From Email to Success: How a Small Studio Won the Rights to Create a Queen's Gambit Game for Netflix

At the Develop Brighton conference, Jamie Brayshaw, head of partnerships at Ripstone, discussed how the studio convinced Netflix to partner with them to develop a Queen's Gambit game. This was Ripstone's first mobile project and Netflix's first game using Unreal Engine. Brayshaw explained that the studio's experience in creating chess games, such as Chess Ultra, was a key factor in their success. However, the development process was not without its challenges, including a tight pitching deadline and the need to design a game that would appeal to both experienced chess players and new players. The team at Rockwater, a Ripstone studio, had to balance the complexity of chess with the need for a more accessible and engaging mobile game experience. Through extensive user testing, they were able to identify and address key pain points, including the need for a smoother user interface and a more interactive first-time user experience. The game's success was largely due to the team's ability to adapt and iterate based on user feedback, resulting in a game that was both fun and engaging for a wide range of players.