Steer Studios on the making of Grunt Rush
"There were a few features we loved but had to gently tuck back into the idea vault."
Grunt Rush is a new hybrid-casual arcade and strategy mobile game developed by Steer Studios in Saudi Arabia. We spoke to the company's CEO Yannick Theler and associate producer Abhinav Srivastav, to discuss the making of their first game.
IsaKaba: What initial spark led to the creation of Grunt Rush?
Yannick: The initial spark actually came from an internal game pitching competition we hold, where employees were able to brainstorm future project ideas. This particular pitch was part of the training program for our first cohort of Saudi developers, and as part of the process, the team conducted market research and analysed various audience segments.
We strive to set aside personal preferences in order to build games that resonate with our players, and that market research was key to unlocking an idea that we were both passionate about and felt would be of interest to our target audience.
Were there any moments where you felt the game might not come together? How did you push through?
Abhinav: There were moments it felt like we were building a plane in mid-flight, only without the manual and someone insisting, ‘Trust the process!’ But honestly, that chaos was part of the magic. People started joining the team one by one, each bringing their own spark, their own quirks, and suddenly it wasn’t just a game we were building, it was momentum.
Every day the vision got clearer, and the vibe got stronger. We didn’t have any cheat codes or shortcuts, we just kept showing up and leveling up together. And in the end, it came together not because everything was perfect, but because everyone believed it could.
Can you share a funny or memorable moment from the development process?
Abhinav: Game development is basically controlled chaos with good snacks. Each day had something hilarious pop up, but one that really stuck was when our boat’s axis swapped - suddenly it wasn’t sailing, it was leaping through the air like a dolphin on a mission.
We were all like, 'Well, that’s… majestic? Definitely not seaworthy, but majestic.' Then there was the time an explosion effect bugged out and started scaling exponentially, each blast got bigger and bigger until the entire screen was just light, like we accidentally summoned a small sun.
It was technically a blocker... but emotionally, it was a masterpiece. Moments like that made the grind fun, it’s impossible to take yourself too seriously when your game's having a meltdown in the most beautiful way possible.
Were there any features or mechanics that didn’t make the final cut? If so, why?
Abhinav: There were a few features we loved but had to gently tuck back into the idea vault. Not because they weren’t fun, but because good things take time… and occasionally, our codebase said ‘not today.’ But here’s the fun part: they’re not gone, just waiting for their moment.
We’ve got some juicy mechanics still in the bag that we can’t wait to roll out soon. So if you thought the launch was cool... just wait. Stay tuned, because we’re definitely not done playing.
How does this game fit into Steer Studio’s long-term vision?
Yannick: Steer’s long-term vision in the simplest terms is to create groundbreaking game experiences for players from around the world. Grunt Rush represents a step in this direction, with the development process offering our workforce, which consists of a diverse mix of experience, invaluable learnings on what goes into creating a game.
The team is also continuing to learn post-launch as we prepare new content and consider ways to continue to engage our player base.
What do you think makes your game stand out, and what part of the experience do you most want players to enjoy?
Yannick: The ability to play Grunt Rush offline is a particular standout feature, allowing players to enjoy the game anywhere. Also, the range of environments players experience by progressing through the game is visually striking whilst also influencing the gameplay, encouraging players to adapt their tactics around the terrain and general level layout.
I hope players are enjoying Grunt Rush’s accessibility and the increasing difficulty as you go further and further into the game, alongside the range of items and upgrades available to arm players towards victory!
Grunt Rush is available on the Play Store and App Store.
