Interview with the Team Behind Equinox: Homecoming
Blue Scarab Entertainment AB was founded by a team of experienced developers who previously worked on games like Battlefield, Helldivers 2, World of Warcraft, Star Sable Online and Age of Conan. It’s no wonder we were impressed the very first time we saw the trailer for the devs upcoming multiplayer exploration game Equinox: Homecoming.
It was never a question from our first look at the trailer that we had to have Equinox: Homecoming in our May showcase. Thank you so much to the team for answering my questions and being a part of our showcase.
Can you tell me a little bit about the team behind Equinox: Homecoming?
From Craig Morrison, Studio Creative Director:
It is a small focused team with a bunch of experience that have the passion to make something different. We have folks that have worked on multiple, varied and successful multiplayer and MMO titles in the past.
We’re leveraging that experience to allow us to try to develop an ambitious project but with realistic goals. On one hand we kind of know that what we are trying might sound a little crazy at first, but we have this amazing trust in each other that this team might just pull it off.
What was the inspiration behind the game? Why go with the occult/dark twist?
From Craig Morrison, Studio Creative Director:
We genuinely believe there is a significant underserved audience out there. Games budgets go disproportionately to core traditional ‘gamer’ demographics. We believe in creating something for a much wider audience. One we feel hasn’t been taken seriously enough in the past.
These types of mystery stories are popular across so many types of players. As above this audience in particular has been yearning to be treated seriously and have some more mature and interesting stories told for them.
We actually believe that this isn’t as strange a combination as it might sound at first. Things like True Crime podcasts and shows like Stranger Things or games in the vein of Life is Strange are all very popular across the different types of players we are targeting with the game, so to us this felt like a natural storytelling angle to pursue.
We want the player experience to be varied, and having these two elements combined allows us to move the player between them for a more organic experience.
Will players be able to play the game offline for a single player experience?
From Craig Morrison, Studio Creative Director:
No, the game is intended as a social experience. While the content will be able to be played solo, you are always part of the wider world. The social element is really important to us. We want to build an interesting and engaged community around the game.
Can you tell me more about what players will be able to do together in multiplayer?
From Craig Morrison, Studio Creative Director:
The players will be able to take part in group races across the dozen or so races across the island. There will be Scenic Ride Islands that allow players to visit beautiful new locations and go on horse rides with their friends.
We also plan to have fun random events across the Island that will pop up from time to time, fun things like Scavenger hunts, or a game of Hide and Seek.
Equinox recently launched into Early Access (as of early May), how long do you intend to be in Early Access? What kind of community feedback are you hoping to receive during this Early Access period?
From Craig Morrison, Studio Creative Director:
As is common with indie development some of that will depend on the feedback and reaction to the game. So we hope to use the Early Access period to engage with our community and make sure we are using the time wisely to improve the game in ways that meet with the desires of our community.
From Ashley Nicollette, Community Director:
Before we launched into Early Access, we ran a series of closed playtests that started with a handful of people and eventually grew into over a thousand players. We never really know what kind of feedback we’ll get, so we’ve spent our time refining how we ingest feedback and identify what the community’s top pain points, desires, and bug reports are. Now that we’re in Early Access, we’re excited to be a little more public with our plans! Over time the community’s feedback will guide our game towards being the best it can be!
Will Equinox feature holiday events/activities like other mmorpgs? What other kinds of activities might there be for players to experience?
From Craig Morrison, Studio Creative Director:
We’re setting up so that is definitely possible. What form and theme we might want to explore with that system remains to be seen, but seasonal content is an important part of any MMO. Our systems are set up so that it is as easy as possible for our developers to implement when the time comes.
I really loved the small bit of the soundtrack I was able to hear during the portion of the game I played. Can you tell me more about the game’s music and the inspiration behind it?
From Thomas Huttenlocher, Lead Composer:
From the outset, the musical and sonic vision for Equinox: Homecoming was guided by a desire to maintain a light, playful tone. Rather than relying on grandiose orchestral arrangements, the team opted for subtle electronic compositions—atmospheric, understated, and immersive. This approach was chosen deliberately to avoid overwhelming the player, instead offering semi-realistic ambiances and effects paired with laid-back musical themes and dreamy, yet memorable, melodies.
The interplay between contemporary electronic elements and organic acoustic textures has proven to be a compelling formula. We’re excited to continue evolving this musical language—one that blends engaging, melodic compositions with sound design that we, as players ourselves, would find immersive and satisfying.
Our audio team is made up of Thomas Huttenlocher (Lead Composer), Ossian Reynolds (Sound Designer), and Reuven Schlesinger (Audio Intern).
8. What’s the funniest glitch/bug you’ve encountered during development so far?
From Craig Morrison, Studio Creative Director:
Developing horseback riding usually means you are in for some animation weirdness at some stage! So there are often some funny glitches with people upside down on their horse or something, but for me my personal favorite was one morning when we started a new build, and every tree on the island was suddenly acting like they were picked up in a hurricane and flying around in big circles. It was quite the sight!
From Ashley Nicollette, Community Director:
One time I started a group race but my player character was invisible - all I could see was my horse! It’s a small thing, but it changed the entire feeling of the race for me: I felt like a wild stallion blazing through the wilds with all my cares thrown to the wind. It was one of those cases where the bug felt more like a hidden feature than an issue we should fix. I had a smile on my face for the rest of the day!
What does “indie” mean to you?
From Craig Morrison, Studio Creative Director:
I think for me it means the freedom to be pursuing the game you feel will make the most impact with the folks you want to entertain. You’re not bound to trends and making the same game as many other people because that is what is popular. It is the ability to take some calculated risks and work on a project you are passionate about.
We believe there has to be space out there for new and unique experiences that aren’t following a specified template. That is the indie spirit that is appealing to us.
Equinox: Homecoming is available right now in Early Access on Steam.