Black Salt Games has launched a new indie studio, Team Trifold, as part of its Saltworks Entertainment label

Black Salt Games, the creator behind "Dredge," has unveiled a new venture called Team Trifold and established a publishing arm named Saltworks Entertainment. This white-label publisher will extend services to both Team Trifold and fellow New Zealand indie developer Disc 2 Games, all operating out of a shared facility in Christchurch. The studios will maintain their creative autonomy.

Saltworks Entertainment is positioned as a collective force, combining strengths in areas like production, marketing, quality assurance, and more. Black Salt Games is spearheading the funding and publication of Team Trifold’s first project, "Nothing Lost," capitalizing on the successful launch of "Dredge." Nadia Thorne, the executive producer, emphasizes the benefits of New Zealand's Game Development Sector Rebate, which provides stability to focus on enhancing "Nothing Lost." This rebate has significantly boosted the revenue of supported studios by 17%, reaching $829 million.

Sustainability is a key component of Saltworks’ approach, with a focus on small teams crafting ambitious indie titles. This strategy allows sharing of resources and expertise across studios while avoiding unnecessary expansion.

The Team Trifold comprises Jed Uy, Wilson Teo, and Carl Johnson, each bringing extensive industry experience. Uy underscores the importance of firm design pillars to guide creative and technical decisions, emphasizing the necessity of flexibility and commitment to a unified vision.

Nothing Lost. Stylized warrior with pink hair and a determined expression, wielding a glowing green sword and surrounded by ethereal blue flames. — Image credit: Team Trifold/Nothing Lost

The team is innovating within the roguelike genre by making death a key mechanism for progression, inspired by concepts from "Shaman King" and diverse cultural mythologies. Uy seeks to create a unique crafting system that rewards players for overcoming traditionally negative aspects of the genre.

Nothing Lost gameplay. An overhead view of a stylized battle scene in a video game, featuring cartoonish characters clashing with swords and magical effects. — Team Trifold aims to innovate the roguelike genre by integrating death as a progression mechanic | Image credit: Team Trifold/Black Salt Games

Teo stresses the necessity of emphasizing core game mechanics and being transparent about design intentions to counteract player resistance to in-game challenges. The team is keen to redefine how players engage with and perceive defeat within this competitive genre.