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Abstraction is a creative game studio with a no-compromise attitude that delivers cutting-edge results. Renowned for taking on technically demanding projects and creative co-development with AAA partners.

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AA/AAA/III full-cycle &amp;&nbsp; co-development &bull; ports &amp; adaptations

Stranded Deep | Ocean view

Ark: Survival Evolved 2017 - Dragon

Halo The Masterchief Collection - Halo MCC

Mass Effect: Legendary Edition 2020 - Character

Remnant: From the Ashes - 2021 - Xbox Game Pass - PC

Mass Effect: Legendary Edition

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Dune: Awakening

Halo: The Master Chief Collection

Baldur's Gate 3

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Stranded Deep | 2021 | Nintendo Switch

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INDIGO 2025: Abstraction at the heart of the Dutch games industry
Last week, Abstraction was proud to attend INDIGO 2025, one of the Netherlands&rsquo; most prominent game industry events. Held in the heart of Rotterdam, the event brought together hundreds of developers, publishers, and game professionals for a full day of connection, inspiration, and insight.
Our booth quickly became a place for conversations &mdash; some planned, many spontaneous. We talked with developers, publishers, students, and people simply curious about our work. It was great to see so much enthusiasm for collaboration and creativity in one place.
These kinds of events aren&rsquo;t just about showing up and handing out business cards. They&rsquo;re about recharging. About stepping away from our screens for a day and remembering that we&rsquo;re part of something bigger &mdash; a community that&rsquo;s always evolving, experimenting, and pushing boundaries.
Thanks to everyone who stopped by. You made it a day full of good energy, and we&rsquo;re already looking forward to the next one!
<img src="https://www.datocms-assets.com/9739/1748944800-img_0922-1.jpg" width="545" height="726" />

INDIGO 2025 

After nearly 18 years of helping shape Abstraction from the ground up, our Chief People Officer, Kirsten Egas-Kapteijns, is officially stepping away from the company.
To mark this bittersweet moment, our CEO Ralph Egas shared a deeply personal message, and Kirsten left us with a powerful farewell letter &mdash; true to her style: honest, bold, and full of heart.
We&rsquo;re deeply thankful for all that Kirsten has done for Abstraction. Here&rsquo;s to new adventures, uncharted paths, and the space to explore life beyond boundaries.
<hr data-start="852" data-end="855" class="" />
<h3 data-start="857" data-end="888" class="">From Ralph Egas, CEO:</h3>
<blockquote data-start="890" data-end="2049">
Today marks a big change in our executive team, and for me personally with a bittersweet connotation.
After ~18 years of being on my side in a wild variety of capacities, Kirsten decided to retire from her CPO role and officially move out of her beloved company altogether.
I wanna thank her for everything she did for the company, for the people she supported and for me personally within the company. I consider myself lucky to have been able to work with her and for us to somehow have managed to combine marriage with a company in a very complicated and demanding industry, while raising our boys. But now it&rsquo;s time for her to release the otherwise omnipresent tension, move on, reinvigorate life with us and the boys and enjoy life in whatever way she sees fit. She deserves it and I support her decision wholeheartedly.
Below Kirsten&rsquo;s letter where she wrote words from the heart, in true Abstraction-style, to go out with a bang in her signature manner.
In June we&rsquo;ll of course also say goodbye to Kirsten properly and raise our glasses to celebrate her many achievements.
Cheers, Ralph Egas Start boss
</blockquote>
<hr data-start="2051" data-end="2054" class="" />
<h3 data-start="2056" data-end="2119" class="">From Kirsten Egas-Kapteijns, Co-founder &amp; former CPO:</h3>
<blockquote data-start="2121" data-end="4791">
After almost 18 years at Abstraction, I reached a boundary. Not a professional one. A personal one.
I&rsquo;ve gone beyond product launches, job titles, business targets. I&rsquo;ve pursued what matters with unwavering passion. I&rsquo;ve grown into roles, mindsets and challenges I never thought I was ready for.
I&rsquo;ve never been one to sugarcoat. I&rsquo;ve spoken up&mdash;clearly, directly, and unapologetically. It didn&rsquo;t always land softly, but it always came from a place of truth and drive. Not everyone liked it, but it moved things forward.
I&rsquo;ve stood for integrity, no matter how inconvenient. I&rsquo;ve fought for fairness, even when it cost me comfort. And I&rsquo;ve led with conviction&mdash;because respect is earned, not claimed.
And now, for the first time in a long time, I&rsquo;m choosing a different type of boundary to cross. One that leads inward. No new title. No strategic next step. Just space.
Space to grow in new ways. To explore who I am without structure. To rest, reset, chase laughter and stay open to whatever feels genuine and unexpected. To rediscover the questions that don&rsquo;t fit on a roadmap, without losing sight of who I am in the process.
I believe growth is never optional. It&rsquo;s the fuel for freedom, happiness, truth, and strength. Growth doesn&rsquo;t come from playing it safe. Fear isn&rsquo;t a warning sign. Often, it's a compass. Growth lives outside the easy path; the most meaningful moves often begin where certainty ends.
I&rsquo;m not stepping away from what Abstraction stands for. I&rsquo;m taking it with me.
To live beyond boundaries. To keep growing. To pursue excellence, even in stillness. To stay kind. And always be direct. To be unapologetically honest and deeply human.
And finally, do the things I&rsquo;ve put off for far too long. Get my motorcycle license, go scuba diving, earn my boating license, jump out of a plane just to see what it feels like to fly. Horseback rides through the forest untamed, fully present, fully alive and fully in charge. And camp in the wild with nothing but a tent, a fire, and silence... (okay and some wine of course).
Thank you, Abstraction. You gave me more than a career. You gave me principles that still move me forward.
And to those I&rsquo;ve worked with: thank you for trusting me, challenging me, and showing up with heart. I carry you all with me, it was a pleasure.
I&rsquo;m not disappearing. Just becoming more present than ever.
I don&rsquo;t know what&rsquo;s next yet, and I like it that way. But if something meaningful crosses my path, I&rsquo;ll be ready...!
Signing off officially. Not goodbye&mdash;just the next chapter.
</blockquote>

