Mooneye Studios

Mooneye Studios is an independent game developer and publisher based in Hamburg, Germany. Founded in 2014 by students from the Games master’s programme at Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, the studio focuses on narrative-driven exploration, emotional storytelling and wholesome adventure games. Its activities combine original productions with publishing support for independent developers.

The studio’s debut game, Lost Ember, follows a wolf and a companion through the remains of a fallen civilization. Players inhabit different animals to explore the landscape, making changes in perspective and movement central to the adventure. Released in November 2019 for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the game subsequently reached Nintendo Switch and received a PC VR edition. The studio has also developed updated editions of the title for newer platforms.

Original development and independent publishing

Internal productions operate under the Mooneye Originals banner. Alongside its work on Lost Ember, the studio has been developing IKUMA: The Frozen Compass, an Arctic wilderness narrative adventure initially prototyped as Into The Cold. Its development capabilities include 3D environment art, level design, stylized visual storytelling and multiplatform production.

In 2021, the company expanded into third-party publishing through Mooneye Indies, drawing on experience gained from self-publishing and launching its own games. The label concentrates on narrative-driven, wholesome and cozy titles, extending the studio’s work beyond games developed by its internal team.

Its publishing catalogue includes Haven Park, developed by Bubblebird Studio and Fabian Rastorfer; Smushi Come Home, developed by SomeHumbleOnion; and Farewell North, developed by Kyle Banks. These titles are external developers’ productions published by Mooneye, with development credit remaining with their respective creators.

For publishing partners, Mooneye offers co-financing, marketing, community building, public relations, quality assurance and platform submission management. Its combined development and publishing model supports games distributed internationally across PC and console platforms.