And the Dutch Game Award Goes too: Grunn
Utrecht-based game developer Van den Boogaart has struck gold wiht grunn, his first major game project, recently recognized with a Dutch Game Award. While residing in Utrecht,the inspiration for Grunn stems from the northern Dutch village of Middelstum,where his father moved into the former rectory house in 2021.
Van den Boogaart found the village’s quiet atmosphere and darkness especially stimulating. Frequent visits, often spent gardening and exploring, fueled his creative process. He notes the village’s unique character and beauty as key influences. Players familiar with Middelstum will recognize landmarks within the game, including the St. Hippolytus Church, the rectory itself, and the local gas station – though Van den Boogaart admits to taking some creative liberties with their placement, ensuring all elements of the village are represented in a fantastical form.
Prior to Grunn, Van den Boogaart spent over ten years in the games industry as part of the Sokpop collective. The group previously released smaller games on a monthly subscription basis, a practice they discontinued a few years ago, paving the way for Van den Boogaart to dedicate himself to Grunn.
Currently available on PC, Van den Boogaart hopes to expand Grunn’s reach to other platforms in the future. The game has already garnered international attention, with players worldwide enjoying the virtual gardening experience set in a digital Groningen. While the majority of sales are in America, Grunn has also been localized for audiences in Spain, Japan, and china.
Despite considering a dedicated Groningen translation, Van den Boogaart acknowledges the potential limitations in audience size and translation costs, suggesting the game will likely remain primarily in Dutch.
Looking ahead, Van den boogaart is already at work on new projects, including a game set on the island of Schiermonnikoog, a location he personally enjoys visiting. He anticipates this next endeavor will require meaningful progress time.
