Veteran Developers Form Simply Sweet Games to Elevate Industry Standards

Tina Merry and Carina Kom, seasoned game development professionals, have launched Simply Sweet Games, a fully remote studio based in British Columbia, Canada. The studio's inaugural title, Criss Cross Castles, is a roguelike word puzzle game currently in development. With over thirty years of combined experience in AAA, mobile, and indie game development, Merry and Kom aim to set a new standard for the industry. Merry, a former development director at Electronic Arts, and Kom, who worked at EA and collaborated with Microsoft and Unity, bring a wealth of expertise to their new venture. According to Kom, Criss Cross Castles combines the complexity of word games with the dynamic gameplay of roguelikes, creating a unique crossover genre that appeals to both dedicated roguelike players and those new to the genre. By merging these elements, the studio aims to create an engaging experience for all players. The idea for the studio was born out of a meeting at GDC in 2023, after Kom decided to leave her role at MixMob. Merry and Kom were driven by their shared passion for innovation and inclusivity in the gaming world, and they decided to move away from AAA game development to focus on crafting inclusive and accessible experiences for players. The studio's goal is to create polished, deep, and ad-free games that raise the bar for the entire industry. To achieve this, they plan to use analytics to anticipate player needs and continuously enhance their games through player testing. Merry and Kom hope to establish Simply Sweet Games as a brand synonymous with inclusion, respect, and fun, bringing games to market through global collaboration, creativity, and accessibility.