Thunder Lotus

Thunder Lotus is an independent video game developer and publisher based in Montreal, Canada. Founded in early 2014 by Will Dubé, the studio creates original games built around handcrafted artwork, atmospheric worlds, and emotionally driven storytelling. Its work spans action-exploration, Metroidvania adventures, management games, and online cooperative action, combining distinctive visual identities with different approaches to interaction and narrative.

The studio handles development from game design, programming, and writing through art direction and publishing. Frame-by-frame illustration and hand-drawn 2D animation are central to its creative approach. Its publishing activities include releases across PC and consoles, community engagement, post-launch updates, and expanded editions that build on existing games.

Games and creative development

Thunder Lotus debuted with Jotun in September 2015, following a successful crowdfunding campaign. The Norse mythology-inspired action-exploration game established its approach to hand-drawn presentation and original worlds. Its second release, Sundered, arrived in July 2017, combining Lovecraftian action-horror with procedural cavern systems and handcrafted encounters. The later Eldritch Edition expanded the experience with multiplayer features.

Released in August 2020, Spiritfarer brought the studio wider recognition through a management adventure exploring death, care, and bereavement. Directed by Nicolas Guérin, the game combines everyday activities with an emotionally focused journey. The supplied research reports more than four million copies sold and over seven million players across its supported platforms and subscription distribution.

The studio subsequently broadened its production into large-scale cooperative play. 33 Immortals is a 33-player action-roguelike that entered early access in 2025 and reached version 1.0 in 2026. Meanwhile, the original Spiritfarer creative core developed At Fate's End, a sword-combat and narrative-duel adventure exploring sibling relationships. Its first playable demo appeared in October 2026.

Established as Thunder Lotus Games, the company refreshed its public branding to Thunder Lotus in June 2023. It remains financially and creatively independent, developing and publishing its own intellectual property.