From Childhood Dreams to Indie Adventures: The Journey Behind WILL: Follow the Light

Roman Novikov, founder of the TomorrowHead studio, shares how his childhood fascination with video games became a portal to other worlds.

From a young age, video games have been a significant part of my life, thanks to my dad, who always encouraged my interest. He introduced me to Nintendo, Sega, and various Game Boys, including the early black-and-white models. My passion grew as I dived into the universes of Metal Gear, Resident Evil, and Syphon Filter. These experiences inspired me to craft my own immersive stories one day.

After exploring various fields, I eventually founded a computer graphics studio. For nearly a decade, we worked on visuals for high-profile events, from international concerts to city festivals. However, I never forgot about my dream. During quarantine, I realized I wanted to focus on world-building and narrative, not just graphic design. Transitioning to game development was more complex than we anticipated. It revealed that you have to think 360 degrees while making a game, requiring a completely different skill set that led to overhauling the team.

Drawing inspiration from narrative-driven titles like The Last of Us, Death Stranding, and Alan Wake, we set out to create WILL: Follow the Light, a walking simulator that puts story and atmosphere before combat. It took a lot of work, especially in building a compelling world and maintaining a consistent visual style, which required detailed guides and tutorials for anyone who joined us. With a team of 16, including 3D modelers, visual artists, and a narrative specialist, TomorrowHead is pushing the boundaries of indie game development. We aim to deliver a game as immersive as the classics, such as Syberia and Myst, while still offering a unique and atmospheric experience.

Yours truly,

Roman

Game Director

Founder of TomorrowHead Studio