How Ayla Derrick Built a Game Studio from Scratch and Launched a Hit on Steam

1. From the Classroom to the Game Studio

Ayla didn’t plan to become a game developer. She just loved games. The cozy kind, the ones that let you unwind without pressure. It wasn’t until she stumbled into the Game Design Skills community that she realized she could take her skills as a teacher and apply them in a new way.

What started as a learning journey quickly evolved into something bigger. Ayla started teaching workshops, connecting with other juniors, and sharing what she learned as she went. She didn’t need to be a technical expert. She was already an expert in people.

2. Building a Studio on Values

Cave Bear Games wasn’t meant to be a studio. It started as a casual portfolio project with a few volunteers. But when a post on LinkedIn asking for a Unity dev picked up traction, Ayla saw the momentum and leaned into it.

From day one, she made sure the team had clear values: communication, education, and passion.

• Communication was about being open, setting clear expectations, and overcommunicating when needed

• Education was a given, with everyone learning and growing on the job

• Passion was what kept the team together. With no salaries, motivation came from belief in the project

These weren’t mission statement buzzwords. They were operational guidelines that shaped every decision.

3. Designing a Game that Fits into Real Life

Plantasia takes an unexpected approach. It lives on the bottom third of your screen so you can play while working or studying. It’s cozy, calm, and built to co-exist with your daily flow.

Some players didn’t get it at first. But the idea stuck. It’s different in the best way. Over 2,600 wishlists and hundreds of sales later, the feedback is strong and clear — players appreciate a game that respects their time.

4. Leading by Letting Others Shine

Ayla isn’t trying to control every detail. She trusts her team to bring their ideas forward. Whether it’s the solar punk art direction, ARPG-inspired features, or in-game animations, each team member had room to explore and create.

That freedom is part of why the project succeeded. People saw themselves in the game. They weren’t just filling roles, they were building something they believed in.

5. The Hard Lesson: Marketing Is Its Own Beast

One of Ayla’s biggest takeaways was how hard marketing really is. She thought she could do most of it herself. In reality, it became a massive source of stress.

She hired a community manager early on but brought in a marketing lead much later. Looking back, she says she’d reverse that. Marketing isn’t just promotion, it’s visibility, positioning, and making sure your work gets seen. It’s a full-time role, and she now knows how important it is to bring in the right people early.

6. What Happens When You Remove the Money Pressure

Unlike most indie projects, Cave Bear wasn’t built with funding in mind. Everyone joined knowing this wouldn’t make them rich. That mindset created freedom. It removed stress. It made the whole thing fun.

Revenue wasn’t the metric. Impact was. Connection was. And that clarity helped the team stay focused and grounded.

Final Thoughts

Ayla Derrick has done what many say is impossible. She built a team, created a game, and launched it on Steam without industry experience or funding. More importantly, she built a space where junior developers could grow, contribute, and be proud of their work.

Plantasia is live on Steam. The Cave Bear Discord is open to devs and players alike. And Ayla is just getting started.

If you're from another industry wondering if your skills could transfer into gaming — they absolutely can. Ayla’s story proves that what matters most isn’t where you came from. It’s how you lead, how you listen, and how you show up for your team.

Learn More about Cave Bear Games

Download Plantasia!