Video Game Designer Sebastian Sommer Talks About His Upcoming Projects

Sebastian Sommer is now working in video game development. After years of making short films and then selling his feature length debut Dragon, Sommer has made his pivot into the
gaming world. We spoke with him about his upcoming projects.

How did you choose the visual style for Eclipse Town?

I decided to use film photographs as the backgrounds in Eclipse Town because I wanted the game to feel grounded in something tangible and real. There’s a certain weight that comes with film photography, it has grain, aesthetic imperfections, the sense of time embedded in every frame. I like the idea of using environments that already exist in some form before the game itself does, as if the world was already alive long before the player arrived. It creates a nice tension between reality and fiction, where the game feels less like a constructed space and more like something you’ve stumbled into. That approach gives Eclipse Town a kind of time capsule quality, as though you’re exploring memories inside of locations. It also aligns with the tone of the game.

You also decided to make a second video game?

Yes, I’m planning to release two games that feel connected, hopefully within the same year. The first is Eclipse Town, which centers on visiting a mysterious town and slowly uncovering its mood and secrets. The second game is called Underwater Chernobyl. While they aren’t directly sequels, they exist in the same creative universe and share a similar atmosphere and visual language. I like the idea of making projects that talk to each other thematically, almost like companion pieces. Both games explore isolation, abandoned places, and the strangeness that exists in decaying industrial spaces.

You’re also working on a Christmas album. What inspired that?

I want to make a Christmas album one day. It’s something that I have been thinking about. This idea came from wanting to make something sincere and melodic without irony. I would like to try making music one day in the future. I am interested in capturing my version of Christmas. Whether or not it turns into a good album, that’s a different story, but I can promise that it will be interesting.

Have you been playing any games to get inspired?

I recently played No More Heroes and have been heavily inspired by Grasshopper Manufacture. Goichi Suda is a legend. His games feel fearless and personal, and they don’t worry about fitting into trends. It would be fun to make something fully 3D generated in that way someday, and I’m definitely planning to explore that style in the future.

What ultimately keeps you motivated to keep creating?

I like making things. That’s always been it. I’ve always challenged myself to keep creating, whether it was filmmaking or now video game development. I’ve been relentless about pursuing my passions, and I have a steady track record of completed work.

How do you feel about your movie Dragon, a year after its release?

Dragon is my 2001: A Space Odyssey.