Gamescom2025 | Shyftrs

SHYFTRS IN GAMESCOM 2025!

This marks our second time around, and looking back, developing Shyftrs has truly been a wild ride, full of stops, starts, and lessons along the way. Getting the chance once again to receive an NZ CODE grant has given our team the momentum to push production forward and even join Gamescom, shoulder-to-shoulder with other incredible New Zealand studios.

We’re deeply grateful for the support of NZ CODE, the NZTE team, and most of all, our community. Your encouragement has been the driving force that keeps us moving, reminding us why we started this journey in the first place.

NZ GAME DEV TEAM IN GAMESCOM

We’re now taking our first steps toward introducing more games made in New Zealand to the world. Thanks to the support of NZTE and NZ CODE, we had the opportunity to step into the B2B space, a huge milestone for us.

Our journey began with Representing Games, an event where each studio had the chance to showcase their work in front of 40+ publishers. For us, this was a defining moment for Shyftrs. Standing in that room, surrounded by so many talented teams and industry veterans, was both exhilarating and nerve-wracking. You can rehearse your pitch a hundred times, but once you’re up there, the stakes feel real.

The visibility and connections that come from an event like this are massive. Every presentation forces you to rethink your pitch deck, to stay aligned with where the industry is heading, and to see your own project through new eyes. In many ways, it’s less about selling and more about learning, learning how to tell your story better, how to communicate your vision, and how the business side of games can be just as creative (and challenging) as development itself.

At the end of the day, making a game isn’t only about building the product, it’s also about how you bring it into the world. Events like this remind us that marketing, storytelling, and community are as much a part of the journey as level design or coding.

SHOWCASING SHYFTRS FOR THE FIRST TIME

This is a big step for Shyftrs, not just for our team, but for being part of building the New Zealand game industry and expanding our reach to the rest of the world. Even though we were presenting in a B2B environment, the reception from players was incredibly encouraging. Seeing people engage with our game, ask questions, and share their excitement reminded us why we started this journey in the first place.

The interactions with potential business partners were equally invaluable. We received thoughtful feedback on how to improve Shyftrs, along with advice and insights that only come from experience. Hearing that our game holds its own, even as our very first project in production, was both humbling and energizing. It’s one thing to create something you love in your studio, but it’s another to see it recognized and appreciated on an international stage.

This experience has given us a renewed sense of motivation. It’s a reminder that every step we take, no matter how nerve-wracking, is part of growing, not just Shyftrs, but ourselves as developers. We’re inspired to push forward, continue refining our craft, and share our world with players everywhere. This is just the beginning, and we can’t wait to see where the journey takes us next.