From classroom to startup: Jip Crombag shares his insights on starting up Starbrew Games

Can you tell us about Starbrew Games? 

Jip: 'During our second year of the study programme, we developed the game Duckside of the Moon. It received a nomination for Best Student Game at the Dutch Game Awards in 2022 and made it onto the shortlist for the 2023 Yugo BAFTA Student Awards. Our experience collaborating on this project was so rewarding that we chose to extend our work on it into our final year of study. And thus, Starbrew Games was established.' 

'At Starbrew Games, we prefer to maintain a small and tight-knit team, comprising around ten individuals. We're not looking to become the next Guerilla Games. Beyond Duckside of the Moon, we intend to continue crafting these intimate gaming experiences. While we haven't settled on specific concepts yet, a few ideas are brewing in the background.' 

Tell us about Duckside of the Moon 

'Duckside of the Moon is a 3rd person cozy exploration game about Doug, a duck astronaut who got stranded in space. Doug must venture out, collect resources, help friends and explore the galaxy, to restore his spaceship and return home.’ 

Why did you decide to start up your own business?  

Jip: 'After my third year in the games programme, the options were a work placement, a personal project, or starting our own business. Joining large games studios often feels like becoming a cog in the machine. What's great about projects at Breda University of Applied Sciences (BUas) is the level of ownership you retain. So, we decided to start our own business. This graduation project spans an academic year, and we're currently in the pre-production phase of the game development.' 

What is your role in the team? 

Jip: 'Given our small team size, designing interfaces and menus as a UI designer is just one facet of my role. In a broader sense I handle technical design aspects, such as prototyping features as well as certain business responsibilities.’ 

‘This role flexibility applies to each team member. Everyone has their development roles as well as certain business responsibilities such as marketing, market research and finance. I believe this flexibility is one of the core strengths of our team.' 
 

What are your future plans for the business?  

Jip: 'Post-graduation, we'll be exploring different avenues. This includes seeking financial support, creating pitch decks, attending events, and potentially engaging in co-development or freelance work. We may also contemplate pursuing further education, as long as we can still develop our own games. As for our physical studio, we're currently situated in the Innovation Square at BUas, but post-graduation, we'll need to find alternative arrangements, possibly with the help of Breda Game City or by working remotely.' 

For those interested in learning more about Starbrew Games, you can visit their website at starbrewgames.com. To connect with Jip and learn more about his professional journey, you can find him on LinkedIn.