Coral Reefs as Playable Worlds: Tharaldsen Speaks at NG26
Nordic Game is very happy to welcome Jørgen Tharaldsen, Founder and CEO of Megapop Games, to the speaker roster for NG26 Spring.
With over 30 years in the games industry as a designer, marketing lead, game director, writer, and advocate, Tharaldsen has shaped hits across studios including Megapop, Funcom, and Artplant, as well as organisations like Norwegian industry body Virke.
At NG26 he’ll share Megapop’s visionary approach in the main theatre session “Building With Nature: From Coral Reefs to Playable Worlds”.
“What happens when nature isn’t just your setting, but your design philosophy?” Tharaldsen asks. “In Life Below, players don’t build cities or armies, they build coral reefs. The game grew out of a simple idea: what if we treated nature not as scenery, but as a living system worth understanding?”
Life Below
Life Below, Megapop’s upcoming reef-builder, flips the city-building genre underwater. Players dive beneath the waves to shape thriving coral reefs, revive collapsing ecosystems, and grow vibrant seascapes in a heartfelt narrative penned by award-winning writer Rhianna Pratchett. Advised by marine biologists with authentic underwater audio, it features realistic challenges like pH balance, oil spills, algae blooms, and lionfish infestations. Lure over 40 species, from coral crabs to hammerhead sharks, using their natural abilities, and adapt strategically across shifting ocean zones to restore balance as the ocean’s guardian, Thalassa.
Secure your NG26 pass now at nordicgame.com before prices rise in March!
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