Asmongold TV - 5 years ago ex-Blizzard devs started their own game studio.. | Asmongold TV

Episode Date: March 25, 2025

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It's good to see. When did they announce this studio? It was like three or four years ago, right? It was a long time ago. 2020? Yeah, yeah. Wow, it was five years ago then almost. Yeah, damn. Hey, everybody. It's Jeff Keely, and welcome to the Dreamhaven Showcase. Now, what you just saw was a quick glimpse at four games that we're going to show you in the showcase today. And these are all titles from Dreamhaven, a new publisher and developer that was founded in 2020. 2020. This is something new for us. The Game Awards is teaming up with Dreamhaven.

to give you a look at all these incredible new titles, including the global reveal of the new game from Moonshot Games, which is part of Dreamhaven, and it's a very exciting game. I've been waiting to show you for a while. That's coming up in a little bit. Now, even if you aren't familiar with the Dreamhaven name, I am sure you are familiar with some of the people behind the company. No surprise.

And joining me now is the co-founder of Dreamhaven, who's also, of course, the co-founder and former CEO of Blizzard Entertainment, Mike Moorheim. Mike, good to say. Hi, Jeff. Great to be here with you. Let me ask you, why did you want to start Dream Haven in the first place? Well, when I left, Lizard... Because Bobby Kodick was an asshole.

I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do. And so my wife, Amy, and I spent a bunch of time just... Yeah, no, I get it. Talking to people and brainstorming ideas. And we got to talking with a lot of folks that we loved working with in the past. They were also thinking about what they wanted to do next. And the idea of what if we joined forces to try to create something, really special, a place where game developers and creators could focus on making things

that were really passionate and excited to make, an environment where people could do their best work, and really a goal of trying to create games that brought people together in positive ways and really just support them in doing their best work. You mentioned internal team, so people are probably wondering, like, well, how big is this company? Is it a full-scale publisher, developer? What can you tell us about the size and scope of Dreamhaven? So we have two internal teams, Moonshot games and Secret Door. We also are building a central team that will help publish these games and bring them to players around the world.

We have also formed relationships with a number of independent developers, and we provide them guidance and advice. Some of those relationships have actually grown to be even deeper where Dreamhaven will end up being the publisher of those games. Wow. All right, well, let's get into some of the games. Okay, here we go. Let's see some new games. First up is Sunderfolk. It is a board game-inspired RPG that you can play solo or with friends.

It's kind of a whole new genre for games. Just for a bit of context here. This guy right here is Mike Morheim. He was basically the original president of Blizzard. He started Blizzard. He left Blizzard in like 2018 or 2020 or something like that. And he started a new game studio called Dreamhaven. And now they're talking about some of the games they're releasing.

do some things to make it more accessible to more people. Board games, I'm not that interested in. Digitizing the experience in a lot of ways. Yeah, it's whatever to make. Maintaining some of the magic of that in-person experience. And, you know, it's just such a great environment. Sunderfolk really is a love letter to the genre just with a twist. The team took the approach of putting the game board on a shared screen, TV or monitor,

and putting your character's actions and sheet or, in this case, cards and abilities and even the rules of the game on a mobile device. It is really cool to have that two-screen experience, and now let's take a look at how it all comes together. All right, let's watch the trailer. Here it is. Deep below ground in the dark and fathomless Sunderlands, hope persists in the animal village of Arden, your home. The many seasons, the life tree has protected Arden, but all is not well in the Sunderlands. The Sunderfolk of your village look to you, the guardians of this town, for aid. Carry the seed of hope close and forge a head into darkness in search of answers.

Yeah, as I said before, I'm not really a fan of like board games or anything like this. It's just not my genre. How do they say? A monster a day keeps the monsters. I even hate playing board games in real life. Shadowstone everywhere. The corruption looks fair than Assassin's Creed shadows. The combat's about the same pace.

