“SHROT” is coming! A raw, uncensored retro shooter, with a €1.14M production budget!
As the first company in the PISMO Incubator, we’re kicking off development of our own project – SHROT, an old-school retro shooter (aka a boomer shooter). SHROT doesn’t try to reinvent the genre. There are no political messages, no unnecessary fluff, and no “woke” content. The message is simple:“Come home from work, fire up the game, blast some aliens, and unwind.” From B2B Studio to Original Production Known as a B2B game development studio with over a hundred delivered projects for clients worldwide, ANIQ is now stepping into its own production. When I started this company, I believed working with clients was great—safe money, as they say. But after a while, you start to feel like you’re holding your own team back from reaching its full potential. You’ve got top-tier talent, but you’re constantly working within someone else’s vision. That’s when we started exploring the market and discovered a real demand for a project like this. Dominik Cvetkovski, the studio’s director and producer Blogger Krule Lends His Voice to the Main Character The game’s protagonist is a truck driver in a dystopian, futuristic America – and none other than Blogger Krule, a well-known figure on the Croatian internet scene, is lending his voice to the role. He’ll not only narrate the main character but also contribute as a writer, adding an extra layer of authenticity and local flavor to the game. When ANIQ reached out about voicing a game character, my first thought was that this had to be a prank from CASA (Croatian Association of Slackers and Layabouts). But after a phone call, I came to two conclusions. First – this wasn’t a prank. Second – now what? Now, besides being a gamer myself, I’ll actually be part of one. Is the feeling weird? – It is. I can’t even imagine how it’ll feel when SHROT drops and I hear my own voice coming from the screen. Best of all, I’m surrounded by young people full of rare skills and knowledge – and there’s a lot to learn from them. Bloger Krule, voice actor and story writter “SHROT” (slang. Junk) A Game With a Trashy Name, but Definitely Not Trashy Ambitions When we tell someone we’re working on a game called SHROT, their first reaction is usually a laugh. But once they see the gameplay and visuals, their eyebrows go up because SHROT isn’t trash. It’s an FPS with a name you won’t forget. To clear things up, SHROT is actually an acronym: Shoot, Hit, Reload, Overkill, Terminate. Straight to the point. Inspired by genre classics like DOOM, L4D2, Wolfenstein, Duke Nukem, and most of all, the Croatian cult hit Serious Sam, SHROT doesn’t try to “reinvent the wheel.” The goal?Start the game, blast through a linear story, enter the arenas, and wipe out waves of alien monsters. No politics, no sugar-coating, no “woke” messaging, just raw gameplay, unfiltered humor, and explosive action. You won’t know the main character’s sexual orientation or political views—because who cares? The goal is to come home from work, fire up the game, kill some aliens, and chill out. Dominik Cvetkovski Designed as a trilogy, future installments will stick to the same no-nonsense formula. A big part of the strategy is community involvement:Via the official Discord server and social media, players will be invited to join the dev journey—suggesting names for characters and enemies, sharing feedback on weapons and mechanics, and participating in testing. Developer blogs are planned every two weeks, alongside regular drops of visuals and teaser content. We don’t just want an audience. We want a community. SHROT isn’t just our game. We want it to be yours too! ANIQ team The game’s Art Director is Igor Puškarić, one of only 20 global Sketchfab Masters and a widely respected digital content artist. Creatively, working on SHROT has been one of the most liberating experiences in my career. Most of my success and public recognition in the design world came from personal projects built under conditions of artistic freedom. Now, with the ANIQ team, I’ve been given the opportunity—and the support—to take that spirit to a whole new, even more professional level. Igor Puškarić, Art director What Do the Investors Think and Who Are They? Instead of turning to institutional funds or big-name publishers, ANIQ deliberately chose a different path, partnering with a network of private investors. Today, that group includes around twenty individuals, mostly former clients and partners of the studio. One of them is Kristijan Škarica, a leading startup mentor and business developer with extensive experience in managing tech projects. He saw the potential in SHROT early on. When Can We Play SHROT? SHROT is coming to PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox, with the dev team also eyeing the Switch 2 development kit, which could open the door to one more platform. The core team includes 14 in-house developers and external collaborators, with all animations created using motion capture technology, thanks to the PISMO incubator powered by A1. The game will feature minimal cutscenes to keep the action fast, fluid, and uninterrupted. The expected release window is Q2 2026, and everything points to SHROT being loud, unapologetic, and refreshingly different, a title straight from the heart of Croatia’s indie dev scene, made with attitude and craft by a team that knows exactly what it’s doing.
