The Minecraft studio and a Minecraft YouTuber aim to revolutionize sandbox gaming
Initially, I thought Joseph Garrett, widely known as Stampy in the Minecraft YouTube community, joining 4J Studios was merely a promotional tactic.
4J Studios, located in Dundee, is recognized for producing the console versions of Minecraft. Given Garrett's prior collaborations with them, including appearances at Minecon, this seemed to be another marketing move.
However, I was mistaken.
"While it’s not a full-time role, I spend the majority of my week—about three days—working here," Garrett explains. "This isn't just an occasional meeting; I’m truly part of the team."
Chris van der Kuyl, founder and chairman of 4J Studios, remarks: "Frequently, big teams invite a renowned consultant who visits briefly. But Joe is different; he is deeply integrated into the team."
Garrett transitioning to game design wasn’t entirely unexpected. Known for creating games within Minecraft, he had already decided to conclude his popular series, 'Stampy's Lovely World', when 4J reached out.
Van der Kuyl recalls their proposition: "We suggested he join us, acknowledging his expertise in sandbox games. It was clear his involvement would benefit our new game which we want to build with community input."
4J Studios is unveiling Reforj, an original game involving creative survival elements, echoing Minecraft yet standing on its own merits.
"Given 4J's history, comparisons with Minecraft are inevitable," Garrett acknowledges. "But our aim isn’t to replicate it. Minecraft exists; our focus is new adventures in the genre."
"We’ve seen rumors about us making Minecraft 2, but that’s not our goal. We’re offering something original."
Joseph Garrett, 4J Studios
Van der Kuyl adds, "Though comparisons are unavoidable, the gameplay experience of Reforj will be distinct. Our ongoing Minecraft marketplace remains, but Reforj promises a fresh offering for genre fans."
Instead of setting numerical targets for players, 4J adopts a community-focused approach, welcoming feedback to shape the game's development.
Garrett strengthens this initiative, ensuring that gamers are consulted early in development, leveraging his deep connection with the community.
Van der Kuyl draws an analogy to musical instrument makers: "We view ourselves providing tools for creatives like Joe, to develop projects we hadn’t envisioned."
He continues, "Joe’s projects, such as the 'Bonus Points' podcast, underline his community engagement, and we’ve already welcomed initial YouTuber feedback through a first-hand studio experience."
Expectations are deliberately kept open-ended. "Our future is unplanned on purpose, ensuring community influence directs real-time developments," van der Kuyl states.
4J's workforce is limited, with around 50 employees, not all yet engaged in Reforj. They stress cautious yet strategic growth.
Garrett notes the team has expanded on the community side, hiring a videographer and their first community manager recently.
"Paddy, our co-founder, previously managed our Twitter. Now, dedicated staff ensure a consistent brand voice," says van der Kuyl.
"Game developers might be compared to rockstars from the 1990s, though I see us more like instrument makers."
Chris van der Kuyl, 4J Studios
4J’s background includes significant ports and remasters, like The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and Banjo-Kazooie. Yet, they’ve only recently ventured into original games with a freshly conceived party game, Manic Mechanics.
Van der Kuyl describes the lessons of creating an original game from scratch as invaluable for Reforj.
With Garrett involved and armed with the newly developed Elements Engine, 4J is confident.
"The Elements Engine, five years in the making, allows us to enhance sandbox gaming with GPU acceleration for unique features," trends van der Kuyl. This approach improves performance remarkably, providing persistent 60-frames-per-second gameplay, a considerable leap in user experience.
The engine was unveiled on YouTube, quickly garnering significant attention.
Designed for current-generation hardware, the engine frees Reforj from older technology constraints, although it means not being accessible on devices like older consoles or smartphones.
"While it excludes some older platforms, this decision liberates us to offer unparalleled features," adds van der Kuyl, confident in the future potential as mobile technology advances.
Garrett emphasizes that this choice enables seamless world-building features core to Reforj's gameplay.
While 4J moves forward independently, collaboration with larger partners remains a future possibility for expanding Reforj's reach.
"Our immediate goal is to foster community expertise and determine their desires. Reforj’s development is truly a collaborative journey," van der Kuyl concludes.
"Joe serves as an initial tester and guide," he says, paving the way for incorporating valuable input from Garrett and his YouTuber peers into Reforj's design process.