Hags protected. Disappointed. After playing Assassin's Creed Shadows, I went back and played Rise of the Ronen. It made me worse. Find camaraderie and employ impeccable strategy. Yeah, it actually made me worse at the game by playing the Assassin's Chedithetto. But your adventures just getting started. And like any good adventure, this one is best shared.

Okay, cool. Uh, that's nice. Not really a game that I'd be that interesting. Not only is Sunderfolk coming out on April 23rd. You also have a first look demo. That's like a week from a month from now. That's right. The demo includes all of Sunderfolk's playable characters and game features as well as the first few missions.

Okay, great. Well, I'm looking forward to checking that out. And now we're going to move on to another game. We actually announced last year at Gamescom opening night live, even though people didn't know it was tied to Dreamhaven at the time. Oh, what is it? And we are talking, of course, about linked banner of Spark. Yep. We're publishing linked Banner of the Spark from a fantastic.

indie developer called FuzzyBot. For those of you that aren't familiar with Linkt, it is probably the most charming robot apocalypse game out there. It's a lighthearted action game, but it also has town building elements in it. Gameplay. Let's see the game point. It's chaotic and cozy in all the right ways.

Gameplay. Link has a small and devoted community. Gameplay. FuzzyBot has been adding a ton of new content over the last few months, and they're still planning on more. Check out this latest video for Link that shows off the world and gameplay. That's That's what I wanted

Where's the combat? It's okay I would say like the That's decent This is a game I would take a sponsor for I don't know if it's a game I would play on my own But I'd take a sponsor for a game like this You know

I would let somebody give me money to play this I don't know if I'd really go Go play it myself AKA sponsor to play this Yeah of course And um I think the graphics for it really look bad. It looks unfinished.

Like, this looks a lot better. But especially, like, the character's face and their hair, it looked very unfinished. That was linked, and I am very excited to build my fish and bot friend collection as soon as it's up. Yeah, I would maybe try this. Well, you'll be able to play on consoles soon. And for our Steam Early Access players, you can enjoy the brand new content patch today. All right, well, we've covered a lot of great stuff today.

Okay. And the reveal of the Moonshot game is coming up in just a minute. But before then, we have one more game to cover. Okay. Here we go. And here we go. That you actually heard about from players in the Starcraft community. Is that right, Mike?

Yeah, one of my friends recommended that I check out this small indie game that launched last September. And after trying the game, I just fell in love with it. And through a stroke of luck, we had the chance to become their publisher. And, well, it probably won't surprise you why we love it so much. Is this what I think it is? At the trailer from Mecca Bell. No, it's not.

Okay. Okay. Okay. Yeah. So, battling strategy masterpiece. So wait, they're doing it. This is what I said for so long that they have to make an RTS that's an auto-battelor. Yeah, I would try this.

This is cool. I'm interested. Yeah, it's out. Is it any good? Does it have been played it? Oh shit. It's good? That's cool.

I'm so glad mech is back. Like we got, dude, Armored Core 6 broke the ice. After that, we're getting this. We're getting Mecca break. Like, I think there's another MEC game that's coming out. Like, yeah. Let's go.

Yeah, exactly. Nobody to play this. No, I think this is... Mechabell is a turn-based auto-batler. It's turn-based. still has some strong RTS-Fives though, right? That's right. I think that it scratches the RTS-Itch without the high APM requirement,

which is why I love it so much. And the developer game river has been constantly updating it. We not only fell in love with Mechobelam, but also the team and its community and are super excited about being part of it. And since it's on Steam now, I guess, right? Because it came on September, so people can pick it up today if they want to check it out. Absolutely. You can pick up the base game or the Premium Edition, or the Premium Edition, which launches

today. And those who want to try before they buy can participate in the free play weekend that is starting on April 4th. All right, well, we've seen three games today that we do have one more for everyone. Can I get paid something really special? A global reveal. Last summer I got to come down here and do a playtest of this

title. We really wanted to show it at the Game Awards, but it wasn't quite ready. Mike, this is the first title for Moonshot Games? Yes, and as much as I would love to tell you about the game, I think it's best if you hear from the Moonshot team. Okay, let's see the game. Hi, I'm Jason Chase, studio head at Moonshot.

