Unraveling the Enigma of Blue Prince: A Conversation with Developer Tonda Ros

Blue Prince has emerged as one of the standout indie titles of 2025, boasting a unique blend of mystery and exploration. This puzzle roguelite game drops players into the enigmatic Mt. Holly manor, where they must navigate a dynamic, ever-changing layout to uncover its secrets. Each door opened presents a new room type, selected by the player, gradually building the manor's layout on a vast grid. The ultimate goal is to reach the elusive 46th room, with clues and progress hidden behind the unpredictable arrangement of rooms and items. The game's randomness is a key factor in its appeal, as players compare notes and strategies to overcome the challenges that lie within. For Tonda Ros, the game's developer, categorizing Blue Prince into a specific genre is a daunting task. 'I find it nearly impossible to describe Blue Prince in genre terms because there are so many built-in preconceptions about each of these terms,' Ros explains. The game's mechanics, inspired by tabletop and card games, as well as the cult classic Vagrant Story, have created a distinctive experience that defies easy classification. Ros's journey in creating Blue Prince was a long and winding one, spanning over eight years. The game's concept was influenced by various tile placement games, such as Carcassonne and Seafarers of Catan, but it was during a playthrough of Vagrant Story that the initial idea for Blue Prince began to take shape. The Snowfly forest in Vagrant Story, with its labyrinthine layout, served as a catalyst for the dynamic, interconnected world of Mt. Holly. Ros never had to pitch Blue Prince to publishers, instead opting to approach them with a playable version of the game. The response was overwhelmingly positive, with publisher Raw Fury signing the game. When asked about the challenges of getting players to engage with puzzle games, Ros emphasizes the importance of 'evangelising thinky games' and encouraging players to venture out of their comfort zones. The game's success can be attributed, in part, to its appearance in June 2024's Steam Next Fest, where players were given a generous four-day demo to explore Mt. Holly. While Ros wasn't overly focused on the marketing implications, the demo proved invaluable in helping to identify and fix corner case bugs that had gone unnoticed during development. Other factors, such as the game's launch on Game Pass and PlayStation Plus, have also contributed to its discovery by a wider audience. As a designer, Ros prioritizes accessibility and lowering barriers to entry, believing that 'we need to figure out ways to lower barriers that might prevent people from being able to experience art.' For players who embark on the journey into Mt. Holly, the game is designed to cater to the curious, with an emphasis on exploration, theorizing, and experimentation. As Ros puts it, 'I think if you find it fun to explore, theorise, and experiment, then there's not too much of a risk of just dropping a player into the world without explaining things.'