How did you come up with the idea to start a company during your studies?
“Marc and I both had part-time jobs at a website builder where we were told that it is very easy to start your own company. We were actually quite curious about it, so that's what we did. We started Twirlbound in 2013 during our studies in Creative Media & Game Technologies at what is now Breda University of Applied Sciences (BUas). I was doing Game Design & Production and Marc was doing Game Programming. We both had an incredible passion for designing games and already got some small assignments from companies.”

Was it serious business right from the start?
“No, not in the beginning. But in the last year, we had the opportunity to graduate within our own company along with a few classmates. We created a prototype for a game that would eventually lead to our first released game: Pine. We even won a student award in Los Angeles. After that, we were funded by a publisher, which allowed us to further develop the game.”

What kind of game is Pine?
“We released Pine in 2019 and you can compare it to Zelda; it's an adventure game. Once you have completed a game like that, you don't have any more costs. We only had a core team of seven people working on the game. That enabled us to pitch a second game to the publisher, and we have been working on developing that for 4 years now. Developing games takes a lot of time, especially when you have such a small team.”

What is the added value of the gaming industry for Breda?
“There is millions of foreign money coming into the city. The gaming industry is globally bigger than the film and music industries combined. There is a lot of money to be made, which is of course beneficial for a city. Fortunately, the municipality is now also aware of this.”

You are a co-founder of Breda Game City. What do you hope to achieve with this?
“That's right, a non-profit organisation focusing on stimulating the video games industry in Breda. All Breda game companies are affiliated with us. We want to be the voice of game developers in the city through events, but we also want to be the point of contact for the government.”

What elements make the game development process so enjoyable?
"It is a special and fast-paced industry. Games are often known for their associations with addiction and violence, but that's not the case for our games. We create beautiful worlds, just like in a movie or a book. In a way, we are storytellers. We once received a message from a gamer who had been depressed for two years until he started playing Pine. 'Our' world helped him to get back on his feet. Such a message brightens my day." 

How would you describe Breda's strength as a gaming city?
“At the base of the gaming industry lies the Creative Media & Game Technologies programme. This programme is in the top 3 worldwide, ranking number one among public schools – the other two being private. The programme focuses on blockbuster entertainment, producing graduates who are very skilled and trained to work at major game companies. In our company, Twirlbound, we now have 100% BUas coverage. We notice that the technical level is very high, and they are ready to jump right in.”

What do you miss in Breda for the gaming industry?
“A physical office location where several gaming companies could sit together would be fantastic. We currently have something in mind. Then maybe we can become the Silicon Valley of Breda. We are all in the same boat. The market is so extensive that we do not feel like we are in competition with each other. We like to communicate with each other about developments, and it is ideal to be close to each other.”