The triumph of Stardew Valley has given Chucklefish the resource to create a title which they hope could be just as popular with players, if not more so. Boasting a similar 2D aesthetic, Spellbound is described as a "wizard-school sim" and is a concept that has instant, universal appeal. "Who doesn't want to enroll in a magic school?" says Brice with a smile. The company's unique working environment was one of the key reasons the idea gathered enough momentum to become a fully-fledged project.
"Spellbound is an idea several people at Chucklefish had been kicking around for a long time," Brice continues. "Between projects every member of staff at Chucklefish is given the opportunity to pitch a game, and Spellbound was one of the big pitches. The team fell in love with the concept right away and here we are."
When you hear the phrase "wizard school", it's highly likely that the name Harry Potter flashes into your head like a magic spell, and Brice readily admits that the team was directly inspired by J.K. Rowling's iconic literary creation. "We're fans of Harry Potter, and after reading the series we were left longing to experience our own path through magical school life, where we could make our own best friends and develop our own identity in a magical world."
However, Brice explains that the game has been influenced by other key sources, too. "Spellbound is our exploration of that premise, but the magical world we're creating is very unlike Hogwarts. Magic in this world is very practical, taking inspiration from Terry Pratchett's Tiffany Aching series, Garth Nix's Old Kingdom Series, Studio Ghibli animations, and even the cartoon show Steven Universe at times." That's quite a mixture of inspirations, and should hopefully calm any fears people have of this being little more than Potter without the licence.
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