Technology
- Invercargill-based studio receives $40,000 CODE grant for developing a 2D action RPG.
- Game development team includes SIT staff, graduates, and a current student.
- Funding will create a prototype to secure investment for full game development.
An Invercargill studio with close ties to the Southern Institute of Technology (SIT) has received funding from the New Zealand Centre of Digital Excellence (CODE) to bring a new video game to life. The studio, Little Dragon Interactive, secured $40,000 through CODE’s KickStart grant to develop The Order of the Damned, a 2D action role-playing game (RPG) set in a dark fantasy world.
CODE, based in Dunedin, aims to boost New Zealand’s video game development industry. Its second national funding round awarded $358,341 to nine studios for creating innovative game prototypes. Little Dragon Interactive stood out as the only team funded from outside a major city, with a core crew deeply rooted in Invercargill.
The project’s key developers are SIT Marketing staff member Matt Inns, SIT Bachelor of Screen Arts tutor James Wilkinson, and former SIT Productions employee Nick McGrath, who now co-runs Second Beer, a business he founded with Wilkinson. All three are SIT graduates with degrees in filmmaking. The development team also includes local and national talent, such as SIT student Joshua Reedy, who is contributing as a programmer.
The Order of the Damned is described as a story-driven, atmospheric side-scroller, featuring a haunting dark fantasy world. Players, possessed by an unknown spirit, must navigate the decaying land on a mission to destroy a Revenant invasion and restore ‘The Order.’ The concept takes inspiration from Riven, a dark fantasy short film created by Inns and Wilkinson in 2020, which was selected for the Sitges Film Festival in Spain and released online in 2022. However, according to Inns, The Order of the Damned is “very much its own thing, more of a spiritual successor.”
The CODE funding will allow the team to develop a vertical slice—a fully functional demonstration showcasing the game’s mechanics, visuals, and core elements. This slice will serve as a tool to attract additional investment for full-scale development. "We’re focusing on taking things one step at a time," Inns explained, noting that the game’s completion and release, planned for PC and consoles, are likely several years away.
Inns expressed gratitude for CODE’s support, recognising the competitive nature of securing funding. “It’s awesome to get their backing to get a foot off the ground,” he said, adding that the recognition was especially meaningful for a team based outside New Zealand’s main centres.