Natto Games started this year with a conversation about what we did not want to build. No game yet. No announcement. Just four people, a shared document and a small amount of nerve.
Before we wrote a line of code, we wrote down a few promises. They are not a manifesto. They are the things we will use to check ourselves when the work gets difficult.
Start smaller than feels impressive
A new studio is tempted to look bigger than it is: a grand roadmap, a fictional team page, a universe before a prototype. We would rather be honest about being early.
Small means we can change our minds quickly, keep the whole game in view and give every decision a proper look. It also means we will say “not yet” a lot.
Make the first playable before the first promise
We want the first thing we show to be something someone can actually play. Not a logo, not a teaser, not a press release. A build, a thumb and a reaction.
That is why there are no titles on this site. There is no game to name yet. The journal is where we will share the process without pretending the destination is already clear.
We would rather be quietly early than loudly wrong.
Protect the people making the thing
Small teams can be healthy teams, but only if the studio is designed that way from the start. We want reasonable hours, clear ownership and enough space for lives outside the screen.
We will not use passion as an excuse for pressure. The work matters, and so do the people doing it.
Be specific about the player
“Everyone” is not an audience. We are interested in people who play in short bursts, who appreciate a thoughtful interface and who would rather have one good idea than ten systems competing for attention.
Every prototype should be able to answer a simple question: who is this for, and what are they doing in the first thirty seconds?
Keep the door open
We are new. We will get things wrong. The studio should be a place where a better idea can interrupt a bad plan, wherever it comes from.
If you make things, play things or have a strong opinion about the small details, we would like to hear from you. That is the most useful thing a new studio can ask for.