Minister of State for Digital and Culture for FIGHTS Beasts of Balance maker Sensible Object as part of UK Games Fund announcment
Beasts of Balance maker Sensible Object hosts Minister of State for Digital and Culture for
UK Games Fund announcement
London, October 31, 2016
Beasts of Balance maker Sensible Object is proud to host Minister of State for Digital and Culture
Matt Hancock’s announcement of the third round of funding from the UK Games Fund.
The studio, based at Makerversity in Somerset House in central London, is a previous beneficiary
of the fund, which offers up to £25,000 of government money to game development. It was
instrumental to bringing its ambitious and highly exportable vision for Beasts of Balance to market.
UK Games Fund has supported 50 developers since it was founded. It’s aimed at supporting new
videogame-based businesses, intellectual property and talent by helping them develop their ideas
in order to secure private investment or go into production.
Sensible Object was able to go on to secure investment from early stage VC investors and secure
retail partnerships. Beasts of Balance will launch in UK stores including John Lewis in November,
as well as stores in the US.
The game fuses physical and digital play in a game of skill and strategy for friends and families.
Players work together to build balancing towers with physical beast-shaped pieces. As they stack
each piece, they see them appear in a world on the screen of a connected iOS and Android tablet
or smartphone. The aim is to build the most fabulous world possible before the tower falls.
Sensible Object founder Alex Fleetwood said, “Launching any venture is fraught with risks, but
creative businesses like game companies come with even more challenges and the UK Games
Fund is a very timely form of support for those that hope to grow and succeed in that area.
“The fund, combined with the incredible community and resources provided by Makerversity, has
enabled us to be ambitious and take risks which are now paying off for our business,” said Alex
Fleetwood, founder and CEO of Sensible Object.
Sensible Object’s studio at Makerversity is one of a number of spaces available for creative
businesses at its Somerset House premises. The organisation, which was founded in 2013, offers
desk and studio workspaces, digital and traditional tools and machinery and acts as a support hub
for forming creative products, projects and companies.
“It’s been fantastic to see Beasts of Balance grow from prototype to final product at Makerversity,”
says Makerversity marketing manager Andy Hutt. “Growing projects like this is what the community
was established for, and we’re proud to have been able to take a part in it.”
ENDS
Notes for editors:
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3NwPJQQX18
Press pack: http://www.tinyurl.com/beastsofbalance
For more information, and to request an interview with founder Alex Fleetwood, please contact Alex
Wiltshire at hello@sensibleobject.com.
Features
• Social Play The game inspires a fun, cooperative experience where the screen is a
supporting element to the action on your table
• Deep Challenge Balance careful strategy with fine dexterity as you build your tower and
evolve your world
• Physical Beasts Enjoy holding and playing with a set of beautifully designed and produced
stackable Artefacts
• Digital Beasts Watch amazing beasts evolve. There are over 100 to add to your Bestiary
• Infinite Variety Rich but simple rules playing out on your screen and tabletop means Beasts
of Balance plays differently every time
• Innovative Our proprietary technology uses a unique combination of sensors to recognise the
pieces you play and is invisible during play
• Soundtrack Features music by Fez and It Follows composer Disasterpeace
• Plays Anywhere Supports iOS and Android tablets and smartphones
About
Beasts of Balance is the first game by Sensible Object, a new team of game designers, artists and
engineers who live in a vault under Waterloo Bridge in London, UK. Armed with the latest
technology, they pioneer radical and fun new concepts for play that connect the best of tabletop
and digital games.
Beasts of Balance, was born in the mind of founder Alex Fleetwood while he was camping and
making fires in the wilderness of northern California. Surrounded by the beauty of nature, taking
pleasure in the careful stacking of kindling and firewood, he imagined the potential of a game
where physical balance translated into digital play.
With the help of some R&D funding he pulled together a crack team of designers, artists and
engineers to make a prototype. In four months they came up with the first version of the game,
which they took to events including Game Developer’s Conference, EGX Rezzed, and the
Shenzhen Maker Faire. Since then, Beasts of Balance has won the IndieCade Technology Award
and been shown at various other events, including Spiel, PAX East, XOXO, and GameCity.
Press quotes and awards
Winner: IndieCade Technology Award, 2015
Among The Guardian’s “25 most anticipated video games of 2016”
Among Stuff magazine’s “Best gadgets for under £100”
“Completely reinvents the game of balance” Todd Martens, LA Times
“A captivating creation” Edge magazine
“Our new favourite iPad entertainer” Stuff
“It is a perfect melding of a digital and physical game and can appeal to thinkers of all ages.”
Christopher Badell, Greater Than Games
“The next evolution of the toys-to-life genre of gaming.” Toys for Games
“Beautiful” Eurogamer