Modeler Ryan Yan shared an insightful perspective as he reflected on his team’s approach leading up to GDC 2024. “It’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission,” he noted, a mantra that encapsulated their bold spirit. Alongside creative director Liam Cribbs, Yan ventured to San Francisco to present their school project, Mycopunk, to potential publishers. This endeavor, which they had diligently developed over nine months with a group of fellow students from NYU, recently launched in early access under the Devolver Digital banner.
Mycopunk: A Unique Gaming Experience
Mycopunk is an exhilarating co-op first-person shooter that immerses players in the role of underpaid robot exterminators tasked with eradicating a planet’s fungal infection. Cribbs expressed their passion for the genre, stating, “A lot of us are big fans of co-op shooters, so we wanted to make our dream version of a Deep Rock, Helldivers, and Risk of Rain-type game.” This creative vision has culminated in a title that aims to resonate with enthusiasts of the genre.
The duo, part of the team known as Pigeons at Play, believes in the potential of student-led projects. They assert that many remarkable games remain confined to classrooms due to a lack of confidence among students regarding their viability in the market. Yan emphasized the importance of having a solid plan, saying, “We hope that students at NYU and other schools will take this as an example that you can pitch games so long as you have a concrete plan, and most importantly, that your demo is fun. It doesn’t happen enough.”
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