And I'm Dustin Browder, game director at Moonshot. This guy's mic's a bit, well, I'm going to turn it up a bit. Now, imagine a dangerous place at the edge of the galaxy outside the law called the Typhon Reach. It's like a cosmic scale Bermuda triangle with cosmic storms, quantum meteors, and treacherous monsters, all guarding the most prized objects in the universe, the ancient artifacts of the prize. Cool story, Baldy. Where's the game? And this is where you come in. We need you.

to assemble your crew, choose your starship, and risk it all in a chaotic adventure where the only plan is the one you make up as you go. Let's see what lies in the most dangerous corner of the galaxy. Where's it at? Okay, is it first person? All right. Welcome to the reach. A vast realm of discovery and brutal explosions.

So what kind of game? What do you do you do? Is this, wait, it's Concord 2? I'm sure you'll be fine. No! No! Now, you're gonna need a tough team. It's Concord 2.

Hello, Luke. Okay. An even tougher ship. One of the upgrade. So how's this word? And you'll find wonders. Beyond your wildest dreams. A big blue ball.

Wow. Is that an infinity stone? or the other crews will blast you and take your loot so it's a br it's a distinct possibility outrun or outgun yeah how's this work your type plane goes out the airlock into the frame it's space sea of thieves that sounds really cool hell use their turrets traps kvp big red buttons Overloaded there Reactor

Right, she should stop talking The reach gives Resources in Coming in hot It's really cool Takes Damage, nature damage Death promise fame and fortune

here Here Mine layer here Boy that you'll even make it back Get to the gate Go go go go go I can't promise this That's my artifact

It's gonna be one hell of a story Oh Damn, Wild Gate. Sign up to playtest. I'll play it. Yep, I'll play it. Wildgate is a crew-based shooter that takes place in the far reaches of space. Got it. Where 20 players across five ships face off to secure the valuable artifact and escape.

Okay, four teams of... Or you can choose violence. An opt for an elimination win, working together with your fellow prospectors to destroy every other rival crew in the reach through ship versus ship combat. And even if combat isn't your thing, there's tons to do and discover, as user crew need to scout out and claim resources as well as your path out of the reach through a nearby Wildgate. With the other four ships all trying to do the same, you can expect to face some pretty intense matches and space crimes, lots of space crimes. The reach is ever changing and the map

layout for each game is procedurally generated so no two games will play the same. Over the last year, we've had the privilege to host some small tests behind closed doors. And we're now ready to kick off our very first public play test in the next few weeks. Okay. Sign up on our website for a chance to join us. Thanks so much for watching. But before we go, let's take an even deeper look into the reach. Yeah, let me get a little bit better idea how this works. I want to tell you about a place called the Typhon Reach. It's not for the faint of heart, but it's where legends are made. Legends like the Gamma Gang.

The Gamba gang. They did a smash and grab on the artifact like nobody's ever seen. But first, let's back up. How'd they even make it this far? When you're in the reach, you're after one thing. Right. How's it worth? The artifact.

The most valuable object in the known universe. And if you're brave or stupid enough to go after it, you won't be alone. Be the first crew to find it, snatch it, and pass through the Wild Gate, or be the last crew left standing. Okay It all starts with your ship Whether you're mining asteroids Can you build the ship yourself?

The right ship isn't just a choice It's your edge and fight to stay alive It should be like unironically Starfield Starfield shipbuilding was really good It could go big with the bastion Packed full of gadgets and guns But they'll see you coming a light year away Oh I okay

Or go small with a hunter Just don't get caught because Those shields will not last It's like a different, what do you call it? Remember, your ship is your lifeline. Different loadouts. It's mission over. Your crew, on the other hand, can handle whenever the reach throws at them.

