Double Fine and Undead Labs vets launch experimental web game studio
Industry veterans Brandon Dillon and Richard Foge have launched a new studio called 2weeks to rapidly create experimental projects for the open web.
Dillon previously spent over six years at Oculus, most recently as the company’s product management director. Prior to that he served as the technical director on Grim Fandango Remastered and product lead on Hack ‘n’ Slash at Double Fine.
Foge spent four years at Possibility Space, which was shuttered by co-founder Jeff Strain earlier this year. He also worked at State of Decay developer Undead Labs for almost a decade as design director.
The pair explained their core development pillars are rapid prototyping, experimentation, and transparency. “Our goal is to whip up small, experimental prototypes at lightning speed and ship them straight to you on the open web,” they added in a press release.
“Why the web? Because we want to get games in your hands fast. No app installations. No high-end devices required–just pure gaming joy for everyone as quick as we can serve it up.”
Dillon and Foge say it’s an approach that will let them test “wild” ideas that don’t work in a traditional model and share them with players much earlier. They’ll also be able so solicit direct feedback so they can quickly improve their experimental platter.
Several studios founded by industry veterans dedicated to shipping smaller games faster have surfaced in 2024. These include companies like Barnyard Games, which are prioritizing development on user generated content platforms like Unreal Engine for Fortnite.
2weeks’ debut release is strategic title called Homestretch Bet that combines the “thrill of horse racing with the strategy of Texas Hold ‘Em.” Players must bet on their favorite horse based on their stats and the luck of the draw as the race unfolds.
The studio intends to keep fan in the loop by way of newsletter that will roll out regularly. Those eager to see 2weeks’ development philosophy in action can try Homestretch Bet right here.