Coral Island: Inside the chill farm sim reinventing the genre

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An unrelated meeting in Jakarta, dreams of making the next Witcher game, and a love of farm sims brought together the founders of Indonesian-based Stairway Games to create Kickstarter darling and Epic MegaGrant recipient Coral Island.

Released in Early Access on Oct. 11, Coral Island was designed from the beginning to be the reimagination of a traditional farm sim. The game, which takes place on a colorful Southeast Asian island, goes beyond simply building up and tending to a farm. You can go on dates on the island, restore nearby coral reefs, explore caverns packed with gemstones and monsters, and even play mini-games.

We chatted with Game Producer Soma Wisnu Putera about the studio’s first game, the title’s inspirations and goals, and what it’s like working in the remote region of Yogyakarta, located about eight hours from Jakarta.

To read the rest of this story, which first ran on Dec. 16, 2022, visit Unreal Engine.