Mad Carnival

Mad Carnival is an independent New Zealand video game development and publishing studio creating narrative adventures and family-friendly interactive experiences. Its work emphasizes inclusive storytelling, non-violent play and games accessible to players of different ages. The studio operates from Auckland and Dunedin, bringing together game design, programming, narrative, art and animation.

The company developed from the creative technology background of its founders and their longstanding ambition to build a dedicated games studio. Although its legal entity was incorporated in 2010, the report places its operational launch as a dedicated game developer between 2020 and 2022. Its portfolio spans PC and mobile games, children's digital entertainment and interactive web projects.

Narrative worlds and accessible play

The studio's flagship project in development is How Was Your Day?, a narrative-driven, point-and-click supernatural thriller for PC. Set in late-1980s New Zealand, it follows 13-year-old Diya, who becomes trapped in a time loop on the day before Diwali. While searching for her missing dog, she investigates unsettling events in the fictional town of Lakeview. The game combines a supernatural mystery with cultural storytelling and a distinctly New Zealand setting.

Alongside this longer-form adventure, Mad Carnival has produced smaller educational and casual experiences. Its work for New Zealand's HEIHEI children's platform includes Postcards from Aotearoa and Manu Pinball. Its portfolio also includes the interactive casual project Bustin'. These projects reflect a range extending from children's play to atmospheric narrative experiences.

Mad Carnival's capabilities include 2D and 3D art, illustration, animation and retro mini-game mechanics, alongside full-cycle game development and publishing. Its storytelling interests include Māori and Indian cultural themes. Across its projects, the studio combines accessible interaction with an emphasis on character, setting and culturally grounded narratives.