Ubisoft RedLynx recently unveiled its latest mobile game Gwen’s Getaway which was released in soft launch for select countries. The title is an adventure game in which players are able to renovate homes and solve puzzles and while it already has 600 levels it will be supported each month by new content.
To celebrate the launch we caught up with RedLynx’s managing director Celine Pasula and the games producer Jon Kauppinen to discuss the original ideas behind the creation of the game, development challenges and what to expect from the future of Gwen’s Getaway.
Pocketgamer.biz: Can you tell us about the initial idea behind Gwen’s Getaway? When did the game initially go into development?
Jon Kauppinen: Gwen’s Getaway has been in development for a couple of years now. What is interesting about the journey, though, is how the idea took shape – it’s a concept we started thinking about during the pandemic when many of us were spending our days at home and dreaming of that long-due, relaxing getaway. With the idea being born in Finland, we, of course, suspect there’s an underlying hint of the famous Nordic love for cabins somewhere in there – escaping the hustle and bustle of the city and retreating into nature is relatively easy to do here, even in the capital Helsinki. We want Gwen’s Getaway to provide our players with a similar feeling.
Celine Pasula: The cabin lifestyle and renovating older family cottages is something we take great pride in here in Finland, and that’s certainly something Gwen and Reina take seriously too. I’m actually in the midst of renovating an old country house myself, in real life as well as in the game! I can certainly relate to Gwen in this sense. And the idea of being able to relax with the game after a busy day, what’s not to love?
What size team has been working on the title?
Celine Pasula: As the lead studio, we have a diverse team of professionals working on the game here in Helsinki, led by Producer Jon Kauppinen – but as you may know, one of the elements that make Ubisoft unique is our model of collaboration around the world. Thanks to this, our Ubisoft RedLynx team has also been lucky to have support from our Ubisoft studio in Abu Dhabi. The exact team numbers are confidential.
Escaping the hustle and bustle of the city is relatively easy to do here, even in Helsinki. We want Gwen’s Getaway to provide our players with a similar feeling.
Jon Kauppinen, Ubisoft RedLynx
What are the game’s unique features that set it apart from others?
Jon Kauppinen: We believe we are creating an all-around holistic experience that truly resonates with the target audience. In addition to having paid special attention to hand-crafting an immersive storyline, we’ve seen the beautiful environment and renovation-decoration aspect speak to our players repeatedly throughout our testing phases. This remains our priority at soft launch as well, carefully listening to our players’ needs.
Were there any major challenges during the development process? If so, how did the team tackle and overcome these challenges?
Jon Kauppinen: Being prepared for the live environment with a new game is always a challenge! As a team, we’ve had to plan and prepare to face the unknown together, which I am quite proud of. We’ve worked hard to ensure we have a good roadmap going forward and that we have a solid content treadmill in place to deliver high-quality monthly updates to the players. The work continues, and we are excited to see what lies ahead of us as a team.
Do you have any details to share on a wider launch and when other countries can expect to have access to the game? And what about other plans for the title? How will Gwen’s Getaway be supported?
Jon Kauppinen: Gwen’s Getaway is now available in the first soft launch countries, with over 600 levels and three detail-rich locations – that can be decorated inside and out – already explorable within this first phase. New levels and locations will be added to the game monthly. Our development team’s focus is now on listening to the valuable feedback of the players and delivering the best possible experience going forward.
We welcome our players to follow us on social media to be the first to know when the game is available in their region, worldwide rollout included. Coming up next, we are planning to expand the soft launch of Gwen’s Getaway to the next set of countries.
And finally, is there anything we should look for from the team and Gwen’s Getaway?
Celine Pasula: I believe Gwen’s Getaway embodies our vision of bringing these unique experiences and worlds we create at Ubisoft to new and broader audiences. We want to make games for everyone and be where our players are platforms and genres. I am excited to see where the journey with Gwen’s Getaway will take us.
Jon Kauppinen: Our team is committed to delivering an excellent experience for our players. Our dedication to quality will continue into the live phase with exciting, engaging content and a keen ear for feedback. For the next steps in our journey, we welcome everyone to follow our social media to be the first to hear about it!
