Mr Viral
CEO and founder Sharon Tal Yguado discusses the studio’s debut project, and what players can expect
Image credit: Astrid Entertainment
Three years ago, former Amazon and Fox executive Sharon Tal Yguado announced the creation of her games studio, Astrid Entertainment.
Since then, the developer has been working on an untitled project described as a “social experience” focusing on the teenage demographic.
Yguado tells GamesIndustry.biz that she and the team saw an opportunity in a market dominated by violent genres in AAA games and cosy games in the indie space to craft a new experience for teens.
“We believe it’s time for experiences that are positive but at the same time dynamic, exciting and can deliver an adrenaline rush,” she explains.
“We made an early decision to take the best elements of RPGs – rich worldbuilding and story, exploration and discovery – and layer in a sandbox approach, giving players the creative tools to shape the world as their own.”
Yguado lays out the development cycle since the studio’s founding in 2022, with the first year spent prototyping and building the IP. She explains that the last ten months have involved the team putting together a proof of concept and demo, which has just been completed.
Astrid is currently undergoing friends and family sessions to test out the nature of the game’s use of multiplayer stories.
“It’s an adventure game, but not a survival game,” Yguado says. “Players will face challenges and obstacles, but it’s not a game about killing and destroying; it’s a game about powers that will allow them to shape the future of their land.
Astrid Entertainment CEO Sharon Tal Yguado
“Players play in worlds that they own and get to invite family and friends to join. This game isn’t your typical MMO where you meet strangers on a server. You can curate your community. Ultimately, we would love to connect players with shared interests in worlds and social hubs, but they will probably come later.”
Yguado emphasises that this project encourages “multiplayer stories” rather than individual ones, which in turn “evolve the world in unique ways, making [it] feel personal.”
Having worked at Fox and Amazon for over a decade, the concept of this interactive experience was the catalyst for Yguado to move from linear entertainment to gaming.
“When I first heard the pitch for this new world and IP, it was clear that it had to be an interactive experience and a social one,” she explains. “The pitch was for a magical, open world with an amazing twist where people can explore, connect and create together. Developing this IP as a linear experience would have been a missed opportunity.”
The project was also a breath of fresh air compared to previous “cynical and very edgy” stories Yguado has been involved with, including The Walking Dead, The Boys, Outcast, and Invincible.
“You can’t go darker and edgier than The Boys,” she notes. “But looking at the world we live in and the entertainment landscape, I knew it was time for a correction.”
Yguado also sees the opportunity for this project to cross back over to the linear entertainment sphere.
“Astrid isn’t only a game studio but an entertainment group that looks at all media outlets and platforms as candidates,” she explains. “People are obviously expected to see a film or television adaptation from us, which they will at some point, but we are going to invest in social first.
“Despite all the challenges the industry is facing at the moment, gaming is positioned in the most privileged intersection of content, social media, and tech.”
The idea of seamless crossover between the two sectors was also a significant part of the hiring process. Yguado focused on avoiding “traditional structures and processes” that felt “dated” when building Astrid’s team, which includes a balance of talent from both industries.
“Gaming is positioned in the most privileged intersection of content, social media, and tech”
Industry leaders from Industrial Light & Magic, Disney Imagineering, Epic Games, Rare, and PlayStation make up the team, with a focus on talent specialising in environmental storytelling and system design.
Astrid is based in Los Angeles but works as a remote studio, with a large portion of the staff operating out of the UK. This includes design director Harry Robinson (Rare, Playtonic), head of production and operations Stuart Whyte (PlayStation London Studio), and tech director Sergio Delgado DÃez (Hangar 13, Ubisoft, Electronic Arts).
The team currently consists of 15 people, a number that the studio wants to keep relatively small for as long as possible so they can continue to work closely during development.
“We all work so well together, share similar passions, and laugh a lot,” Ygaudo says. “I think that a part of our strong bond comes from the project we’re developing.”
Yguado is proud of how far the “small but mighty” team has come in the past three years, and says 2025 looks to be a promising period of growth for the studio.
“We’re currently hiring some new positions and starting pre-production,” she explains. “It’s an exciting time to take everything we learned and build on it. We hope to grow the team and process while keeping the magic, and to kick off production later this year.”
Outside of introducing Astrid and its IP to the gaming landscape, Ygudao hopes to see more independent developers break through the noise.
“Players are craving fresh, original experiences, and even though the gaming market seems saturated, there’s still potential for risk-takers willing to abandon the old playbook,” she says.
“Yes, caution is a typical response to economic uncertainty, but we all know it’s not the recipe for long-term success. I’m really looking forward to seeing bolder moves in 2025.”
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