Young Kerala developers unveil ‘Thekku Island’, state’s first 3D horror game on Steam | WATCH TEASER
Kochi: A team of young developers from Kerala has unveiled Thekku Island, billed as the state’s first 3D horror game and also its first-ever title to be listed on Steam. Built using Unreal Engine 5, the game draws heavily from Kerala’s backwaters, folklore, culture, and atmospheric landscapes.
Created by the team at RedWills Interative, the project has been driven purely by passion, led by CEO and Game Director Ales Devs, Creative Director Ashwin Sunilkumar, Game Operationist Adithyan P S, Marketing Lead Ashwin P V, and Music Director Aadhi Gopakumar.
“We're super excited to finally share our project with you, Thekku Island, a horror game made in Unreal Engine 5. It's set in the backwaters of Kerala, inspired by our own culture, folklore, and atmosphere. What makes this really special for us is that it's also Kerala's first game to be featured on Steam. This has been a passion project from day one, and we can't wait for you to experience the island and its mysteries,” the team said in a statement, adding that more updates will follow.
Game Director Ales Devs said the idea evolved organically during their early development days. “During the initial development stage, we didn’t have much plans. We used to play a lot of console and PC games during childhood. However, no games have so far come from our place (Kerala). We are trying our best to bring a change here. The game is set in the 1980s, and the gameplay happens on an abandoned island,” he said.
Creative Director Aswin Sunilkumar said funding constraints posed a major hurdle. He noted that they couldn't find an investor for the project, but the team refused to compromise on the level of detailing in the game.
“One of the biggest challenges was to integrate Kerala’s rich culture, topics, and weather into the game,” he added. The developers confirmed that Thekku Island is now officially listed on Steam, marking a significant milestone for Kerala’s gaming community.