The French studio The Game Bakers, known for titles such as Furi and Haven, is working on their next game, Cairn, a realistic climbing simulation slated for release in 2025. The game offers an intuitive experience where players control all four limbs of Aava, the main character, to explore different climbing routes and face challenges of balance, effort, and posture. Recently, the studio participated in gamescom, showcasing the game to the public for the first time outside of internal playtests.

In an interview, Lauranne Cauduro, one of the project leads, spoke about their participation in gamescom: "This was the first time we put Cairn into players' hands outside of playtests. So far, we felt the game was really special in testing, but it’s never the same as actually seeing players interact with it. Gamescom was the opportunity to see players enjoy Cairn, and it was thrilling to watch them click with the game, laugh when they fell, and immediately understand the direction we're taking. In that sense, we absolutely met our goal!"

Cauduro also highlighted how the development team managed to create climbing mechanics that are both realistic and accessible: "In Cairn, you can climb anything, and whether or not you're successful depends on how you balance and manage your effort and resources. You control all four limbs, so you truly feel Aava's struggles and decide the best approach for the wall you're climbing. But you do this using only two main inputs, which allows you to focus on the climb and route rather than complicated controls."

One of the main challenges during development was balancing immersive simulation with player experience. According to Cauduro, "The biggest challenge is balancing immersion with player experience. Cairn's UI is minimalistic and disappears entirely during climbs to give players as much immersion as possible. This means there's no stamina bar, and information on how you're doing is contextual. Most players pick it up quickly, especially when they start noticing Aava’s breathing or trembling to indicate their effort level."

In addition to interacting with the public, the studio achieved another significant milestone at gamescom. "The main milestone was putting Cairn in players' hands! But we’re not too humble to mention that we received the Best Game at Indie Arena Booth Award, which has been a great boost to keep pushing forward with development."

For Cauduro, events like gamescom are essential for the gaming industry, especially for indie developers. She spoke about the importance of such moments: "gamescom is a very rare occasion for indie devs to come together. We were at the Indie Arena Booth, and it can only be described as a community-building experience with other developers. It can feel lonely working in your corner, and these kinds of gatherings to share experiences and advice are incredibly valuable."