Virtual Ghoul

An indie game studio where story comes first and weird collides with dark.
We craft macabre VR worlds that reward curiosity, risk, and reinvention.

[Virtual Ghoul @virtual_ghoul]

Welcome to the world of Virtual Ghoul. We give nightmares a pulse and sculpt worlds from the shadows. Join us on our creative journey and help us step into a world that feels alive, support artistic risk in virtual reality, and become part of our story as it rises to life.

[Virtual Ghoul @virtual_ghoul]

This environment also contains a sneaky hint about another game mechanic we're still polishing behind the scenes.
HINT: Can you spot the portal? Let us know in the comments!
#VirtualGhoul #ConceptArt #GameDevStudio #CozyHorror #VRGame

[Virtual Ghoul @virtual_ghoul]

You all seemed to love the sneak peek at the bar’s interior, so we thought it was only fair to show you what’s lurking just outside its doors...
Environment Concept Artist Jolfe has been hard at work bringing this eerie little alleyway to life.

[Virtual Ghoul @virtual_ghoul]

Tucked behind the bar and wedged between the grimy, suspiciously sentient buildings of the Crawlspace (aka, the Underworld), it’s the kind of place that practically begs you to investigate. Thankfully, we think Jolfe absolutely nailed it.

[Virtual Ghoul @virtual_ghoul]

The struggle is real.🫠Can any other indie devs relate?

#VirtualGhoul #StartUp #IndieGameDev #ZeroBudget #IndieArtists

[Virtual Ghoul @virtual_ghoul]

Marrowfin is still in the early stages of conception… but it’s been FAR TOO LONG since we introduced a character, so we thought you’d enjoy a sneak-peek.
Shoutout to 2D Character Concept Artist Naoto for taking the first steps toward bringing this character to life!
#OC

[Virtual Ghoul @virtual_ghoul]

Meet Marrowfin, a mummified mer-person who comes from a bog.
Marrowfin is painfully shy, but once you get past the swampy smell and slimy eel they have in place of an eye, you’ll find they’re an absolute sweetheart!
#IndieDev #ConceptArt #VirtualGhoul

[Virtual Ghoul @virtual_ghoul]

We’re still refining the final design before handing it back to our 3D team to fully bring to life, but this is your first glimpse into the place where lost souls gather, secrets trade hands, and every drink comes with a cost. Let us know what you think!

#ConceptArt #IndieDev

[Virtual Ghoul @virtual_ghoul]

Well... we may have committed a small sin.
We’re making a bartending sim in which you, a newly-deceased ghoul, run an underworld bar… and somehow, we still haven’t shown you the bar itself!
(In our defense, this particular shadow is still finding its form.)

[Virtual Ghoul @virtual_ghoul]

Samuel Lambert, one of our 3D Environment Artists, created a series of early mockups to serve as a jumping-off point... ...and 2D Environment Concept Artist Elise Howard Janvrin absolutely ran with them!

[Virtual Ghoul @virtual_ghoul]

FUN FACT: Andrew's favorite type of games to play are survival/building games.
Check out Andrew's work: https://t.co/8a9xTQ2lr6
#VirtualGhoul #PropArt #EmployeeSpotlight #IndieGameDev #EnviromentArtist #3DArt

[Virtual Ghoul @virtual_ghoul]

We're celebrating our return from our week-long hiatus with another "very well-ly done drawn rat!"

This week's rat belongs to 3D Prop & Environment Artist Andrew Holthusen. As one of our Prop Artists, he works on a lot of the fine details that help bring the game together.

[Virtual Ghoul @virtual_ghoul]

In fact, Andrew actually specializes in realistic prop design (something you'll instantly be able to tell when you see his work!). He's come up with some seriously awesome designs for bottles behind the bar, and he's currently working on modeling the fridge door.

[Virtual Ghoul @virtual_ghoul]

FUN FACT: Jolfe is currently developing his own card game. He's on the lookout for playtesters-- reach out if you're interested!
Check out Jolfe’s work:
Instagram: @ jolfe_art
#indiedev #cardgame #RatPosting #VirtualGhoul #VFXArtist

[Virtual Ghoul @virtual_ghoul]

This week, we’re featuring the “well-ly done drawn rat” of Jolfe, one of our talented 2D Environment & Prop Concept Artists, 2D VFX Artists, and UI Artists.
Jolfe studied Game Design at UW–Stout, where he began building the artistic foundation he continues to grow today.

[Virtual Ghoul @virtual_ghoul]

In his many roles with us here at Virtual Ghoul, Jolfe helps shape everything that bringsour world to life. Whether it’s concepting props, illustrating environments, or adding that extra VFX pizzazz, his work touches just about every corner of the game.

[Virtual Ghoul @virtual_ghoul]

Huge shoutout to team members Eleanor Berg, Naoto Lichtblau-Tepley, and Isabel Smith for collaborating to bring her to life!

#VirtualGhoul #IndieArtists #ConceptArt #OC #VRHorror

[Virtual Ghoul @virtual_ghoul]

Meet Toxxi, a jittery junkie made of unidentified ooze.
Even in death, Toxxi has an affinity for radioactive materials-- so much so that she doesn’t care about ratings or the quality of the drink, as long as she gets the fix she needs. She's here for the rush, not the taste.

[Virtual Ghoul @virtual_ghoul]

And great news for any Toxxi fans out there; she's already progressed pretty far down the pipeline, from a game-jam pitch, all the way to an in-progress 3D model! Toxxi has come a long way over these past few months!

[Virtual Ghoul @virtual_ghoul]

- Props and Environments are taking full form.
- Programmers are refining tools and establishing concrete systems.
- Audio has a pop-track (on the down-low for now) that will act as our core theme.
- Marketing has been building a website, with a new graphic designer to boot!

[Virtual Ghoul @virtual_ghoul]

DEV UPDATE!

Week 16 didn’t abruptly arrive so much as loom, like a shadow stretching longer and longer as the hours pass. As our debut game, "All That the Dead Drink," comes closer to life, we find ourselves living feverishly, somewhere between progress and possession...

[Virtual Ghoul @virtual_ghoul]

The 3D Modeling Team has...
- Begun fleshing the player's hands, which ironically, lack in flesh.
- Settled deep into the trenches with our first wave of patrons. Dimedummy and Skade are quite literally taking shape!
#3DModeling