Breaking news! Change in C-suite staff

At Abstraction, it&rsquo;s the people who make this place so special. Today, we&rsquo;re shining&nbsp;light on Kirsten, our Chief People Officer. She&rsquo;s been an incredible force in shaping&nbsp;
Abstraction&rsquo;s culture and supporting everyone here, and she had a lot to share about her journey, favorite memories, and what makes our studio so unique<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:360,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:259,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}">&nbsp;&nbsp;
Let&rsquo;s dive in!&nbsp;
1. What is the most rewarding part of shaping Abstraction&rsquo;s culture and supporting its people?&nbsp; &nbsp;
"Creating a culture is not hard, but keeping it while the company grows over 17+ years with 17 different cultures is way harder. Especially with everything that has happened in the world and the gaming industry over the last few years (Covid, working from home, a lot of layoffs, to name a few...).&nbsp;
But culture is the most important thing for a company to focus on, I think. There&rsquo;s no company without the people in it. For now, I would say the most rewarding part is seeing the impact of a strong, inclusive culture reflected in the way people collaborate, grow, and have fun while doing this. Watching individuals unlock their potential, feel valued, and come together to achieve amazing results reminds me of why I love what I do. Abstraction, we don&rsquo;t just work together; we grow together as a team and as individuals."
2. What&rsquo;s one thing about Abstraction that makes you feel proud every day?&nbsp;
"No way I can nor should I keep it to only one thing! The way we moved forward over all the years, slow and solid with our growth. Learning constantly by making a lot of mistakes and learning from them, all the time. That we, until this day and beyond, try to do everything to maintain the original culture, how it was set up. Even though knowing that not all game developers out there would be a good fit for our company and vice versa.&nbsp;
From starting out in a shed in my parents&rsquo; backyard to now having a large company filled with incredible people all working together for the same company&mdash;it has been an incredible journey and it&rsquo;s amazing to see how far we&rsquo;ve come, together."
&nbsp;3. In your view, what makes Abstraction's work environment unique?
"We are still a small company (100+) and to see what we can do with all the people working at Abstraction, to see that our clients are happy and that we are able to work with big AAA companies on highly esteemed franchises, is awesome.&nbsp;
Our transparent &amp; direct communication is a great example, and seeing people at Abstraction doing often things that other companies can&rsquo;t or are uncomfortable with, and going the extra mile over and over again, is truly amazing. Also, I believe the people working at Abstraction share the same mindset, they naturally understand this and this makes us different/unique in what we can offer.&nbsp;
I think we foster a perfect blend of professionalism and playfulness.&nbsp;
Years ago, when everyone working at Abstraction kept telling us through weekly engagement surveys that they felt like it was a family, I don&rsquo;t think I truly understood or appreciated the depth of that comment as much as I do now. It&rsquo;s only with time and growth that I&rsquo;ve come to realize how special and rare that sense of belonging really is."
&nbsp; 4 . What&rsquo;s one piece of Abstraction&rsquo;s history that always makes you smile when you think about it?&nbsp;
"There are a lot of things to smile about.&nbsp; &nbsp;
First of all, I can tell you something that would seem counter intuitive as something to smile about, but that when an Abstractioner wants to leave the company to spread their wings, we totally support that. We are still in good contact with leavers, and we are happy for them. When I see some of them at events, it&rsquo;s clear that we still have a great relationship.&nbsp;&nbsp;
When we were a smaller company, we all knew each other really well &mdash; being such a tightly-knit team, working closely to make things happen. We went out for dinner together like one big family, danced, went bowling, celebrated birthdays, and more.&nbsp;
On a daily basis, we&rsquo;d diss and poke fun at each other, all in good humor. It became a kind of unofficial competition to see who could come up with the best one-liner or playful jab that day. With fewer people, it was easier to maintain that sense of closeness and familiarity, where everyone felt comfortable being themselves and joining in on the fun. We all loved it and had the best times together. No one every felt offended because we trusted one another completely.&nbsp;