Armed the right weapons, tools and special skills. It's all hands on deck. That's one thing the Gamma Gang understood. It's not about sticking to one job. It's about supporting your crew. Mining for resources, keeping the engines running, putting out fires. Every crew member counts. Because when things start to heat up, it's either you or them.

Yeah, I'm really curious to see what this is going to play around. Fly around and find out. That's funny. Breathing death trap. Cosmic storms. Reach leeches. Damn. Space mines.

To get a handle on what's out there, you're going to need to scout ahead. Sounds pretty bad. Best bet to map the area. Locate hazards, supplies, and hidden treasures. It's also how the gamma gang stayed one step ahead of the other. their crews. Damn. Fuel and ice.

Without them, the job gets a lot tougher. If your reactor overheats, you'd better have ice on hand to cool it down. And fuel gives your ship the extra boost it needs for a quick getaway. Running out won't leave you stranded, but trust me, without it, I wonder how much, if this will be tedious or not, I'm curious. You want to pull this off. You'll need the best loot you can find. Okay.

All over the reach are lost caches of cutting-edge ship upgrades, powerful weapons. Do you keep them between different matches? Keep them between different matches? But do not get cocky. The better the goods, the tougher they'll be to grab. This place is teeming with vicious little surprises. Grab what you can and make it quick. Because those other prospectors can crash the party at any moment.

Which reminds me, watch your back. Because those rival squads will try to board your ship. Keep your guns loaded, your multi-tools ready to repair. They'll do everything they can to try to sabotage you. Don't let them. Back to the big school. The artifact. You never know where it'll pop up,

or what kinds of hell you'll have to go through to get it. Many prospectors went in that day. But only the Gamma Gang came out. But it wasn't over yet. They made a mad dash for the Wild Gate, and the other crews were hot on the tail, which brings us back to here. Now, the Gamma Gang did make it to the Wild Gate,

but I never said they made it through. They got blown up. Fuel, the upgrades. The plan was perfect. Or so they thought. Because there was one thing they didn't expect. Me. Oh shit.

To reach, kid. I didn't play fair. So you can like invade a ship. Because out here, the only plan that counts was the one you make up on the fly. Oh no, this guy just put, wait, you can just go in there and loot the item out of the box. I hope all you guys are excited. I am about Wildgate. I cannot wait to jump in more and do his dust.

It seems pretty simple. Space crimes, Mike. You and me both. The Moonshot team put so much care into making sure the world isn't just fun to explore, but that the matches are challenging, and in most cases, unpredictably hilarious. Well, I cannot wait, as I said, for more people to go. And this is really a game you have to play to really get all the excitement inside of it. All right, well, that kind of wraps up the show, but let's recap what we've talked about so far. The Sunderfoke demo is on G-Force now right now.

Macabella launches a premium edition today and a free- play weekend next month. Linked is currently in Steam Early Access and coming soon to consoles. And you can sign up for Wildgate's Community Preview Playtests. It's really a more-the-marrier kind of game, so encourage your friends to sign up to you. And what I love about all the games, Mike, is that you're showing real gameplay on them. I know you had to wait a while to see them, but it's been worth it. And it's clear that, you know, Dreamhaven is kind of not making just one kind of game, a whole bunch of different experiences, but they're all united by the idea of kind of playing together with friends and family.

I couldn't agree more. We're so grateful for your support, Jeff, and for everyone who's followed our journey so far. Absolutely. I'm excited. This is only Chapter 1 for Dream Haven, and we can't wait to hear more. Thanks for watching, and we'll see you all online.

