What is Cocoboko Studios?

Cocoboko Studios is an independent game studio. The plan is to make video games that I, and others like me, would like to play that I don’t see in the market.

But it’s more than a business idea. As cliché as it sounds, Cocoboko Studios is dream that I have been hesitating on for the past 20 years, and I’m finally trying to give it form, regardless of the odds.

Cocoboko Studios is me trying to do something I want to do, and build something I want to build.

Reading that text over makes me realize how much more personal this endeavour is—but I suppose that’s the point, right?

So, let’s get into it.

What kind of games do you want to make?

The console that got me “deep” into video games was, like many, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). As much as I appreciated the classics like Super Mario World, and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past— the specific games that grabbed me were SimCity and Final Fantasy II (a.k.a. Final Fantasy IV).

Those two games led me to love some other niche titles on the platform, specifically Aerobiz, Uncharted Waters, along with their respective sequels, Harvest Moon.

What made these titles special to me was the simulation, management, and narrative elements in the games. They were games that made you think and challenged you in a cerebral way. There was drama, there were relationships between characters, there were economies that required management. All of which didn’t require a mouse and keyboard.

There was depth, but also the simplicity in controls, likely limited by the hardware— but as a 10 year old, I could figure it out.

In short, I want to make games that blend narrative with simulation and management like the ones that inspired me as a kid.

Why are you building this studio now?

Because there is no perfect time to start something.

Ever since I accidentally signed up for a computer science class in university and discovered programming, I’ve been talking about (but not acting on) the idea of making video games.

Even before that, as a kid, I created fake instruction manuals for games I wanted to see, and game design documents (although I didn’t know that’s what they would be called at the time) for an RPG.

But I never acted on it.

As a kid in Winnipeg in the 1990’s, making video games wasn’t really a career option or idea that anyone had. I knew people made games, but that clearly “wasn’t a real job”.

As a university student, I knew there were options and opportunities but it wasn’t the right time, or there was always an excuse to wait for the right moment.

Now, I have a full-time job, a family, a mortgage, more responsibility than twenty-something me could have handled. The video game market is flooded, uncertain, and competitive-— and yet, here I am, building something anyway.

But like I said, there is no perfect time to start something. So you might as well just start. So I’m starting now—and I’m doing it my way.

What makes Cocoboko different from other indie efforts?

Well, me of course. 😉

But what about me? I’m not special. Like I said, I have a full time day-job and a family, which keeps me exceptionally busy. I am continually trying to balance time for myself, with time for my family, and time for the day-job.

But maybe, in a way, that is what make me special in this space.

In all of the podcasts, devlogs, and industry stories I have consumed over the years— I have yet to find one where someone started their journey in commercial game development, with a family, and without risking everything to “chase their dream” or whatever. It’s not the typical way to start a game studio—and that’s exactly why it matters.

These conditions have taught me to appreciate the time that I do get to spend on my passion. This idea of appreciation of what I do have, ideas are part of the foundation of Cocoboko Studios, and it is these ideas that will make Cocoboko Studios unique.

Writing all this down helps ground my thoughts and feelings about this journey. It’s not going to be easy—but it’s mine. I’m building it anyway. I hope you’ll come along for the ride.