A big thanks to PressStart and @games-stiftung.bsky.social for the amazing kickstart at @devcom.bsky.social 🥳

Can't wait to see you all soon at other events! 🐳

#PressStart #GamesCom #DevCom #DaryaGame

Ciao Ciao Devcom/Gamescom 2025! 🎮

It was a wonderful quality time with lots of amazing, down-to-earth, creative people, all passionate about games and the difference we can make with our colorful, diverse medium. ❤️ 🧡 💛 💚 💙 💜

We will be at DevCom and GamesCom in Cologne next for the first time as Darya Studios! Super excited to meet and connect with people in the industry, big thanks to the PressStart team for making this possible for us! 💚

@games-stiftung.bsky.social

#PressStart #GamesCom #DevCom #DaryaGame

Oh yes, underwater acoustics is such a vast strange universe, so much to discover 🎧 wasn’t really aware before how crucial acoustics are for marine life!

We are currently deep in story development and it is all starting to take a nice shape. We are really looking forward to be sharing more in the near future! 🐋

#DaryaGame #DaryaStudios #HIFMB #MarineBiology #Whales #Ocean #Videogame #PressStart

Questions we tackle are:

🌍 Do scientists fear for the future of our planet?
📊 How do they feel in the current political situation?
🔊 Do they feel represented accurately by films, games and media?
📖 What do THEY want people to know and care more?

We still want to be accurate and thorough with our story, as our main character is a marine biologist as well, studying whale communication. Talking to Ilse opens up new worlds to explore: approaches to game mechanics, new ways of thinking about our character, world building and so much more!

Our game is not an educational game, nor is it a pure factual story, so...

❔ Why are we meeting with scientists?

We had the pleasure visiting marine biologist Dr. Ilse van Opzeeland @hifmb.de

Ilse agreed early on to consult us with our game debut DARYA - her focus on ocean ecoacoustics, and marine mammal behaviour helps us shape our story and the scientific backbone of it.

@stiftung_digitale_spielekultur

Today, whales face new threats like ship strikes, noise, and climate change - proof that protecting them remains a human responsibility.

#DaryaGame #DaryaStudios #Whales #Humpback #RogerPayne #ConservationStorytelling #Nature #HumpbackSongs #OceanNoise #MarineLife #GameDesign #Game

He was a biologist who, in 1970, released Songs of the Humpback Whale, significantly helping spark global efforts to end whale hunting. At the time, humpbacks had been reduced by over 90% to just a few thousand individuals; after bans and protections, global numbers rebounded to well over 100,000.

Roger Payne's work deeply inspired us to use art and games as a catalyst to think deeper about ourselves and our relationship with nature. When people deeply desire and believe in something together, they can make it happen - even when it goes against the interests of big powerful corporations.

A big Thank You to everyone for showing up at @amazefest.bsky.social in Berlin, making that almost cloudy weather so warm and sunny! 🎉🐳🌞🌈
We enjoyed every second of it with our creative game co-developers. 🥰

Already looking forward to A MAZE. 2026! 💛💚💙💜
Photos by dear Zemre Arslan Tüver

We are excited to share our early Concept Art Teaser for DARYA, a Narrative-Driven Game in development, designed with the direct guidance of marine scientists🎉🐳💚

art&animation @sarashabani.bsky.social
sfx&music @hannesbiebermusic.bsky.social
@gameverband.bsky.social
@games-stiftung.bsky.social

photos by Klara Yoon! :)

Exchanging and sharing with our fellow game developer friends gives us a lot of energy and inspiration. 🔥🔥🔥
_____
#pressstart #game #gamedev #berlin🇩🇪 #daryagame #daryastudios

We are now on @flashes.blue aswell! ☺️
Nice to have an Instagram alternative connected to our Bsky account 🐳

thank you so much! 😊

We'd love to join the starter pack :)
we are currently developing a game about whales 🐳💕

hello, we'd love to join the list! :)
currently working on our narrative driven game 🐳

heyhey, could you include us in the starter pack? :) 💕🐳

🐳 💚 🎮

@games-stiftung.bsky.social
@gameverband.bsky.social
@hannesbiebermusic.bsky.social
@sarashabani.bsky.social

Lots of awesome fresh game ideas floating around in this room at the #pressStart KickOff event at silent green. Looking forward to seeing all these new games come to life! 🐳
Big thanks to @gameverband.bsky.social and
@games-stiftung.bsky.social for organizing this program! ❤️
_
photos by Klara Yoon

73 % der Deutschen sagen, dass Games dabei helfen, Wissen über demokratische Grundwerte zu vermitteln.

Games bieten eine innovative Möglichkeit, demokratische Werte zu vermitteln & zu verteidigen. Institutionen wie die @bpb.de setzen auf Videospiele, um Wissen und Werte zu transportieren. Zudem helfen #Games dabei, über Desinformationen aufzuklären & ein kritisches Bewusstsein zu fördern.
#Demokratie

Link should work now btw 🫣
Thx @berlingamescene.bsky.social for noticing! 🙏

We're so happy to share that we've been granted the PressStart Stipend! 🎉 @sarashabani.bsky.social @hannesbiebermusic.bsky.social

It has been hard years for most of us in the media industry, so we deeply appreciate this opportunity. 🙏

Learn more on our website www.daryastudios.art

#PressStart

hello 👋 new startup from germany here! 💙

could you add us to the list 🙏 we're a new game startup in Berlin 💙