A new video game that invites players to create a “tiny Scottish fishing town” has been announced, with the project described as “a personal tribute to Scotland’s coastal communities”. The game takes inspiration from real-life settlements such as Tobermory, Peterhead, and Fraserburgh.
Development and funding
Tiny Fishing Villages is an upcoming “cosy builder” currently in development by Glasgow-based Ludus Pax Studios. The project has been awarded Crowdfunding UK Matchfunding from Creative Scotland, with donations from the public matched by the Scottish development body for the arts and creative industries.
The game is a gentle village-building experience that sees players begin with a small collection of buildings and a tiny fishing fleet. They can then grow their settlement through various actions, such as sending out boats, gathering resources, and expanding their harbour.
Gameplay and modes
At the heart of the experience is fishing, with players managing a fleet, repairing boats, and importing goods as they shape the island of their dreams. Tiny Fishing Villages will feature both a ‘campaign mode’ and a ‘sandbox mode’, with the former featuring missions rooted in local heritage and inspired by real communities such as Peterhead and Fraserburgh.
According to Ludus Pax Studios, the upcoming game will support organisations that work with local fishing communities “regardless of funding outcomes”. The studio has also revealed that a “percentage of sales” of Tiny Fishing Villages will be donated to a suitable charity.
Creator’s vision
Ludus Pax Studios was created in November 2023 by solo indie game developer Silviu Soare, who graduated from the University of the West of Scotland in 2024 with a first-class degree in Computer Games Development. Soare has previously released three commercial games: Rise of the Village Hero, Path to Serenity, and Tiny Terra Spaces.
Speaking to the Daily Record, Soare described Tiny Fishing Villages as an attempt to bring wider attention to Scotland’s fishing towns and villages. The developer said that he aims to showcase the hard work and danger that fishermen experience in their day-to-day lives.
Soare commented: “I specialise in making more than just games, and with Tiny Fishing Villages I wanted to turn my attention towards Scotland’s smaller coastal communities and fishing heritage.
“Fishing is such an important part of Scotland’s history and identity, but it is also an incredibly demanding way of life. We all benefit from the work of fishing communities—my own family certainly enjoys fish regularly—but I think it is easy to forget how much work, risk and uncertainty can sit behind something as simple as the food on our plates.
“I wanted to create a game that brings some attention to these communities and celebrates the people, places and heritage connected to Scotland’s fishing industry. My hope is that the game can be more than just a commercial product and become a way of sharing and exploring that heritage.”
Future plans and release
Soare revealed that he hopes to improve and expand the scope of Tiny Fishing Villages in the future by working alongside Scottish universities and visiting fishing villages across Scotland. The developer also stated that he hopes to collaborate with schools in these communities.
He added: “I have some ambitious plans for the project. I would like to collaborate with a university on areas such as heritage and architectural accuracy, and eventually introduce Gaelic as a fully supported language. I also hope to visit fishing communities and schools, allowing pupils to play the developing game, provide feedback on how their communities are represented, and offer career talks about game development and the different skills involved in creating games.
“Regardless of funding outcomes, I also want the finished project to support organisations working with fishing communities, their livelihoods and education. I intend to donate a percentage of sales from Steam, itch.io and Humble Store to a suitable charity or organisation, in a similar way to how my previous game, Path to Serenity, proudly supports SAMH.
“There is a lot I want to achieve with Tiny Fishing Villages, but at its heart I simply want to create something that celebrates Scotland’s fishing communities and helps more people appreciate their heritage, culture and way of life.”
Tiny Fishing Villages is set to be released for PC on gaming platforms such as Steam and itch.io. More information about Tiny Fishing Villages can be found on the video game’s Crowdfunder page.
