Some sequels are better than the original. Haven is one of them.

After a successful first run in 2024, Haven is back: powered by Game Habitat, Minc, and our partners WINGS and NyföretagarCentrum. The program brings structure, coaching, and community to brand-new studios, helping them grow from “cool project" to “sustainable company.”

What does success look like? For some, it’s landing investors and scaling fast - like Dead Astronauts, a Haven alumni studio that went on to raise €4M in an oversubscribed seed round earlier this year. For others, it’s securing their first publishing deal, releasing a debut title, or simply building a company culture that can last beyond a single project.

The common thread: Haven studios leave stronger, more confident, and better equipped to shape the future of games.

– Haven is about giving new studios the tools they need. From pitching and marketing to building a team culture and long-term strategy. They’ll also get continuous coaching and a shot at pitching directly to publishers, says Jesper Krogh Kristiansen, Business Development Manager at Game Habitat.

In other words: a crash course in turning creativity into a real business, taught by some of the region’s most distinguished games industry voices.

Meet the Haven 2025 studios

Konditorei Studio

Guglielmo De Gregori (Design/Programming), Gleb Polikanin (Art)

The duo is developing Edelweiss Knights, a tactical RPG inspired by Final Fantasy Tactics. Their goal: create games with a sense of “out-of-this-world”-iness, blending nostalgia with new mechanics.

North of Reality

Brian Bartram (Game Direction), Isabella Mosteller (Art), Naomi Wirén (Programming, Writing)

Formed after Brian reached out on Game Habitat’s community Discord, the trio is building Project Spectrum, an investigative horror RPG. A neurodivergent main character, Scandinavian folklore, and narrative-driven puzzles form the heart of their work.

Valley Lodge Games

Brad Neal (Engineering Lead), Hannah Kjellin (Narrative Lead), Simon Ackemo (Art Lead)

Valley Lodge is crafting Madame Massacre’s Midnight Matinee — a surreal, episodic point-and-click horror adventure. Think vintage TV fright shows with camp, pulp, and a haunted-theatre host to guide the chills.

Rototoco

Robert Pettersson (Founder & Art Director), Tomas Pettersson (Founder & Lead Programmer)

The team brings years of experience into Beachsweeper, a cozy exploration game where players restore beaches, meet quirky animals, and enjoy the small joys of digital island life.

Frozen Maracuyas

Gaspar Stiglich, Elias Brown, Daniela Marquez (Co-Founders)

After gaining traction with their game Sushi2Go, the team now works on What is Love? - a narrative adventure about breakups, self-love, and helping others. Their aim: create meaningful games that connect people.

Smoggers

Frans Alexandersson (Level Designer), Ylva Oknelid (Art), Alexander Frost (Programming)

The Smoggers are developing a thriller set in Malmö. For them, games are today’s most powerful artform, and they’re determined to tell their stories on their own terms.

Pica Pica Interactive

David Darabian (CEO & Designer), Alexander Ericsson (CTO), Daniel Stolpe (Art)

The trio behind Pica Pica are working on Piccolo, a mobile puzzle game with hotel simulation mechanics. Their ambition is to carve out a fresh path in the casual games space.

What’s next

Over the coming months, the teams will join workshops on everything from pitching and market research to vision-setting and culture-building. They’ll have continuous access to coaching and business advice. Plus the chance to pitch to real publishers later this year. The second edition of the Haven support program concludes in December.

For Game Habitat and Minc, Haven is a way to support creativity where it starts: small and ambitious teams with big dreams. We’re proud to do Haven as a collaboration with a shared goal of a more diverse and sustainable games industry. One studio at a time.