Revolutionizing Sandbox Gaming: 4J Studios and Minecraft YouTuber Join Forces

When news broke that Joseph Garrett, aka Stampy, was teaming up with 4J Studios, it was easy to dismiss it as a marketing stunt. However, as it turns out, Garrett is now an integral part of the team, dedicating three days a week to working on Reforj, a creative survival sandbox game. 4J founder Chris van der Kuyl emphasizes that Garrett is not just a consultant, but a full-fledged team member who receives team tasks and is deeply involved in the game's development. Garrett's transition from YouTuber to game designer may seem sudden, but he had already planned to end his popular Minecraft video series, "Stampy's Lovely World," when 4J approached him. Reforj is a community-focused game that aims to bring something new to the sandbox genre. Despite the inevitable comparisons to Minecraft, the team is confident that their game will offer a unique experience. Van der Kuyl notes that the team has no targets or expectations, and instead, focuses on building a community that loves the game and provides feedback. The game is being developed using the Elements Engine, a custom-built engine that allows for persistent 60-frames-per-second gameplay. The engine has already impressed fans, with a YouTube video showcasing its capabilities garnering over half a million views. Garrett stresses that the focus on latest hardware is not just about visual effects, but about creating a seamless gaming experience. The game's design is centered around efficient world saves, gateways to other worlds, and a unique mechanism that allows for seamless travel between worlds. 4J is taking a community-driven approach, with Garrett being the first point of contact for community feedback. The team has already started involving community members in the development process, with a pre-alpha version of the game set to be released soon. While 4J is aware of the risks involved in creating a game that will be compared to Minecraft, they are confident in their ability to deliver a unique experience. Van der Kuyl notes that the team has no fixed plans to partner with bigger publishers, but is open to the possibility in the future. For now, the focus is on building a game that the community will love, with Garrett serving as a literal "player zero" for the team. As van der Kuyl puts it, "If Joe believes in this game, he will tell us. Yes, he is part of the team, but we know him more than well enough to know he'll be brutally honest with us on what he does and doesn't like."