Black Salt Games, the studio behind the hit title Dredge, has taken a bold step by establishing a fresh development house called Team Trifold. This move coincides with the creation of a new white‑label publishing entity, Saltworks Entertainment, which will serve not only Team Trifold but also its sister studio Disc 2 Games, another independent developer based in New Zealand. All three companies share a single headquarters in Christchurch, yet each retains full creative autonomy. Saltworks Entertainment is positioned as a collaborative hub that pools expertise across a wide range of disciplines—production, marketing, quality assurance, localisation, audio design, business operations, and publishing logistics.
By centralising these services, the three studios can focus on what they do best: making games. The shared infrastructure is designed to reduce overhead, streamline processes, and foster a supportive community where knowledge and resources flow freely between teams. Funding for Team Trifold’s inaugural project, Nothing Lost, is being supplied directly by Black Salt Games.
Executive Producer Nadia Thorne explained to GamesIndustry.biz that the financial backing is a direct result of the commercial triumph of Dredge. "The success of Dredge gave us the confidence and the capital to invest in a new, ambitious indie venture," Thorne said.
In addition to private investment, the studio benefits from New Zealand’s Game Development Sector Rebate, a government‑run incentive that offers tax credits to qualifying developers. This rebate has proven vital for the nascent studio, providing a stable cash flow that allows the team to concentrate on polishing their game without the constant pressure of immediate revenue generation. Industry data released over the summer indicated that companies receiving the rebate collectively saw their revenues rise by 17 % to reach $829 million, underscoring the program’s impact on the local ecosystem. Thorne emphasized that sustainability lies at the heart of Saltworks Entertainment’s multi‑studio strategy.
"We believe that small, ambitious teams that target modest hardware requirements can build a resilient model that will weather whatever market shifts occur over the next five years," she remarked. By linking the studios under a common umbrella, Saltworks aims to share best practices, technical infrastructure, and administrative support while ensuring that no single studio outgrows its core capabilities.
Team Trifold itself is a tight‑knit trio composed of artist‑writer Jed Uy, production and QA lead Wilson Teo, and programmer Carl Johnson. Each member brings a wealth of experience from various corners of the industry, ranging from original IP creation to contract work for larger publishers.
"We’ve all spent years climbing the ladder in game development, working on both passion projects and client‑driven titles," Uy noted. "The biggest lesson we’ve taken away is the importance of relentless iteration, rigorous playtesting, and staying attuned to the player’s perspective." According to Uy, establishing solid design pillars is non‑negotiable.
"You need a clear set of principles that guide every artistic and technical decision. Details will evolve, but the core vision must remain steadfast," he explained.
Teo echoed this sentiment, stressing that the team’s primary focus is to validate the core gameplay loop through exhaustive testing and internal debate. "Our design pillars keep us honest, and the playtesting feedback ensures we’re delivering a loop that feels rewarding, even when it challenges the player," he added.
Nothing Lost draws inspiration from the early‑2000s anime Shaman King, a series that explored the concept of life after death and the supernatural powers that accompany it. The developers aim to "turn the roguelike loop on its head" by making death a central mechanic for progression rather than a mere penalty.
"We’ve built a multiplicative, death‑based crafting system that actually rewards players for the most dreaded aspect of roguelikes—dying," Uy explained. This system encourages players to experiment with failure, using each demise as an opportunity to gather unique resources and unlock new abilities, thereby reframing death as a catalyst for growth.
The team also taps into a rich tapestry of cultural mythologies contributed by its members, weaving these narratives into the game’s world‑building. "Shaman King’s portrayal of an afterlife resonated with us, and when combined with the diverse myths from our backgrounds, we arrived at a premise that feels both fresh and emotionally resonant," Uy said.
While the roguelike market is undeniably crowded, Teo believes that clear communication of design intent can set Nothing Lost apart. "Players naturally resist losing, so we must articulate why death is integral to our experience.
By reinforcing our design pillars and explaining the loop transparently, we can turn a potential frustration into a compelling hook," he argued. Beyond the core mechanics, the studio plans to incorporate robust accessibility options, ensuring that the game remains approachable to a wide audience. They are also exploring procedural storytelling techniques that adapt the narrative based on the player’s death patterns, creating a personalized tale that evolves with each run. This approach not only deepens replayability but also aligns with the studio’s philosophy of making every failure meaningful.
In summary, Black Salt Games’ decision to spin off Team Trifold under the Saltworks Entertainment banner reflects a strategic commitment to nurturing small, sustainable indie studios in New Zealand. By leveraging shared services, government incentives, and a clear design philosophy, Team Trifold is poised to deliver Nothing Lost—a game that reimagines the roguelike death loop as a rewarding, story‑driven engine. The collaboration promises to enrich the local development scene while offering players a fresh take on a beloved genre.