See you later. Great. Okay, well, that was a nice little show. Yeah, that was decent. What did you guys think? One out of ten? I'd say it was like a six or a seven. Yeah, I think that these games,

so I can give like a little bit of thoughts, on it right now. So this first game, well, actually, let me go back. This is a board game. I don't like, I don't like turn-based board games, just not for me. But like this, this game looked okay to me. Like, it didn't really look amazing. It was like just decent, right? An average okay game. And so, yeah, I saw this. This is nice. I think some of the graphics look pretty unfinished. Like, it just looks not really great. I don't play games because of graphics, but I can acknowledge if they don't look complete. It kind of looks like it has the same style as like paleo,

which is like very visually unappealing. I think that whenever people saw the studio coming out, they were hoping for a game like this, right? I mean, like honestly, it's like, you know, you have, okay, well, these are ex-Blizzard people and they're going to try to make a new version of like, you know, maybe one of their old games like StarCraft, for example. So this did look pretty cool. And I like this game.

This game definitely, I think, passed the vibe check the most for me. I mean, it doesn't have, like, because there's a lot of video games nowadays, and I don't even dislike this a whole lot, but I do think that it can be kind of overused where you have these very, like, bright, vibrant colors and everything is like cartoonized with games. And it does make me a little bit more reminiscent and, like, I guess, nostalgic of the old, like, 90s or 2000s games that have, like, a much more serious, gritty vibe to them. So when I see a game like this, I think it's called, Mechabellum. This definitely looked appealing. Mechabelm's been out for years. Yeah, I mean, I don't know if it is or not. I have no idea. I just saw this and I'm like, okay, well, this looks cool. So, yeah, that's about it. It reminds me of cozy games pushes me away. Yeah, any time that I hear that a game is cozy, that makes me, like, I think cozy has been used. You know how, like, you know, we have BBW that's used as a euphemism for fat now? Or, like, curvy. Like, you're not curvy.

like yeah well the moon is curvy it's a circle it's very round and so like when i hear that cozy is like the same thing as curvy it's boring in the same way that it's not curvy it's fat that's just it they found a way to make that they found a way to market a video game as being boring and have people celebrate it you know great personality means fat well i don't know i mean that even that would be better than this and so why is it always a PC style, PC Deadpool style of narrating over the top. So you don't like the tone of games like this? I think that's fine. Some people might not like the tone of it.

I don't know. I mean, I can see why people don't like that. But I think if you're making a game that has like kind of a cartoonish vibe to it, then it would kind of make sense that you would have kind of a kind of like goofy, cartoonish, like feel. The characters in the game, I think, are kind of, uh, they're not really that appealing. like this is like I like who nobody wants to be that nobody wants to be any of these characters right so like if you want to make a game like this good i think it's important to have characters that are visually appealing and interesting and that doesn't mean make these owls fuckable right like you don't have to make them fuckable but you just have to make them interesting to look at and i think that it doesn't really look super great uh but you know overall the gameplay and the idea of it does look pretty good and so i would probably try this out sure why not it's even worse than concordes Well, the reason why Concord would have succeeded if it had Overwatch quality gameplay, right?

The issue is always gameplay. Gameplay is what really makes or breaks a game because, like, yes, you're going to have some people that aren't going to buy it because, oh, my God, Black Samurai. Oh, my God. Non-binary. Oh, my God, like the X, Y, or Z. But, no, gameplay is what's going to get people in and it's what's going to keep people out and or get them to leave. And so that's what really, really matters. Now it's wifus. Wifus matter, but this is a different type of game, right?

And there are plenty of wifu games that aren't successful either. So, I'll go about this game. Games will outsell most of these games all being furry. Well, yeah, I mean, sure. But either way, my point is that this looked okay. It was decent. It wasn't like amazing, but I think that, you know, some of these games are games that I would play and try out if I saw them.

For sure, why not? You have a good thing, things like Dwar Fortress and such do well on gameplay alone. Yeah, and gameplay, in my opinion, that is the bottom line. Everything else beyond gameplay is not really all that important, right? Can't hate furry games. The furries are not hot. It's a universal thing. Well, I think that, like, furry games, like, I would play if, like, I played that wild assault game. I thought that was pretty fun to play. But that was it. I'm very partial to story, too, but gameplay first. Yeah, exactly.