Official release of Danghost, a video game made by the studio of two alumni !

Umeshu Lover’s successful gamble

Founded in 2018 by Arnaud Mollé and Sylvain Sarrailh, two former students of ESMA Video Game and ESMA 3D, the studio used to do a lot of subcontracting, both in artistic pre-prod and design, and in video game design. It’s clients have included licenses such as Disney, Nintendo, Louis Vuitton, Illumination MacGuff, Riot Games, Ubisoft, Netflix Animation and Epic Games.

In order to take the project to the next level and expand its scope, the studio has also started work on the production of a complete game. This is intended to convince their clients – both current and potential – of the studio’s ability to take on a project from A to Z on its own. Arnaud Mollé and Sylvain Sarrailh then set to work with the rest of their team, creating their very first video game in less than a year!

Entirely home-made, Danghost is inspired by the world of Studios Ghibli, and promises a return to childhood in a setting with multiple influences – Japanese, French, American and South American. “Producing a puzzle game is a risky venture, explains Arnaud Mollé. It’s a niche game!”. And yet, the game has already attracted many fans at events dedicated to the world of video games in which the studio has participated, such as Paris Games Week.

What is Danghost ?

In this colourful and explosive puzzle game, which features both single-player and multi-player modes, players take on the role of Tatana, an apprentice exorcist who has been given the mission of hunting down an army of troublesome little ghosts who are causing chaos on her island, the Danghost. Inspired by fighting games, players must perform a multitude of combos, special moves and spells to combat their enemies.

Arnaud Mollé, from Law school to ESMA

Passionate about video games since secondary school, Arnaud Mollé – co-founder of Umeshu Lovers studios – initially chose a traditional path, opting for a law degree. “To reassure his parents”, he says, who didn’t see video games as a real profession.

But his natural instincts soon kicked in, and he joined ETPA (now ESMA Video Games) in 2012. If he had to remember two things about his course, it would be the versatility he acquired in creating games, and the importance of a professional network : “Technology moves fast, he explains, and the knowledge you acquire is quickly out of date, but your network gets better ! And you have to build it up right from your first years of study. Not just with your classmates, but also with your teachers.”

After several years’ experience, Arnaud returned to ESMA as a Game Design and Programming teacher, and then set up the Umeshu Lovers studio with his partner Sylvain Sarrailh, a former ESMA 3D student. Talking about Danghost, he says: “I’m very, very proud of the team, we have done an incredible job in a short space of time, and the game is ultra-quali, I’m very happy!”

For those who would like to try it out, the game will be available on Steam from 27 September. Enjoy !