Former Riot Developers at Treehouse Discuss Shift to Co-op Gaming

In 2020, Treehouse Games emerged with a vision to create cooperative social games that foster connections among friends, similar to how people socialize over coffee or dinner. Since then, the gaming industry has witnessed the rise and fall of the metaverse concept, with major companies initially pursuing it as a driver of future growth before shifting their focus to Generative AI. Treehouse Games has taken a different approach, recently unveiling a teaser for its first project, Codename: Islands, a strictly cooperative survival crafting game. The game's developers, including CEO Michael Chu and Chief Product Officer Andrea Sepenzis, shared their perspective on the metaverse trend and their decision to focus on co-op gaming. According to Chu, the metaverse wave was a distraction that took attention away from what truly matters in gaming - the human needs and desires that drive social interactions. Sepenzis noted that the tech industry's attempt to commercialize and brand the metaverse experience overlooked the importance of creating an engaging and meaningful experience for players. While Treehouse Games was not vocal during the metaverse trend, the studio has been busy growing its team to 27 people and securing a second round of funding. Sepenzis, a former Riot Games colleague of Chu's, joined Treehouse about a year and a half ago and has been instrumental in shaping the game's development. The team has taken a non-linear approach to creating Codename: Islands, with a focus on cooperative gameplay and survival crafting mechanics. Sepenzis believes that the co-op emphasis will help mitigate toxicity in the game's community, a challenge that Riot Games has faced with its competitive titles. According to Sepenzis, competitive games are not designed to foster pro-social relationships between players, whereas cooperative games like Codename: Islands can create a sense of shared purpose and camaraderie. The game's development has been driven by a desire to provide a unique and engaging experience that invites players to work together and build meaningful relationships. As the gaming industry continues to evolve, Treehouse Games is poised to capitalize on the growing demand for cooperative and social gaming experiences. With the global gaming population expected to double in the coming years, the studio is well-positioned to meet the increasing demand for games that provide a sense of community and connection.