At Bisuala, we usually work side by side with game studios, helping them craft unforgettable motion design experiences. But earlier this year, we decided to take on a different challenge: producing our own game. We called it Naropa, an interactive, comic-book style story inspired by the award-winning Florence.

Today, we’re sharing openly why we’ve decided to put Naropa on hold, what we’ve learned so far, and why this experience makes us better partners for the studios we work with.

Project Naropa told the story of a woman, a successful executive feared by her employees. Her life changes when she discovers a mysterious book and an amulet. With them, she learns to control her dreams. At first these dreams feel like a playground. But they slowly transform into a darker and more obscure world, revealing secrets buried deep in her past.

We wanted to use Unity as the main platform to develop the game, ensuring flexibility and scalability as the project grew. Beyond its narrative, Naropa also carried a purpose: helping bring visibility to mental health issues. Our plan included partnering with a non-profit organization and receiving guidance from an expert in trauma and mental health from a renowned institution.

The vision was clear: to merge narrative, interactivity, and a strong visual identity into a unique emotional experience with a meaningful social impact.

You might be wondering why a motion design studio would produce its own game.

The answer is simple: empathy. As a studio owner I believe the better we understand the processes our clients go through, the better we can serve them. Creating our own game allows us to experience the same creative struggles, technical hurdles, and production challenges that game developers face every day.

For us, Naropa was not just a project. It was an exercise in growth and an opportunity to strengthen our services for the clients we work with.

Even though Naropa is on hold, the process already gave us valuable insights and tangible output.

• Concept Art by Mikel – His use of color and shape created a striking contrast between the lucid and dreamlike worlds.
• Unity Framework by Franc – He built the initial structure including the first menu and chapter based system, laying the foundation for future development.
• UI Design by Ani – An early prototype of the game interface that will evolve as the identity of Naropa becomes clearer.
• Script and Direction by Myself – Writing the narrative and keeping the project moving forward during its early stages.

The truth is that game development is never simple. It demands vision, time, dedication, and resources.

We had a strategy in place. But as Mike Tyson once said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”

In our case, two things happened at once:

1. We lost one of our main clients due to an unexpected passing.
2. Our grant application for Naropa was denied.

These events forced us to make a difficult decision: to pause production until we can secure new financing and prepare a playable demo.

This is not the end of Naropa. It is a pause. We believe in the project and will continue working toward a small demo to bring the concept to life.

In the meantime, we will keep sharing our journey. Every challenge teaches us something new and every step we take with Naropa makes us better partners for the studios we collaborate with.

Putting a game on hold is never easy. In the long run, the lessons we have gained from Naropa will ripple through everything we do at Bisuala. By living through the challenges of game production ourselves, we bring deeper understanding, sharper empathy, and better solutions to the developers we serve.

We will be back with updates. For now, Naropa waits, but not forever.