A new Canadian indie studio, North Mist Studios, founded by former BioWare veterans, is taking an unconventional route to game development by announcing its first project through a narrative podcast. The studio, established in 2024, aims to involve players in the world-building process before a game is finalized.
Instead of waiting for design concepts and vertical slices to be complete, North Mist Studios is releasing prequel audio dramas set in the world of their upcoming game. "Instead of waiting years to release a finished video game we’re sharing the journey of world building with you, the listener, by releasing prequel audio dramas set in the world our games take place in," the studio stated on Bluesky.
The podcast, titled The Concierge, is a spy thriller office drama currently in its second season. This audio series serves to develop the world for North Mist's first game, which is described as taking place in the near future where personal data protection is paramount. The studio's founding by laid-off developers reflects a broader trend in the gaming industry, but the involvement of BioWare narrative and cinematics veterans like Mary Kirby, Sarah Hayward, and Sylvia Feketekuty, known for their work on memorable game stories and companions, highlights the studio's potential.
North Mist Studios is also inviting fans to participate in their development journey through their podcast and a Patreon page, which also offers a means of crowdfunding to support sustainability. The team plans to release its first in-engine trailer for The Concierge this summer.