ANIQ & Games Croatia at Meet & Build Gaming Conference in Belgium!
ANIQ Celebrates CEEGA 2024
This past weekend, the Central & Eastern European Game Awards (CEEGA) gathered the best game developers from the region to celebrate innovation, artistry, and technological advancements in gaming. The event, held on October 26th, brought together industry professionals, creatives, and fans at a highly anticipated ceremony showcasing the region’s best talents across various categories. The event, which was streamed live, can still be watched on YouTube here. Croatia stood out this year with significant nominations, led by Croteam’s The Talos Principle 2 and ANIQ’s Swing By. The Talos Principle 2, a philosophical science-fiction puzzle game by renowned Croatian studio Croteam, dominated the nominations, securing spots in categories such as Best Game, Visual Art, Design, Technology, Audio, and Narrative. ANIQ, representing Croatia in the mobile game category, was proud to see its latest project, Swing By, nominated for Best Mobile Game, alongside the top contenders in the mobile gaming sector. The highlight of the evening came with The Talos Principle 2 winning the Best Game award a crowning achievement of the night and a win in the Design category. ANIQ’s Swing By was one of the four finalists in the highly competitive Best Mobile Game category, and we are incredibly proud to announce that the award came down to a single vote between Swing By and Raccoon Mania. This close outcome is a testament to the immense support and recognition Swing By has received for its innovative approach to mobile gaming, placing us alongside the region’s finest in game development. A special new segment at CEEGA 2024 was the “Code the Rights” awards, organized in partnership with Amnesty International. This category celebrated games that champion social justice and human rights. The award for Best Game in this category went to Baldur’s Gate 3, with a Special Award given to This War of Mine, a game that has consistently highlighted the hardships of war on civilians and impacted players with its humanitarian narrative. CEEGA 2024 once again demonstrated the creative potential and international appeal of Central and Eastern European developers, bringing visibility to the games and stories from this culturally rich and diverse region. ANIQ extends congratulations to all nominees and winners, especially Croteam, whose achievements highlights Croatia’s growing game development community and inspire developers across the country. As ANIQ, we are proud to have contributed to Croatia’s success on this international stage with Swing By and are excited to continue pushing the boundaries of gaming.
We were at the Game Changer conference
On Thursday, October 10th, the Game Changer conference took place in Zagreb, gathering leading experts from the video game industry. The conference featured representatives from various companies, developers, and content creators who shared their insights on current trends and the industry’s future. Our CEO, Dominik Cvetkovski, and writer Domagoj Crnković participated in two panels, discussing key topics related to marketing and gamification in video games and education. We were honored to participate in such a prestigious conference, where prominent figures from the Croatian gaming industry, such as Andrej Levenski, Mario Čelan, Darijan Kosić, and many others were present. Dominik Cvetkovski participated in the panel MARKETING ELEMENTS IN VIDEO GAMES: DEVELOPER PERSPECTIVES AND MODELS, alongside Ilija Petrušić (Lion Game Lion), Ante Medić (Infinity Games), and Igor Belan (HCL.hr). The discussion focused on monetization models, in-game advertising, and balancing commercial interests with the quality of the player experience. Cvetkovski shared experiences from developing the game Haystack Chronicles, designed for neurodivergent players, highlighting the importance of adjusting marketing elements to preserve the authenticity of the player experience. On another panel, titled GAMIFICATION PRINCIPLES TRANSFORMING EDUCATION AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT, Domagoj Crnković discussed how video games can connect different age groups and serve as a tool for developing cognitive and social skills. Alongside Tonka Delić (Stemi), Ivan Tadić (Fantastic Esports), and Filip Šoć (Adria Esports Federation), the panel explored the potential of gamification and esports in education and how new technologies such as VR, AR, and blockchain can enhance educational methods. This event provided an opportunity for knowledge exchange and fostered new partnerships that will contribute to further growth and strengthening of the regional gaming scene.