Founded in Montpellier ten years ago, the Wild Sheep development studio is finalizing a video game in 2024, designed for the whole family and inspired by nature in the Languedoc region in southern France. At the same time, it expanded its offering to include virtual reality.
There are as many plants as computer screens in the offices of video game creator Wild Sheep Studio, which for the past six years has been operating from a large house with a garden on Avenue de Saint-Maur, near the tramway and the Corum in downtown Montpellier. Leading the studio is a trio comprising CEO Céline Tellier, who is also artistic director, Steven ter Heide as creative director and manager, and Fabien Delpiano as technical director. “Between the three of us, we are the three main components of a video game company,” smiles Céline, who co-founded the studio ten years ago with four other Ubisoft alumni. Like many, the studio has suffered the ups and downs of the video game market in 2023, but continues to work hard, even with its reduced team, innovating and developing a new immersive game aimed at the whole family. “As an amazing medium, video games must offer positive content. Our game highlights the nature surrounding Montpellier, with realistic settings inspired by the Pic Saint-Loup mountain (photo), Cévennes back-country, and Camargue marshlands.” At the same time, Wild Sheep is working with another studio to develop a virtual reality project. “I was amazed by my team, who added VR as a new string to their bow,” says Céline. The company has also made the most of its 600 m² premises by hosting the CCI player Pastagames, headed by Fabien Delpiano, as well as an energy transition startup, LookUp Géoscience, headed by Sébastien Lacaze, whose activities are different but whose values are closely aligned.
To help raise awareness about careers in the video game industry, Céline Tellier and her team participate in school juries and industry events such as Iconic, organized by Montpellier Métropole to promote careers and opportunities in the cultural and creative industries. “I would like to see more women interested in these fields. Women account for a third of our company’s staff.”