USTWO GAMES

The Monument Valley maker on the benefits of putting platforms and people first

- JEN SIMPKINS

Ustwo Games’ offices look exactly as we imagined. On our way into the building, we’re led through a peaceful courtyard that feels completely out of place in the city. Picnic benches surround a large tree at the centre; strings of garden lights are stretched overhead. It’s straight out of Monument Valley.

Inside, the theme continues. Wooden floors sweep through an open-plan office, the white walls dotted with pastel-coloured concept art and neon Post-Its. People stretch out on an orange sofa; it’s lunchtime, which usually means some experimental PS2 game is on the go (the flavour of the month is Japanese kissing adventure Chulip). On the other side of the building – into which the studio has recently expanded – the colour palette leans cooler, the turquoise furnishings and stylish lamps picked out by the studio’s operations lead with help from the studio’s artists. There are plants everywhere.

The workspace reflects the games it produces: welcoming, purpose-built and instantly attractive. The studio is clearly comfortable – not just in terms of soft furnishings, but fiscally. Ustwo Games is part of Ustwo Fampany Ltd, a software development studio founded in 2004 which today spans digital design, services, investment and videogames. When Matt Miller and John Sinclair started the company, design was the focus: one of their first big projects was working on UI design for Sony Ericsson. When the iPhone came along, and the App Store followed, they sensed an opportunity to carve out a niche as a company that didn’t just make things look good, but feel good, too. Big companies were less concerned with the newfangled apps than they were websites.