Nomada Studio

Nomada Studio is an independent video game developer based in Barcelona, Spain. The studio was formed by former Ubisoft employees Roger Mendoza and Adrián Cuevas together with artist Conrad Roset after the three became interested in combining independent game development with Roset's illustration and visual-art practice. Mendoza and Cuevas had the programming and production experience, while Roset brought a distinctive watercolor-influenced artistic direction. This combination became central to the studio's identity. Nomada Studio's debut title, Gris, was developed as a platform-adventure game focused on atmosphere, visual storytelling, music, and emotional progression rather than conventional combat or repeated failure. The studio described its intended design as a blend of influences including Journey and Ori and the Blind Forest. Gris follows a young woman moving through a damaged, initially colorless world while recovering abilities and restoring color. Its themes include grief, depression, loss, memory, and recovery. Development included consultation with a psychologist concerning the treatment of grief and depression, and the team used mechanics such as the protagonist's initial inability to jump to communicate that something was wrong with her. Released in December 2018 for macOS, Nintendo Switch, and Windows, Gris was published by Devolver Digital. Its watercolor-like presentation, restrained interface, accessible progression, and minimal use of traditional failure states helped distinguish it in the independent game market. The title subsequently expanded to iOS, PlayStation 4, Android, Amazon Luna, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. It received generally favorable critical reviews and was recognized by Apple as its 2019 Mac Game of the Year. Sales passed 300,000 copies by March 2019, one million by April 2020, and three million by September 2024, according to the cited Gris reference material. The studio's work is positioned at the intersection of independent game development, digital illustration, and emotionally expressive interactive entertainment. Its design approach favors accessible exploration, environmental puzzles, gradual ability progression, symbolic narrative, and visual transformation. Rather than emphasizing competitive systems or high difficulty, Nomada Studio uses the medium to create contemplative experiences in which animation, color, sound, and level design carry much of the storytelling. Nomada Studio's second game identified in the reference material is Neva, described as the studio's next title after Gris. The available material does not provide enough verified detail here to summarize its release date, platforms, commercial performance, or publishing arrangements. The studio remains active, with its public identity closely associated with auteur-led independent development and the use of illustration-driven art direction in games.

Nomada Studio emerged from a collaboration between Ubisoft employees Roger Mendoza and Adrián Cuevas and visual artist Conrad Roset. Mendoza and Cuevas were interested in making an independent game but did not have the artistic capabilities they wanted for the project. Roset was interested in working in games, and the three formed Nomada Studio after meeting through a social connection associated with Cuevas's temporary move to Ubisoft Montreal for work on Rainbow Six Siege. The studio developed its first game, Gris, around the idea of combining a straightforward platform-adventure structure with the expressive possibilities of illustration, animation, music, and color. The developers aimed for an experience influenced by Journey and Ori and the Blind Forest, while deliberately making the game accessible. Gris has no conventional fail states, and its challenges were designed so that players could usually solve them after a small number of attempts. This approach required the team to balance puzzle interest with a low-frustration experience. Gris's narrative concerns grief and emotional recovery. During development, the team consulted a psychologist about the game's treatment of grief, depression, and related themes. The designers connected the protagonist's emotional condition to her abilities and movement. For example, Gris cannot jump at the beginning, reinforcing the sense that she is impaired or emotionally blocked. As the game progresses, new powers and restored colors correspond with movement through a world that becomes increasingly animated and hopeful. The visual direction generated technical and design challenges. The early areas had to appear intentionally empty and colorless without becoming unattractive or visually unengaging. The developers used ideas associated with Iwagumi-style aquariums as one source of inspiration for solving this problem. They also adjusted level layouts, camera angles, and visual readability so that the painterly environments remained understandable as playable spaces. An early plan to change the protagonist's dress as colors were recovered was ultimately abandoned, in part because camera angles made the effect impractical to manage. Gris was released in December 2018 for macOS, Nintendo Switch, and Windows and was published by Devolver Digital. Later versions were released for iOS in 2019, PlayStation 4 in 2019, Android in 2020, Amazon Luna in 2021, and PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S in 2022. The game achieved generally favorable critical reception and became the studio's principal commercial and cultural reference. Its sales grew from more than 300,000 copies by March 2019 to more than one million by April 2020 and more than three million by September 2024. Apple named it Mac Game of the Year in 2019, and GQ España later included it among the best Spanish-made games. The studio subsequently became associated with Neva, identified in the reference material as its next game after Gris. The available sources do not establish a complete chronology of Nomada Studio's corporate structure, ownership, executive appointments, or the commercial details of Neva. Nomada Studio's documented history nevertheless shows a consistent creative model: a small, independent team using strong visual authorship and accessible interactive design to address emotional and narrative subjects.

• 2024

  Gris surpasses three million copies sold

  [1]Grisen.wikipedia.org

  The studio's debut game exceeds three million copies sold by September.

• 2022

  Gris reaches current-generation and Xbox platforms

  [1]Grisen.wikipedia.org

  Ports for PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S are released in December.

• 2020

  Gris surpasses one million copies sold

  [1]Grisen.wikipedia.org

  Sales of the debut title exceed one million copies by April.

• 2019

  Gris reaches iOS and earns Apple's Mac Game of the Year recognition

  [1]Grisen.wikipedia.org

  The game is released on iOS and is recognized by Apple as its 2019 Mac Game of the Year.

• 2018

  Gris debuts

  [1]Grisen.wikipedia.org

  Nomada Studio's first game launches for macOS, Nintendo Switch, and Windows, published by Devolver Digital.

• Nomada Studio is formed

  [1]Grisen.wikipedia.org

  Roger Mendoza, Adrián Cuevas, and Conrad Roset establish the Barcelona-based independent studio after deciding to combine game-development experience with Roset's visual-art practice.

An independent Spanish game studio creating accessible, art-led and emotionally resonant platform-adventure experiences.

• Platform-adventure game · 2018

  Gris

  Gris is a narrative platform-adventure game centered on a young woman moving through a damaged, colorless world. Exploration, environmental puzzles, collectible lights, and new movement abilities gradually open additional areas and restore color. The game uses symbolic imagery to address grief, depression, memory, and acceptance, while avoiding conventional death and failure states. Its watercolor-influenced art direction, music, and changing environments carry much of the story. It was published by Devolver Digital and released across PC, mobile, Nintendo, PlayStation, Xbox, and Amazon Luna platforms.

• Video game

  Neva

  Neva is identified in the available reference material as Nomada Studio's game following Gris. The supplied sources do not provide sufficient verified information about its genre details, launch date, platforms, publisher, or commercial performance.

• 2018

  Launch Gris with Devolver DigitalProduct launch

  Background

  After developing its debut title as an independent studio, Nomada Studio brought the game to market through publisher Devolver Digital.

  Action taken

  Gris was released for macOS, Nintendo Switch, and Windows in December 2018.

  Aftermath

  The launch established Nomada Studio internationally and was followed by additional releases on mobile and console platforms.

  Source

• Adopt an accessible, low-failure design for GrisStrategy

  Background

  Nomada Studio wanted Gris to communicate emotional recovery through exploration and discovery rather than repeated punishment. The team also sought to make the game approachable to players who might not normally choose a demanding platformer.

  Action taken

  The developers removed conventional fail states and designed puzzles with player-friendly solutions, while tying movement limitations and later abilities to the protagonist's emotional progression.

  Aftermath

  The design became one of Gris's distinguishing characteristics and supported its positioning as an atmospheric, broadly accessible independent game.

  Source

1. 1Grisen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Nomada Studio official websitenomada.studio