The Ubisoft Indie Series presented by National Bank helps support independent game studios in Ontario through mentorships, cash prizes and tools to drive leadership within the video game industry. Let’s take a look at the National Bank Special Prize Winners of 2020, Kitten Cup Studio, to see where they are now and get a glimpse of what they’re working on.
Founded by Saffron Aurora, Kitten Cup Studio is a small Toronto-based indie studio making cozy heartfelt games.
The passion and dedication led to the studio winning the National Bank Special Prize during the 2020 Indie Series in Ontario. Since then, the studio has released an early-access version of Pekoe, a tea-making simulation game about taking the time for self-care and connecting with the things that make you happy.
When we spoke to Saffron, she shared the behind-the-scenes on how her studio was formed, the development of Pekoe, the studio’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, and what we can expect from Kitten Cup Studio and Pekoe in the future.
Can you tell us a little bit about your background and journey into game development and how Kitten Cup Studio came to be?
My background is in art, which I went to high school and university for. Going into post-secondary, I wasn’t sure what I really would do as a career, I just knew I liked to be creative. I heard about the Digital Futures program at OCADU, a brand new program, that emphasized cross-disciplinary learning. It sounded great for someone who wanted to do a bit of everything! We studied wearable technology, LARP, environmental storytelling, video game design and more. It was a great program that was very group-work-oriented, and led to most of the personal and professional connections I have today.
After university I worked at an AR/XR start-up, which is where the first ideas for Pekoe (then Untitled Tea Game) started to trickle in, as I was feeling frustrated and disconnected from the game dev community. Then I got a message about an opportunity at Drinkbox Studios for a 2D environment artist contract, and then eventually at Mighty Yell for an artist. In between all of this, I gathered a couple of friends from OCAD who would be interested in making a prototype for this tea game I had been thinking of. Len Predko, Justin Park, Dahlia Night and myself all worked in our spare time to create the prototype of Pekoe that we used to submit to the Indie Series! Thanks to the National Bank Special Prize, we were able to apply for full prototype and then full production funding, as well as incorporate as a studio.
Pekoe is a cute, cozy game that emphasizes the importance of self-care and finding what makes you happy – what is the inspiration behind Pekoe and why is the game important to you?
When I was working at that startup, it was a late night and I had a headache. Frustrated, I thought “I wish I could make myself a cup of tea,” which then turned into “I wish I could make myself a cup of tea game.” I think in a world that has so much going on and as a generation that has normalized having multiple side-hustles, it’s important to be kind to yourself and to touch base with yourself often.
What does self-care mean to you?
It may sound redundant, but self-care is caring for yourself, it’s an act of love toward yourself and your well-being. 2023 was an extremely busy year for me. I had recently started a new relationship, moved out of my parent’s house, and was launching a game. The things I normally did for self-care like playing games or creative hobbies, felt like time that could be “better spent” doing something productive. So, I would do things in smaller doses. I would play one of my comfort games, Rune Factory 4, before I went to bed, but some days I would work until I went to sleep. I would feel the most burnt out when I didn’t actively carve out that time to do something comforting for myself. These days, my self care takes the shape in reading and journaling (as opposed to drawing or video games) and trying new recipes, as these rituals are more removed from the work I do in my daily life.
What was the most difficult part you faced during the development and how did you overcome these difficulties?
I think capturing the right game feel, especially since Pekoe is a simulation game, was and still is one of the trickiest parts to develop. When you’re making a cup of tea, you can feel the weight of the cup, the material, the depth. Everyone is familiar with their favourite mug, and the sounds that it makes. We had to keep tweaking these values until it felt right, and then on top of that, make sure it still felt fun as a game. We’ve learnt it’s not fun if it’s too realistic! You have to add a bit of squish and exaggeration to everything for it to really pop! I remember when we first started getting the sounds in, and I thought “oh, now we’re really making tea.”
I think the beginning, trying to figure out how this was all going to come together, was one of the most difficult parts. Instead of just coming up with ideas, I now had to sell those ideas to other people– that’s pretty nerve-wracking. Luckily, I have a strong support network of friends, family and colleagues who I don’t hesitate to ask for advice.
As the Ubisoft Indie Series National Bank Special Prize winner in 2020, how has this supported your studio and the game’s development?
The prize money was integral to our game, and our studio’s, development since we used it to apply for the Ontario Creates Concept Definition grant. The mentorship and feedback we received was also helpful in our development, and Ubisoft continues to be a supportive partner in sharing opportunities with us.
Since the release of Pekoe in June, how has that been so far? How was the reception of Pekoe and what have you learned from early access?
The reception for Pekoe has been very positive, with a growing community of enthusiastic cat lovers and tea-makers. This is our first experience with early access, and I think it was a success! I look forward to seeing how Pekoe does for its full-release and (potential) console releases.
What does diversity and inclusion mean to your studio? And how does it impact your games?
I believe that more diverse experiences and perspectives lend to a more diverse development, and ultimately, more diversity in games. For a game about self-care and connection, we needed to be inclusive of as many lived experiences as possible because self-care varies from person to person. We put a lot of ourselves into the game, and when we can’t fill in those gaps, we turn to sensitivity readers.
What’s next for Kitten Cup Studio and Pekoe, and what can players expect in the future?
We just released our latest major update, Seasons, which features new seasonal content for Pekoe! We’re currently working on the last of our early-access content before Pekoe’s full release this spring, and another unannounced game in the works. You can also sign up for our newsletter from our website kittencupstudio.com, follow us on X, or join our Discord for all the latest news!
Learn more about how the Ubisoft Indie Series supports independent game development studios in Ontario with cash prizes, mentorship and the creative and financial tools to help their games reach new heights.
