Anthem, announced its formation and teased its inaugural project, which it calls “a neon-noir supernatural mystery game set in a stylized Canadian cityscape.”
The Edmonton-based studio’s founders — Kaelin Lavallée, Francis Lacuna, and Kris Schoneberg — say that, after years of constructing triple-A studios’ large-scale worlds, the trio’s shared goal is “building games with intention and sustainability […] original IP, sustainable ambition, and experiences shaped around the players they are made for.”
“Studio Reset is smaller by design,” explains Studio Reset Producer and Creative Director Kaelin Lavallée. “We are not trying to recreate blockbuster development at a smaller scale. We want to build original worlds with focus, intention, and a team that can stay close to the work, the creative vision, and the players we are making it for.”
What to expect from Studio Reset
Studio Reset’s mysterious and atmospheric first project — which the studio’s newsletter says we’ll hear more about next month — “channels the satisfaction of classic adventure mysteries while modernizing the form through bold 3D visuals, multiple investigators, intuitive clue-solving, mature themes, and meaningful replayability.” The label’s debut project is in its early stages with support from the Canada Media Fund.
In the meantime, the studio is teasing the project with some eye-popping concept art.
Studio Reset’s founders say their “Parallax Deduction” approach to narrative design hinges on player perspective. “Characters do not simply collect clues; each provides a different perspective on the scene — informing what a player can perceive, interpret, and believe […] Parallax Deduction makes each investigator a different lens on the case.” Every player’s unique investigative lens brings a new take to the table.
“We’re interested in mysteries that trust the player,” said Studio Reset Design Director Kris Schoneberg. “A good mystery should make you feel clever, not confused. With Parallax Deduction, we want players to understand that perspective is part of the evidence. Who is looking at the case matters, because each investigator brings their own expertise, history, instincts, and blind spots.”
Studio Reset is also embracing a “no moon logic” approach. “Moon logic,” a term used to describe a common action-adventure game trope in which overly-complicated puzzles demand absurd and logic-defying solutions. Studio Reset hopes to prioritize intuitive puzzle-solving. “[I]f a player uncovers a hidden motive, opens a locked path, or connects two strange details, the solution should feel like something they could have reasoned toward through observation, context, and deduction.”
“We want Studio Reset to be known for games about strange places, hidden stories, and the curious characters compelled to uncover them,” said Francis Lacuna, Studio Reset’s Art Director. “Visually, we’re building toward a world that feels beautiful, uneasy, and familiar in the wrong way. The kind of place where the ordinary starts to feel like it is hiding something.”
To stay in the loop, follow Studio Reset on Instagram, Discord, TikTok, Bluesky, and YouTube.
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