A Small Studio's Audacious Pitch: How Ripstone Won Netflix Over to Create a Queen's Gambit Game

At the Develop Brighton conference, Jamie Brayshaw, head of partnerships at Ripstone, revealed how the studio successfully pitched a Queen's Gambit game to Netflix, despite being a small developer. Brayshaw discussed the challenges of creating a mobile game using Unreal Engine, a first for both Ripstone and Netflix. He also emphasized the value of being bold and taking risks during the pitching process. The studio's experience with chess games, including Chess Ultra, laid the groundwork for their pitch. However, it was Brayshaw's spontaneous question during a call with Netflix that led to an unexpected opportunity. Netflix was preparing to enter the gaming industry and was looking for partners. Ripstone was given a week to come up with a pitch, which was a daunting task. The team had to balance their vision with the constraints of mobile game development and the need to appeal to a broad audience, including both chess enthusiasts and newcomers to the game. Brayshaw noted that chess can be intimidating and complex, so the team focused on creating a more accessible experience with puzzles and brain-training games. User testing played a crucial role in refining the game, particularly in identifying and addressing friction points in the UI. The team also learned the importance of designing an engaging first-time user experience, with a focus on interactive gameplay and minimal extraneous elements. By prioritizing user testing and iterating on their design, Ripstone was able to create a successful game that met the needs of diverse players, from experienced chess players to those new to gaming altogether.