Nebula Drifter
Open-space survival · Unreal Engine 5 · PC & Xbox, 2024
Game Development Studio · London
We build worlds worth getting lost in.
Vemaruxilo is an Islington-based studio shipping cross-platform games — from Unreal and Unity prototypes to polished console and PC releases. Gameplay, engineering, and art under one roof.
+44 20 7254 87xx·15A Camden Passage, Islington, London N1 8EA
A note from the founder
Small team, deep craft, no shortcuts.
I started Vemaruxilo in a shared workspace off Camden Passage in 2016 after a decade shipping AAA titles. I was tired of games designed by committee, so I built a studio where designers, engineers, and artists sit at the same table and argue about fun until we get it right.
We stay deliberately small — eleven people — so every person on a project actually owns their part of it. We prototype fast, playtest weekly with real players from the London indie scene, and we never ship a mechanic we would not want to play ourselves on a Sunday afternoon.
Whether you are an indie with a single sharp idea or a publisher who needs a co-development partner, we treat your world as if it were our own. That is the whole pitch.
MEMarcus ElleryFounder & Creative Director
24
Titles shipped
9
Years in Islington
4
Platforms supported
11
People on the team
Selected worlds
A few of the places we have built.
Scroll through recent projects spanning atmospheric exploration, tactical combat, and hand-crafted narrative adventures.
Hollow Signal
First-person mystery · Unity · Steam, 2023
Tideglass
Isometric tactics · custom engine · PC & Switch, 2023
Paper Constellation
Narrative puzzle · Unity · Mobile & Steam, 2022
Capabilities
What we bring to each engagement.
Every project is scoped to fit its stage. Here is how our production tiers compare across the work that matters.
Prototype
Full Production
Co-Development
| Capability | Prototype | Full Production | Co-Development |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gameplay & systems design | Core loop | Full systems | Embedded team |
| Engine (Unreal 5 / Unity 6) | Vertical slice | Shippable build | Multi-team pipeline |
| Art direction & 3D assets | Style frames | Full asset set | Scalable art bible |
| Playtesting & telemetry | 2 sessions | Weekly cycles | Live analytics |
| Console certification (Sony / Xbox / Nintendo) | — | Included | Managed end-to-end |
| Live-ops & post-launch support | — | 3 months | Ongoing retainer |
Reviews
What partners say after shipping.
Ratings from studios, publishers, and solo developers we have worked with since 2019.
4.8
based on 63 project reviews
Rating breakdown
5
52
4
8
3
2
2
1
1
0
"They took our rough combat prototype and turned it into the sharpest tactical loop in our catalogue. Nebula Drifter hit 92% positive on Steam in its first week — the pacing work Vemaruxilo did was the difference."
Priya S.
Publisher, Manchester · March 2024
"As a one-person team I needed a co-dev partner who would not flatten my vision. They prototyped my puzzle mechanic in ten days and were brutally honest about what was not fun. Exactly what I needed."
Daniel O.
Solo developer, Bristol · November 2023
"Their console certification support saved us months. Tideglass passed Nintendo lot check on the first submission, which almost never happens. Clear communication the whole way through."
Freya M.
Studio lead, Edinburgh · July 2023
"Weekly playtests with real players changed how we build. The telemetry dashboards they set up meant we made decisions with data instead of opinions. Genuinely a joy to work alongside."
Tomasz K.
Creative director, London · February 2023
Pricing
Transparent engagement tiers.
Prices are indicative starting points in GBP. Every project gets a fixed quote after a free scoping call — no surprises mid-production.
Monthly retainerPer projectBest value
Prototype Sprint
A focused 4–6 week vertical slice to prove your core idea is fun.
£6,500/mo
- Core loop & one signature mechanic
- Playable vertical slice
- Two moderated playtest sessions
- Style frames & art direction
- End-of-sprint recommendations deck
Best value
Full Production
End-to-end development from greenlight to a shippable, certified build.
£18,000/mo
- Complete systems & content design
- Shippable PC + one console build
- Weekly playtest & telemetry cycles
- Console certification included
- 3 months post-launch support
- Dedicated producer
Co-Development
An embedded slice of our team plugging into your existing pipeline.
£32,000/mo
- Embedded engineers & designers
- Multi-team production pipeline
- Scalable art bible & tooling
- Live-ops & analytics retainer
- Managed multi-platform certification
- Priority roadmap planning
Pricing questions
Absolutely — roughly a third of our projects are solo or two-person teams. The Prototype Sprint exists specifically to help you validate an idea before committing a bigger budget. We will tell you honestly if we think a mechanic is not working, which usually saves you money.
We spend 45 minutes understanding your vision, target platforms, timeline, and budget. You leave with a written summary and a fixed-price proposal within three working days. There is no obligation and we do not chase you afterwards.
You do — fully. All game IP, source code, and assets we produce are assigned to you on final payment. We keep only the right to reference the finished work in our portfolio unless you ask us not to.
Yes, we do this often. We start with a paid two-week code and design audit so we understand the state of the build before quoting. From there we can either finish it or rebuild the parts that are holding it back.
Contact
Tell us about your game.
Drop us a line about your project and we will get back within one working day to arrange a free scoping call. Our studio is a two-minute walk from Angel station.
- Phone
- +44 20 7254 87xx
- [email protected]
- Studio
- 15A Camden Passage, Islington, London N1 8EA
- Studio hours
- Mon–Fri, 9:30am – 6:00pm GMT