The making of a game by Arkada Studio

Let's Imagine Tomorrow's Board Games Together

Are you an author or game designer with a hybrid game project? This page presents our editorial line and our collaboration process, from the initial idea through to distribution. Please read it in full before contacting us.

 Your story, our expertise

At Arkada Studio, every project starts with an idea. Whether you're an author or a game designer, we collaborate to bring immersive hybrid games to life, blending board and technology. With our expertise in animated film and video games, we turn your vision into a unique experience for an international audience.

Working with us means joining a structured creative process, where every step, from pitch to final production, is guided by our team. Together, we build an innovative hybrid game, balanced between human interaction and digital intervention.

 Specifics of our hybrid games

Player interaction

Player interaction is at the heart of our games. We don't develop titles where everyone plays on their own, as is often the case with certain "German-style" games. Our games must encourage constant exchange, discussion, and direct interaction, to create real social dynamics around the table.

The app's role

The app must be a full-fledged actor in the game, not just a technical tool. In Spark Riders 3000, it embodies Iris, the ship's AI. In Erune, it is the Spirit of Erune, an omniscient narrator. This role gives it a clear identity that makes it easier to integrate into the experience.

We don't want gadget apps that merely keep score or serve as a reference table. Those functions can exist, but they must remain secondary.

Conversely, the app must not overshadow the board either. Screen time should stay low. The experience relies first and foremost on the exchanges between players and the actions on the board.

Board / app balance

The app steps in at key moments to enrich immersion, but it must not turn the experience into a video game. If the board dimension becomes an afterthought, that's not our vision.

Players enter certain information into the app — what we call inputs: signaling the end of a turn, confirming an action (moving, attacking, exchanging cards...). But not every action should go through the app. The goal is balance: the app enriches the game without becoming its center.

In summary, the app must:

Have a defined role (character, narrator...) · Not be omnipresent · Step in occasionally to enrich the game without replacing player interaction · Be used on a single phone.

Example with Erune: players tell the app when they pass a turn or search an object, and it returns a random result (e.g., "you find 1 healing potion and 5 gold coins"). However, it doesn't know when players move, attack, or use their talents. The app only knows about 30% of the actions; the rest is handled directly on the board.

The Collaboration Process

Several steps frame our collaborations with authors, game designers, and publishers, to ensure smooth progress on the project, from the initial idea through to final distribution.

1

Phase 1, Initial Pitch

The first step is to present us with a coherent pitch, aligned with our editorial line and the specifics of an Arkada Studio hybrid game. We expect the following elements:

  • Type of game (primary mechanic)
  • Number of players, game duration
  • Planned materials (cards, dice, miniatures, etc.)
  • Precise role of the app (it must be essential and have its own identity)

First, send us an introductory email (author + project). We'll offer you a phone call to get acquainted, followed by a video call for a full presentation.

2

Phase 2, Prototype and Testing

Once the collaboration is sufficiently advanced, we need to test a fully developed prototype that faithfully simulates the final experience, even if the app hasn't been built yet. To simulate the app, you can:

  • Use Excel spreadsheets to manage the data and mechanics that will be automated
  • Use simple random systems (dice, cards) to simulate results
  • Create a scripted experience: you play the role of the app yourself, providing the responses it would give ("You just opened a treasure chest...") and reacting to players' decisions the way it would

The goal is to simulate the app's behavior as faithfully as possible so the experience is immersive and representative.

Once this prototype is sufficiently developed, it's presented to the entire Arkada Studio team. We generally dedicate a full day to testing it. If approved, we move on to the production phase. Minor adjustments at this stage are common — it's a normal part of the process.

3

Phase 3, Author Involvement

During the collaboration:

  • Clear, complete version presentations
  • The prototype must have been previously tested by an audience of players
  • Clear, detailed tracking of playtest feedback

During production:

  • Attendance at trade shows/conventions (at the studio's expense)
  • Presence on social media (optional)
  • Full availability to meet production requirements on gameplay, rules, and game data
4

Phase 4, Development

Once the alpha prototype is approved, an author's contract is drawn up and we move on to product development. Two options to finance production:

  • Sign with a distributor who finances production
  • Launch a crowdfunding campaign (Kickstarter, Gamefound, etc.)

In either case, we prepare the final product together for mass production and project communication.

5

Phase 5, Production and Distribution

Once funding is secured, an author's contract is signed, formalizing commercialization and defining each party's rights and obligations. This phase includes:

  • Production and distribution of the game
  • Localization (translations if needed)
  • Any expansions and updates

STAND OUT

Typical Presentation of a Hybrid Board Game

Here are the essential elements to include when presenting your hybrid game.

Product sheet

The product sheet must include all technical information:

  • Game authors
  • Materials used (cards, dice, miniatures, etc.)
  • Estimated box price
  • Recommended age and game duration
  • Game theme
  • Role of the app (assistance, action control, event management...)
  • Game mechanics used (hidden role, card drawing, dice rolling, deck-building, cooperation, deduction, resource management...)

Mechanics must be clearly identified. This list is non-exhaustive: worker placement, tile-laying, auctions, action points, drafting, negotiation, item collection, memory game, etc.

Pitch

A clear, dynamic pitch is essential to spark interest. It should use action verbs to describe what players do in the game and the app's role.

Examples of action verbs: build, launch attacks, fulfill objectives, protect, explore, gather resources.

The pitch should also describe how the app influences players' actions: revealing events, assigning scores, managing actions...

Game experience

Describe how a playthrough unfolds, specifying:

  • The phases of play: decisions, actions on the board, handling materials
    The moments when the app intervenes and what it expects from players
    What the app knows (current turn, players' actions)
    What it doesn't know and must discover as the game progresses

App simulation

Since the app hasn't been developed yet, you'll need to simulate it during the presentation. Use documents, tables, or a scripted system to play its role, providing players with the information it would deliver in the final version.

Here's a table to clarify the information flow between players and the app:

Inputs (player data) Outputs (app information)
New turn Display of game progress
Action performed (movement, attack...) Reveal of an event or consequence
Objective reached Score update, new phase of play
Card or action choice App's reaction to the chosen strategy
Etc. Etc.

The goal is to understand and optimize the flow of information between the app and the players, and how this contributes to immersion and the overall experience.

 Get in Touch

Do you have an idea that fits our editorial line? Send us an introductory email (author + project) at contact@arkada.fr. We'll get back to you to arrange a first conversation.