Also, it would sometimes happen that when we needed to deliver certain game build, stuff went wrong, and I mean really wrong. Like no electricity or internet, and everyone from the team put their pc&rsquo;s, screens, internet cables, extension cords you name it, into their cars and drove to our house to make sure the build was delivered on time. Our home was a hazard trap with all the cables, etc., they slept on the sofa&rsquo;s during the night and we had a blast. I will never forget that.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The moment when a seemingly impossible project came together against all odds &mdash; thanks to pure grit and teamwork. Those late-night problem-solving sessions where someone cracks a joke at just the right moment to lighten the mood&hellip; Those are the memories that stick with me. They remind me of why Abstraction is such a special place."
5. What&rsquo;s one thing you wish people knew about the behind-the-scenes of running a company like Abstraction?
"You are constantly &lsquo;on,&rsquo; even on weekends or during your holiday. When you are the one leading a company, it can sometimes be lonely. People sometimes think we are not transparent, but that's not the case at all. On occasion, you just need to wait for additional information because we can&rsquo;t be sure yet, and we don&rsquo;t want to generate unneeded noise. Negotiations might still be going on, contracts may still be with the lawyer, and business tactics sometimes have to change dramatically in a short amount of time due to external factors that are impossible to predict, especially in a creative industry like gaming, and then you need to adjust again. Also, creating a strategy and vision is something that needs quality time in order for us to come back with a solid plan and clarity. Running a company is all about setting people up for success rather than failure. I think this is something that's important for other people to understand. It&rsquo;s hard but very rewarding work, and having people empathize with our challenges does help a great deal, I think.&nbsp;
Also, we still like to crack jokes, diss, and, in general, have fun with every single person in Abstraction, which in turn helps us as leaders to put things in perspective, especially because we still allow ourselves to become the target of playful insults."
4. If you had to sum up your journey with Abstraction in one sentence, what would it be?
"A hell of a ride! Very happy to have been on this ongoing journey, though, and I will never regret that I made the step from corporate, big companies into the &lsquo;small&rsquo; and, for me, then unfamiliar world of the gaming industry. No way will I ever leave this craft; it is now in my heart!"
Kirsten&rsquo;s insights offer a heartfelt look into what makes Abstraction such a unique and special place. From memorable moments to the challenges of leading in a creative industry, her perspective is a reminder of how far we&rsquo;ve come and the journey we&rsquo;re all on together.&nbsp;

Abstractioner Spotlight: Meet Kirsten, Our Chief People Officer

Indigo 2024: Abstraction at INDIGO 2024&nbsp;
Last month, Abstraction was thrilled to attend INDIGO 2024, the leading game business event in The Netherlands. Held on June 19th at the Van der Valk Hotel Utrecht, Indigo brought together over 800 industry professionals for a day of learning, networking, and discovery.&nbsp;
On the show floor at the DISCOVER Showcase, the atmosphere was electric with amazing new games, innovative booths, and countless opportunities to connect. Our booth was a hive of activity as we met with industry professionals, aspiring developers, and gaming enthusiasts. The passion and creativity on display were truly inspiring.&nbsp;
We were particularly proud to have two of our team members, Masha Begovich and Marc Smids, share their expertise in insightful talks:&nbsp;
<ul>
 <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Marc Smids presented "A GIGANTIC Multiplayer Puzzle," where he delved into our seamless cross-platform multiplayer matchmaking system for &ldquo;Gigantic: Rampage Edition&rdquo; and explained how Kubernetes integrates into our workflow.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 <li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1">Masha Begovich captivated the audience with her talk, "Conquer the Competition &amp; Stand Out," offering valuable tips for navigating the competitive job market and attracting top talent, providing insights for both employers and job seekers.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
INDIGO 2024 was more than just an event. It was a celebration of the gaming community. We left feeling inspired and excited about the future. A huge thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth and attended our talks! &nbsp;
Here's to another successful INDIGO, and we can&rsquo;t wait to see what next year brings!

