Shiny Shoe's Mark Cooke talks Monster Train and Inkbound

The Origins of Shiny Shoe Studio and the Indie Dream

Shiny Shoe Studio was founded with the goal of pursuing the indie dream and creating their own games. The studio initially focused on mobile games, but later shifted towards working on high-end PC and console projects. They built their reputation through co-development work on notable titles such as Grim Fandango Remastered, Banner Saga series, and Subnautica. This allowed them to grow and establish themselves in the industry. However, they faced challenges with monetizing their own original games in the free-to-play market. They adapted their strategy by working on bigger projects and balancing work-for-hire projects with their own original development. This led them to work on unique titles like Death's Door, a Twitch-powered gothic horror RPG. However, the breakout hit for Shiny Shoe Studio came with Monster Train, a deck-building card game set in hell where players embody monsters defending against the forces of heaven. Monster Train garnered attention and success, solidifying the studio's position in the gaming industry.