Charm Games

Charm Games is an independent game development studio based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Founded in 2015 by Derek Young and Alan Jernigan, the studio develops atmospheric adventures built around tactile interaction, environmental puzzles and visual storytelling. Its work spans virtual reality and an announced expansion into games for traditional PC and console displays.

The studio’s games emphasize handcrafted environments, observational storytelling and interactions that let players manipulate their surroundings. Its capabilities include full-cycle game design and development, VR/XR software engineering, and PC and console production and publishing. Puzzle adventures form a central part of its portfolio, alongside an action roguelite exploring spellcasting and time manipulation.

Games and creative development

FORM, released in 2017, established the studio’s approach to surreal VR puzzle design. Set inside the human subconscious, the game combines geometric abstractions with environmental manipulation. Its releases span PC VR, PlayStation VR and Meta Quest.

Released in October 2018, Twilight Path develops the studio’s interest in atmospheric fantasy adventures. Its aesthetic draws inspiration from classic dark fantasy and mythological cinema, pairing that setting with narrative exploration and VR puzzles. The studio subsequently developed HexWind, an action roguelite combining wand combat, procedural mechanics and tactical time manipulation.

Expansion beyond VR

In August 2026, Charm Games announced The Orphaned House, its first major non-VR expansion. Planned for release in 2027, the first-person atmospheric mystery brings the studio’s tactile interactions, handcrafted environmental puzzles and observational storytelling to traditional displays.

The announced platforms are PC through Steam and the Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The project extends design ideas developed through the studio’s VR work into a different presentation format while retaining its focus on interaction, mystery and environmental detail. As of the October 2026 research, it remains an announced project with a planned release window.