Indigo  2024

Last week abstraction attended INDIGO 2023, and we showed up in spectacular fashion! For those that don't know, INDIGO is the most popular gaming event in The Netherlands. A great place for people in the industry to connect, attend talks, and discover amazing new games.
<img src="https://www.datocms-assets.com/9739/1688047929-53005424523_911a10e268_1o.jpg" />
We love INDIGO and have for many years. This year we wanted to show our appreciation by being one of the Gold Partners and sponsoring the Skylouge Captain&rsquo;s Party. Held at the Van der Valk Hotel, our guests were treated to an incredible view of Utrecht while talking about the industry we all love.
<img src="https://www.datocms-assets.com/9739/1688048083-1pxl_20230620_192850027.jpg" />
Following the Captain&rsquo;s Day was the main event. The show floor was packed with games, booths, and opportunities to meet new people. And of course, we had to get in on the action and had our booth right in the middle of the show floor.
Throughout the day, we had so many people come up and chat to us. We had the opportunity to talk to industry professionals and newcomers a like. It was so inspiring for students to ask about abstraction and what advice we could give as they start their journey into the game's industry. Many business cards were exchanged.
Now seems like a good time to remind you that we&rsquo;re hiring! Check out our careers page here to see our open positions <a href="https://abstraction.games/careers">https://abstraction.games/careers</a>
<img src="https://www.datocms-assets.com/9739/1688048149-1pxl_20230621_054929720.jpg" />
Our CEO and co-founder Ralph Egas also had a fireside chat at the show. I'll let him describe it in his own words:
<blockquote></blockquote>
"The fireside chat was a blast. I can just be myself and talk genuinely from the heart. It also really helps that JP knows me very well and I him.
We were both so relaxed and excited about this at the same time, that apart from some pretty serious topics that were addressed, there was a lot of banter and humour brought into the mix. We had such a good time chatting. Besides that, it felt really good to be given a podium to speak candidly about things we need to work on to improve and where my responsibility as a CEO comes in beyond the obvious. I loved it." - Ralph Egas
<blockquote></blockquote>
<img src="https://www.datocms-assets.com/9739/1688048398-img_20230621_1534271.jpg" />
Every year, INDIGO gets better and better. We had an amazing time at INDIGO 2023, and we can&rsquo;t wait to see what they do next year!

abstraction at INDIGO 2023

<h2>Game review by Chantal Blokker (QA Tester at Abstraction)</h2>

Every now and then, I get the urge to play a short but sweet game to take a breather from the many hours I spend playing League of Legends. In these moments, I am on the lookout for games that offer me something different, something to get away from hectic multiplayer. This can be an appealing or unique art style, an interesting gameplay hook, or in the case of Turnip Boy, the completely outrageous title of the game. It could not help but catch my interest and without knowing much more, I dove in. Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion is &hellip; exactly what it sounds like. You play as a small but incredibly cute-looking Turnip who has gotten himself into a pickle and will do anything to get himself out from under his taxes. This takes you on a short but hilarious journey to commit tax evasion and save not only yourself, but the entire town from the corrupt government ruled by the unlikeable Mayor Onion and his pesky taxes.
<img src="https://www.datocms-assets.com/9739/1681288960-afbeelding1.png" title="Turnip Boy Tax Evasion - screenshot 1" alt="Turnip Boy Tax Evasion - screenshot 1" />
The gameplay itself is inspired by classic Legend of Zelda games and has you running errands for Mayor Onion and the other denizens roaming around town. Equipped with a sword and a watering can, you will be able to deal with all the dangerous veggie-eating enemies you come across. The game is not particularly challenging as neither the boss battles nor the puzzles are complicated and can be completed quite quickly.
<img src="https://www.datocms-assets.com/9739/1681288964-afbeelding2.png" title="Turnip Boy Tax Evasion - screenshot 2" alt="Turnip Boy Tax Evasion - screenshot 2" />
However, that is not where Turnip Boy shines. The entire tone of the game, including its witty dialogue, diverse cast of characters, the many pop-culture references and the surprising narrative twists made this game a joy to play through. The game is very self-aware, and its meta humour and tongue-in-cheek delivery has had me laughing many times throughout the game.
<img src="https://www.datocms-assets.com/9739/1681288968-afbeelding3.png" title="Turnip Boy Tax Evasion - screenshot 3" alt="Turnip Boy Tax Evasion - screenshot 3" />
Although short games can be a nice breather every once in a while, this game might just be a little too short with around a 2-hour run-time for the main game. However, the kind folks over at Snoozy Kazoo (the creators of Turnip Boy) provided a free update which will give you even more Turnip Boy gameplay! The Sunset Train update is a nice addition to the game that adds a ton of new hats to collect, some new enemies and a more challenging, rogue lite experience on the train.
<a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/1205450/Turnip_Boy_Commits_Tax_Evasion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ready to root for Turnip Boy? Click here to visit Steam: 'Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion'&nbsp;</a>

