Solo developer behind Steam's hit new city-builder Manor Lords says he got his studio name from a Witcher 3 vs Mass Effect meme

Apr. 26, 2024

“Vodka and Slavic Magic”

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Manor Lords, the medieval city-builder that’s run rampant over Steam’s wishlist charts in recent weeks, was made by a single developer who named their studio after a Witcher 3 meme.

In an interview withUnreal, Manor Lords' single developer, Greg Styczeń, was asked the story behind their studio name, Slavic Magic. It’s a pretty simple tale - Styczeń says he was inspired by a Witcher 3 meme that suggested that the game was built off the back of “vodka and slavic magic.” According to Styczeń, “it really resonated with me as an indie dev from Poland with a small budget but huge passion.”

Nevertheless, Styczeń’s Witcher-fueled inspiration is far more wholesome than its source might suggest, and points to Poland’s growing impact on the global games industry; CD Projekt is certainly the headliner, but studios like Dying Light developer Techland also punch above their weight. As just one developer, Styczeń might not have quite the same reach as those games, but he’s evidence of the amazing grassroots and indie scenes that can spring up around major developers.

As as the hotly-anticipated city-builder hits Steam, check out ourManor Lords review.

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I’m GamesRadar’s news editor, working with the team to deliver breaking news from across the industry. I started my journalistic career while getting my degree in English Literature at the University of Warwick, where I also worked as Games Editor on the student newspaper, The Boar. Since then, I’ve run the news sections at PCGamesN and Kotaku UK, and also regularly contributed to PC Gamer. As you might be able to tell, PC is my platform of choice, so you can regularly find me playing League of Legends or Steam’s latest indie hit.

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