Orc Chop Games' Journey: From California to the Philippines with a Twist on Fantasy

The debut game from Orc Chop Games, Goblin Stone, has a dual narrative: the in-game story of goblins fighting back against invaders, and the real-life tale of a couple's journey in forming a new studio. After achieving success with their mobile game Zombie Farm, Vince and Susan McDonnell used the revenue to fund their new venture, pursuing Vince's long-held dream of developing console games. Development of Goblin Stone began in California, but the studio later relocated to the Philippines, where the cost of labor was significantly lower. This allowed the team to expand and develop the game more quickly. According to McDonnell, the Philippines has a shortage of studios working on their own IP, which makes Orc Chop Games an attractive option for developers looking to work on original projects. However, the studio still faces challenges in hiring, particularly when it comes to VFX artists. As a self-funded studio, Orc Chop Games is focused on maintaining its independence and plans to self-publish Goblin Stone. The team explored the possibility of partnering with a publisher but ultimately decided to release the game on Steam first and use the initial earnings to fund additional localization and console ports. The goal with Goblin Stone was to subvert expectations and challenge stereotypes in the fantasy genre, particularly in the depiction of goblins. The team aimed to create a unique and non-threatening image of goblins, using oval shapes and soft features to convey a sense of innocence. The game's narrative is presented in a storybook format, which not only helped to manage development resources but also added to the game's charm. The attention to detail and commitment to the game's vision resulted in a lengthy development process, with the team facing tough decisions about what elements to keep and what to cut. Despite the challenges, the team is excited to see how players will react to the world they've created. With Goblin Stone's release on Steam, Orc Chop Games is looking to manage expectations while also planning for the future, including potential ports, additional languages, and DLCs.