Played With Fire

Played With Fire is a Polish video game developer and publisher based in Kraków. Established in 2019, the studio specializes in virtual reality and extended reality experiences, combining tactile interaction with narrative adventures and systemic puzzles. Its work emphasizes direct player agency, unusual perspectives and worlds whose rules become clearer through experimentation.

The studio describes its creative approach as “knowledge-vania games with a twist of science.” Progress depends on curiosity, observation and an understanding of simulated systems, rather than equipment upgrades or combat strength alone. Planetary motion, alchemical reactions and unfamiliar technology provide opportunities for players to discover how a world works and use that knowledge to move forward. Atmospheric science fiction, magical realism and stylized, hand-painted 3D environments support this approach.

Games and interaction design

Its debut game, Stargaze, launched in November 2020. Inspired by The Little Prince and magical realism, it casts the player as an astronomer using an intricate mechanical telescope to observe and interact with stylized celestial bodies. Its instruments and miniature worlds connect hands-on interaction with discovery.

Mixture, first released in February 2023, develops a different form of physical interaction through simultaneous control of two characters. Players guide the knight Sola through third-person melee combat while using their first-person VR hands as the alchemist Sephairos to prepare and throw reactive elemental potions. The arrangement combines combat, crafting and environmental problem-solving within a single-player experience.

In March 2026, the studio released Star Trek: Infection, a full-body VR survival horror game set aboard the USS Lumen. Players investigate a mutating alien infection using diagnostic tools, Vulcan abilities and environmental mechanics.

The studio’s production capabilities span gameplay programming, VR architecture, environment art, level design, narrative, technical art, sound and usability testing. Its development and publishing work covers Meta Quest, PC VR and PlayStation VR2, with an ongoing focus on curiosity-driven gameplay across VR and broader gaming platforms.