At GDC 2026, Room 3005, West Hall. Talk starts at 10:30.
Building a Critically Acclaimed Licensed Game in 18 Months
Presented by Amanda Farough

You don't need to be a huge studio or have a big budget to make a great licensed game. Strange Scaffold Executive Producer, Amanda Farough, will break down the challenges and celebrations of creating a unique take on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. This talk will demonstrate how the pillars of psychological safety, developer-first production, creativity within constraints, and holistic process development resulted in a critically acclaimed PC and console title made with part-time developers and a modest budget. If you've been curious about how you can work with a dream IP while retaining the creative identity of both the project and your studio, let Amanda walk you through Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown's 18-month development cycle.

Notes:

• This is not a silver bullet for how to work with all licensors, every IP is different
• This is not about how to acquire a deal to work on an IP
• This is not a financial breakdown of how the project went
• Takeaways:
  • Licensing is more accessible than you think
  • Development strategies
  • Production strategy
  • How to retain creative identity while respecting IP
  • You can do this too!
• Licensing was suggested by Doug Rosen, who offered the licensing. Was looking for a prototype that might work with a title up for licensing. This is an unusual arrangement.
• Paramount funded most of the game
• Strange Scaffold use a person-first production strategy.
• Working on a license required more rigorous processes
• One challenge was that there was not enough developers for the IP.
• 10 people was not enough, team size doubled.
• Used a buddy system
  • Cross discipline developers thrived
  • Buddies could cover for each other
  • Everyone has someone to work with
  • Communication improved
• Had a lot of trouble with time management because most people are part time
• Trauma and lack of psychological safety around missing deadlines or asking for more resoueces and being denied
• Had a painful falling out with a dev, which was a production failure.
• Having constraints are important
• Working with existing technology allowed immediate production but tech debt was underestimated.
• Didn't have to find what would make the game fun, because the prototype already had it.
• Limited timeline and budget
• even though 18mo to make the game was longer than usual, it was still tight for a licensed game
• Bigger budget, but had problems with scope creep.
• tight scope led to immense creativity
• Production differences between paramount and strange scaffold took some time to figure out.
• Important to document all approvals, especially for new employees.
• Build relationships with your licensing team
• Once you trust each other, you'll be able to collaborate.
• Limited marketing and support, still had to do marketing. Got a few good opportunities through licensing partner.
• Needed to accomodate time for the approval process
• (I am having a hard time following this talk, it doesnt seem very focused)
• (I think this talk is mostly a a sharing of the experience than it is a sharing of learned lessons)
• TMNT fans saw the game as a cash grab at first
• Had difficulty portraying the game in the trailer
• Hard to get people to start playing the game
• Strange Scaffold fans were also confused that there was a licensed work in the portfolio now
• Game was not easily recognized as a Strange Scaffold game
• Productiom changes:
  • Sandbox: give people boundaries and let them make what they think is good
  • Create psychological safety
  • Provide guardrails
  • Devs deserve having autonomy, a defined purpose, and ability to build towards mastery. People do their best work this way
  • Let the devs assume responsibility over different parts of the game
  • Let devs tell producer what to do
  • Buddy system worked really well, devs no longer create in a vaccuum, on their own.
  • If someone got sick, injured, or had to leave, someone could cover for them. It was less risky.
• Lack of Paramount marketing hurt a lot
• Only had three part time marketing employees
• License is not enough, you need marketing too.
• Should have asked for paramount marketing muscle.
• rapid fire lessons for your licensed games:
  • Approach licensors with portfolio analysis. Hoe can you fill a gap in their portfolio? what problem can you solve for them?
  • Negotiate a deal that works for you amd your studio. Get a lawyer. Do not negotiate on your own. Make sure you get enough money so studio doesnt sink.
  • Define approval pipelines in the deal, or build them during kickoff and get it in writing and signed off on. manage expectations.
  • Build a partnership with your licensing partner. Don't be scared to ask for what you need. Don't be scared to say no. Don't hide the hard stuff. Transparency is what builds trust.
  • Account for the approval process in your production timelines. Pad your timelines by 20%. Document approvals. Prepare devs for increased scrutiny from licensor and fans.
  • Even with a great license, success is not guaranteed. Licensed games also have baggage, communicate what it is or isnt.