Inside Indie Selects: Wanderstop

From conception to release, the game development journey is different for every independent studio. Sure, there are parts that are similar or that nearly everyone has to go through along the way, but the actual experience differs depending on myriad factors. Some studios have dozens of employees, each of which has a specific role to fill. Others might only have one solo developer handling every step in the process. Regardless of a studio’s size, location, or experience, they’ve each got a story to share with their fellow developers. That’s where we come in.

Every week, we’ll be spotlighting an independent developer that the ID@Xbox team has chosen to be included in the monthly Indie Select collection. This dedicated, permanent, curated collection in the Xbox Store allows us to bring more attention to games that we feel are particularly special – everything from current favorites to older gems, including games from new creators from around the world. You’ll learn more about the teams building these great games, the challenges they faced along their development journey, what they learned, advice they’d share with other developers, and much more.

This week, we’ll be taking a look at Ivy Road, developer of the ID@Xbox game Wanderstop. We had a chance to chat with Jenny Windom, Communications Director for Ivy Road, about the development journey the team took to publish Wanderstop on Xbox.

Tell us a bit about Ivy Road.

We’re a remote studio, so folks are spread out all over! Most people are located in the U.S. or Canada, but we also have team members in places like the U.K. While our numbers vary depending on where we’re at in development, we’re currently around 15 people.

Wanderstop was our first game, but you may know some of the work our team has done! For example, Davey is otherwise known for The Beginner’s Guide and The Stanley Parable, Karla worked on Gone Home and BioShock 2: Minerva’s Den, and Daniel did the music for Minecraft! In addition to that, though, the team is stacked with folks who’ve worked across triple-A and indie studios and publishers.

Finally, but perhaps most importantly: Ivy Road was founded on the idea of ‘process first, work second’. We believe that great games are made when the people making them are taken care of and do our best to model our work habits and development schedule to match that ideal.

What was the inspiration behind Wanderstop?

Davey drew inspiration from a variety of sources, including his own personal desire to try and create a game that could potentially help him heal from the burnout he was experiencing. The setting of a little shop in a forest clearing was an image that he couldn’t get out of his head, and the narrative began to evolve from there! 

The best part about Wanderstop is how much it reflects all of the developers involved. The protagonist, Alta, really came into her own as a result of Karla’s contributions, for example. And each of the elements – the tea shop design, the rest of the characters, the planting and tea brewing mechanics, etc – all drew upon each team member’s expertise and personal inspirations, adding to Davey’s. Looking at the game now, it’s really neat to see how the story has changed and evolved throughout development to become something reflective of the entire team!

How did Xbox help support the development and/or publishing of Wanderstop?

It’s been exciting to have Xbox as an additional platform to bring Wanderstop to more people! The team has been supportive throughout development, providing us opportunities to share blogs and features while we were working on the game. 

What were your duties on Wanderstop?

As Comms Director, I’m responsible for all of the communication that comes from the studio. At this point in time, that’s a wide range of activities, ranging from marketing, influencer outreach, social media, community updates, and content creation and editing. My goal and tasks all revolve around helping the people who’d be most excited about Wanderstop discover and pick up the game!

What do you want the audience to take away or experience once they play Wanderstop?

I hope that they’re able to experience the game by meeting them where they’re at. That they can focus on progressing through the story and completing the game, but also, if they’d like to exist in the world of Wanderstop a little bit longer, that they are welcome to! This is a game that you can really take your time with (and we hope you take your time with it!) 

I also hope people learn to be kind to themselves. Especially after seeing the reception of the game, and how so many folks resonated with Alta and her struggles, I wanted to give everyone a hug!

Which feature or gameplay mechanic are you most proud of in Wanderstop?

I really loved the way the plant system came together. As a fan of farming sims and games with planting and harvesting crops, I appreciated how the team created a mechanic that felt really familiar – you plant the seed, water the plot, and a fruit appears – but also is something I haven’t quite seen before with the hybrids and variations you can create! It’s straightforward and satisfying (and you can see the literal fruits of your labor almost immediately!)

Also, two of the details I most appreciate? The wobbliness of the puffins (I dare you to pick one up and NOT shake it a little) and the wonka-esque dishwasher train. I invented my own mini-game where I’d wait to have a bunch of dirty teacups and try to fill all the cars of the train before it left the main shop area. 

What's the biggest lesson you learned during the development of Wanderstop?

How to be adaptable. I think this is a lesson when making every game or pursuing any creative process, but the ability to identify moments where change is needed, respond to it, and adapt to the new options it presents you is critical! I saw specifically as we were working on the marketing and communications for the studio, but I think it was a theme reflected throughout development and across all departments.

What was the biggest challenge you overcame during the development of Wanderstop?

One of the biggest challenges is trying to get folks to play a game without really being able to talk about it! There are elements of the story that we definitely wanted to keep hidden, which meant we were primarily only showing (and explaining) things from a smaller, more specific aspect of the game. We got very good at reusing, recycling, and stretching content to last until the launch without spoiling anything past the first area.

What do you wish you knew going into the development of Wanderstop?

That’s a tough question! I don’t know that there’s anything in particular that I wished I knew ahead of time, to be honest. I think the thing I wish I did more was to plan even further ahead, especially to leave time for more fun ideas: I’d brainstorm concepts, but often get pulled into other tasks that I had to prioritize.

What advice would you offer fellow game developers working alone or on a smaller team?

Start your marketing early, and don’t be afraid to take the time to create quality content and then reuse it on social media (the algorithms move fast! Not everyone will see your post the first time). And fight the temptation to be perfect: messiness and imperfections are okay.

What’s next for Ivy Road?

We’re working on prototyping game 2 ~ and that’s all we can share for now!