Sparrow Night
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Sparrow Night is an independent video game development studio based in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Founded in 2019 by Stefan Rijsmus and Jan-Maarten Nachtegeller, the studio specializes in simulation and management games.[1][2][3] The company gained significant recognition in 2024 when their debut title News Tower won four awards at the Dutch Game Awards, including Best Game, Best Audio, Best Game Design, and Best Debut Game.[4] The studio describes its mission as creating games that are "smart, welcoming, and immersive," focusing on engaging gameplay mechanics that combine entertainment with educational elements.[1]
History
[edit]Sparrow Night was conceived in late 2018 when Jan-Maarten Nachtegeller, who had prior experience in game development, collaborated with Stefan Rijsmus, founder and creative director of Studio Nul, a design, film and technology studio.[2] The partnership officially began in early 2019, with the founders expanding their team to include additional developers and an illustrator to work on their debut project.[2]
The concept for their flagship title emerged from contemporary media concerns. Nachtegeller explained that inspiration came from observing the relationship between press and public during the 2016 U.S. elections, noting the rise of Fake News discourse and growing skepticism toward traditional news outlets in the Netherlands.[5] The studio adopted an Early Access development approach to incorporate community feedback into the game's evolution.
News Tower entered Steam Early Access on February 13, 2024, for PC and Mac platforms.[6][7] The studio achieved major recognition when News Tower became the biggest winner at the 2024 Dutch Game Awards, establishing Sparrow Night as a notable presence in the Netherlands' game development industry.[8] The Dutch Game Awards jury praised the game as a spectacular debut, noting that each game mechanic is utilized to its full potential and the depth of the gameplay caters to both strategy enthusiasts and newcomers. [4]
Notable works
[edit]- News Tower (2024) - Newspaper management simulation set in 1930s New York during the Great Depression and Prohibition era.
References
[edit]- ^ a b "About". Sparrow Night. Retrieved 2025-05-25.
- ^ a b c Stolk, Philip (2024-12-04). "Laatste nieuws: Sparrow Night verovert de game wereld!". Ondernemen010 (in Dutch). Retrieved 2025-05-25.
- ^ "Sparrow Night | Video Game Developer | VideoGameGeek". videogamegeek.com. Retrieved 2025-05-25.
- ^ a b _admin_ (2024-10-03). "And the winners of the Dutch Game Awards 2024 are..." Dutch Games Association. Retrieved 2025-05-25.
- ^ chrismsutcliffe (2024-03-04). "News Tower: the push and pull of truth vs. profit". GameRoom. Retrieved 2025-05-25.
- ^ ""Extra, Extra! News Tower Enters Steam Early Access on Feb. 13, 2024 " - Games Press". www.gamespress.com. Retrieved 2025-05-25.
- ^ Shabbir (2024-02-13). "News Tower Out Now on Steam Early Access". ComicBuzz. Retrieved 2025-05-25.
- ^ "News Tower grote winnaar op Dutch Game Awards 2024". gamer.nl (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 2025-04-16. Retrieved 2025-05-25.