Inside Indie Selects: Sledders

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 Hanki Games, developer of the ID@Xbox game Sledders. We had a chance to chat with Niko Autio, CEO of Hanki Games, about the development journey the team took to publish Sledders on Xbox.

Tell us a bit about Hanki Games.

Hanki Games is what happens when a snowmobile-physics prototype blows up on social media and the lone developer behind it suddenly needs a studio. The prototype came first, the company followed: we officially formed in Kuopio, Finland in early 2023. Today we’re six people—small enough that everyone still touches everything, but big enough that nobody has to do literally everything. Sledders is our first release and, so far, our only obsession.

What was the inspiration behind Sledders?

Most of us who grew up riding sleds in backcountry powder, have never found a game that feels like the real thing—the way the machine floats, the way the snow gives way, that “there’s-no-road-here” freedom. Re-creating that meant inventing new physics, new controls, and a heap of design tricks, which is exactly the kind of puzzle we love solving.

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

After our 1.0 launch, Sledders was selected for Xbox Indie Selects. That spotlight—and the direct line to the Xbox team—gave us priceless visibility, feedback, and the confidence to keep polishing the game while bringing it to the console audience.

What were your duties on Sledders?

As the game started as a single-man journey and research into deep snow snowmobiling, I did pretty much everything imaginable. Obviously, when the community grew and got a bit “too big” for only one developer, I’ve been happy to share the tasks with a great team which has also made the quality better. For example, the driver designed by me in the early stages was a sphere on top of the sled, but then our crew made a beautiful and realistic character later.

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

Pick a line that looks impossible, learn the sled, and then nail it. Whether you’re vibing in free-ride mode or chasing mastery, we want that flow-state moment where snow, machine, and rider all click, and you catch yourself grinning under an imaginary helmet.

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

The snow. It looks like snow, feels like snow, and—most importantly—reacts like the real stuff. Your sled doesn’t just drive on a white surface; it carves, trenches, and floats in a fully simulated powder volume. Nothing in racing or open-world games quite matches it, and we’re proud of that.

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

Care shows. Players can feel when a feature was built with genuine curiosity versus “because the checklist said so.” As a tiny team we’re constantly teaching ourselves new tricks, but the north star is always: build the bits you care about with ridiculous attention, and the rest will follow.

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

Turning a hyper-realistic snowmobile sandbox into an actual “game.” Perfecting the toy-box physics was one mountain; layering goals, progression, and community-driven live-ops on top was the tougher climb. We’re still on that ridge, but we’ve got the route mapped now.

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

You can’t shortcut the muddy parts of the journey. Like riding after a powder dump—you need the downpour to make the perfect conditions. The struggle ends up being the best teacher, so embrace it rather than trying to plan it away.

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

Keep moving. Momentum beats perfection. Listen to experts, then feel free to ignore them—just understand why. If you’re a three-person studio, trying to out-Ubisoft Ubisoft is a dead end; blaze your own trail instead.

What’s next for Hanki Games?

Right now, more Sledders—new zones, fresh sleds, and community-driven tweaks. Beyond that? Whatever gnarly idea grabs us next. We just picked up Finland’s “Rookie of the Year” award, so the pressure is on—in the best possible way.