RWU team in the Games BW promotion

A team of RWU graduates has received several funding commitments for its game development. Paula Klugmann, Juliane Klugmann, Frederic Wörz and Julian Haasis have jointly founded the Phantom Petal studio and developed a game concept for their first own game, which is expected to be released at the end of 2026.

The four of them came together during their studies through their shared passion for gaming and game development. "We started to implement projects together. And we realized that we work very well together," say the team members.

This collaboration gave rise to the joint company and the idea for their first own game. But there is still a lot to do before it can be released - "even apart from design and programming". That's where the various funding commitments come in handy.

Coaching and workshops through the Developer Boost

Firstly, the young team based in Aulendorf secured a place in the Developer Boost. With the Developer Boost, the BW Ministry of Science supports five teams and their games studios every year, which are then prepared for founding and managing their company during a six-month program.

The program includes coaching from experienced industry experts, including employees from the international games company Ubisoft. The programme is supplemented by workshops on topics such as product development, marketing, founding, finance, monetization, platforms and law, thus addressing the specific problems and questions of the teams and the industry.

"Memory Cruise" - on a historic Lake Constance steamer

The game by the four RWU graduates has the working title "Memory Cruise". The game principle is inspired by the Japanese indie title "The Exit 8". There, players try to find an exit by recognizing changes and anomalies in their environment. Depending on whether anomalies are detected, they decide on the right path - with the aim of eventually reaching the final exit.

While "The Exit 8" is set in a Japanese metro station, "Memory Cruise" relocates the action to Lake Constance. "We send the players on a steamboat," say the team members. The ship is based on the historic Säntis, which was in service on Lake Constance for decades at the beginning of the 20th century.

Games BW funding

The game idea also convinced MFG Medien- und Filmgesellschaft Baden-Württemberg. As a result, the studio Phantom Petal was also included in the Games BW funding program. The state program supports developers of innovative games and interactive media projects.

Funding is provided for concepts, prototypes and productions. In the second funding round 2025, ten projects were supported with a total of around 600,000 euros. These included Phantom Petal, which received 110,000 euros for the prototype of "Memory Cruise" - "a cheerful 3D search game on a 1920s Lake Constance ship that focuses on attention and teamwork", according to the explanatory statement.