The first few weeks in the program were tough, even “intense,” says Vincent Will, and smiles. Sharon Sacks nods. Both seem at ease. Apparently, they saw this coming. This seems to be one of their strengths: staying self-aware and organized, even in the middle of a freshly started incubator program with a packed schedule.

The Games Lift Incubator 2025 started in September, the workshops are in full swing, and that means a challenge for every team. That many of the topics discussed are new for the participants is the point: it’s about building new skills. Sharon and Vincent soak up the contents “like a sponge”, they say. Especially helpful to them were the workshops on PR and marketing – after all, visibility is a challenge throughout the games industry. The biggest “positive surprise” to Vincent was the pitch workshop – it gave him a fresh perspective on a topic he found challenging in the past.

Colorful Schemes

A task where both Sharon and Vincent excel is finding original ideas and turning them into illustrative and compact games. They’ve cut their teeth on a handful of game jams and quickly found success. Several projects were awarded prizes or charted in top places. Taking on a bigger project seems like the logical next step.

The name of the project is “The Wrong Horse”, a detective adventure. It begins with a jockey dropping dead from the saddle of his racehorse. A journalist must solve the case. And doing so in the game should actually feel like detective work. Players explore the racecourse, interrogate shady characters and combine clues until they are ready to draw conclusions.

The game idea touches on various trends. The combination of clues has echoes of the successful “Golden Idol” series. But the totally different tone gives it a unique vibe. And the detective work is much more interactive, with colorful and curious characters loitering on the racetrack. The style could resonate with a more diverse and younger audience. In the interview, Sharon and Vincent talk about their love for mystery and crime fiction, including children’s classics. The two know their material and how to put their own spin on it: Sharon wants to distance herself from the glut of “dark noir and clichéd settings” with her colorful crime caper.

Quick Conclusions

There is a reason the crime thriller already looks beautifully ready to play in its first mockups. Sharon and Vincent each have seven years of experience in illustration. Both are completing their master's degree at the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences and have built up qualifications empowering them to develop their own games. Sharon is responsible for the art direction of the project but emphasizes the “cooperative” nature of the work in its current phase. And Vincent has “worked on a lot of coding” in the past few years.

The duo can cover a lot of ground, but Sharon and Vincent see a need for external help in terms of sound design, the potentially extensive voice work and numerous animations planned. Two external professionals have already agreed to help as needed. It is quite possible that the team will expand further.

But managing scope is important. “The Wrong Horse” is not building up to be an epic, but an entertaining adventure for one or two sittings. The goal is an atmospheric and well-rounded, but compact crime story.

Right now, a lot of the work is still conceptual, but the two are looking forward to testing the first puzzles soon. At the same time, they are developing their world and laying out story threads. Despite the calm demeanor, progress is quick. “The Wrong Horse” is aiming for a release in 2027.

You can follow their journey on Discord or Instagram