Zachtronics
Zachtronics business and news from across the web.
Latest coverage
The Sunday Papers
This roundup of videogame criticism covers various topics including the evolution of the shooter genre, the challenges of publishing games with sexual content on Steam, and the impact of capitalist technoculture on digital media. It also touches on genre marketing, the rise of 'search action' games, and player communities in titles like No Man's Sky.
There's one game Don't Nod narrative designer Nina Freeman won't ever uninstall from her PC, because it's banned on Steam: 'It's tragic, because everyone should play this game'
Narrative designer Nina Freeman discusses her PC gaming habits, highlighting Devotion as a game she will never uninstall due to its quality and controversial Steam ban. She also shares her most played game, Dota 2, and her appreciation for complex branching narratives in titles like Scarlet Hollow.
"They were totally game to play ball": how Zachtronics almost made a Star Trek engineering sim
Former Zachtronics founder Zach Barth discusses an abandoned pitch for a Star Trek engineering simulation game, which was considered after a Warhammer 40,000 pitch fell through. Licensing issues with Star Trek and The Orville, along with creative control concerns, ultimately led Barth and his colleagues to develop their own original puzzle game, U.V.S. Nirmana.
Engineering puzzle game U.V.S. Nirmana arrives from the Zachtronics team at Coincidence
The Zachtronics team, under the Coincidence name, has released a new engineering puzzle game titled U.V.S. Nirmana, with Klei Entertainment handling publishing. The game features thirty puzzles focused on designing pipe networks and managing energy flows. It is available on PC with Linux support.
150+ game devs promote “Fake OS” Steam tag for InterfaceX26 Steam Sale & Showcase
Over 150 game developers and publishers are collaborating on InterfaceX26, a week-long Steam sale and livestream event from April 27 to May 4. The initiative aims to establish "Fake OS" as an official Steam tag for games that simulate operating systems or digital interfaces. Players can support the campaign by tagging relevant games on Steam.
Opus Magnum Player Shows Off Their Ultimate Puzzle Creation
A player named LordHayati shared their favorite intricate puzzle creation from the Zachtronics game Opus Magnum on Reddit. The article highlights the game's appeal as a creative playground for mechanical engineering and problem-solving, noting its enduring community despite being released in 2017.
Opus Magnum: Complete Edition launch trailer – open-ended puzzle game hits Nintendo Switch
Opus Magnum: Complete Edition, an open-ended puzzle game from Zachtronics, has launched on the Nintendo Switch. The release includes the new De Re Metallica expansion and is accompanied by a launch trailer.
Beloved Machine-Building Puzzler 'Opus Magnum' Finally Arrives On Switch
The acclaimed machine-building puzzle game Opus Magnum has been released on the Nintendo Switch as a 'Complete Edition'. This version includes the base game, originally launched on PC in 2017, and the De Re Metallica prequel DLC. The game tasks players with designing intricate alchemy machines to fulfill various requests.