Games we love: "Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion" 

<h2>Looking back at Gamescom 22'&nbsp;</h2>

It's hard to believe that it's already been a few months since we were on Gamescom with the team. It was such an incredible experience, and it's heartwarming to think back on it.
One of the highlights of the trip was having our own Abstraction booth at the event, which was an awesome hub for our people, and also functioned as a meeting room. It was nice to have a space where we could all come together and collaborate, and it was also a great way to connect and showcase our work.&nbsp;We met up with many amazing people, and it was truly inspiring to see the creativity and passion of the gaming industry on full display.
We all worked together to make sure everything ran smoothly, and it was a pleasure to see everyone come together and support one another. The most rewarding part of the trip was getting to spend time with the team.

Check out our after movie below:
<div style="position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56%;">
 <iframe style="position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; left: 0; top: 0;" width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D5EwEzuw7UA" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</div>


Gamescom 22' was an unforgettable team experience, and we're already looking forward to the next one!
If you're reading this and you're interested in joining our team, we're always on the lookout for talented individuals who are eager to push the boundaries in the games industry. If that sounds like you, we'd love to have a chat. Head to our <a href="https://abstraction.games/careers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">careerspage</a> to see our open positions and apply!


<h4>And since the holidays are upon us, we want to wish you all the best. We hope you have a wonderful and relaxing time with your loved ones, and we look forward to all that the new year has in store.</h4>

Looking back at Gamescom 2022 - after movie

<h2 style="font-weight: 400;">Game review by Joost T Slooterweg (QA Tester at Abstraction)</h2>

<img src="https://www.datocms-assets.com/9739/1666617089-bloodstained-ritual-of-the-night_20221013172203.jpg" />

As a kid I stumbled into playing Castlevania Symphony of the night, and I loved it. All the exploration, the huge variation in monsters, gear, and environments, it kept me hooked for hours. It might have been the first game I ever fully finished, but since the Playstation 1 did not have Trophies or Cloud storage I can never prove this feat to anyone. So when I heard that the Programmer/writer for Symphony of the Night, Koji Igarashi, was working on a new game that would be made in the same spirit, I knew I needed to get it!

Bloodstained focuses on the same principles, and I am once again hooked. The graphics are gorgeous, detailed and varied landscapes and other backdrops against which bright spell effects leap out at you and grotesque monsters do likewise. The variety I know and love from Symphony can be seen here as well, so many monsters, armors, weapons, and other items to collect. All of these neatly tracked in checklists, just how I like it.

<img src="https://www.datocms-assets.com/9739/1666617100-bloodstained-ritual-of-the-night_20221013172905.jpg" />

The gameplay is addictive, you have control of Miriam, a woman with the ability to cast spells and use every weapon the game throws at you. She will gain new abilities by collecting the &ldquo;Shards&rdquo; that monsters sometimes leave behind, and will build up an impressive arsenal throughout the game. Here also, look for the Symphony staples, some abilities will allow you to explore areas that you could not reach before. All this exploring will take place in an enormous castle and the surrounding grounds, slowly filling out the entire map.

Miriam's hoard of weapons, armors, and Shards, can be upgraded via a simple crafting system. To upgrade you will use drops from monsters, and the same system can be used for an arcane art to transform several ingredients into food, which will heal you when consumed and give you permanent boosts.

<img src="https://www.datocms-assets.com/9739/1666617092-bloodstained-ritual-of-the-night_20221013172326.jpg" />

Even though the roots of the games are firmly anchored in the past, the experience feels fresh but cosy. A return to a comfortable formula with just enough quality of life changes thrown in to not feel old and stale. Maybe my Nostalgia-goggles are warping this recommendation a bit, but give this one a try!

Games we love: "Bloodstained: Ritual of the night"