In a move that says “we’ve made it,” UK-based indie game developer Facepunch Studios has unveiled its new digs in Birmingham’s Colmore Row, and it’s giving us serious office envy. Known for hits like Garry’s Mod and Rust, Facepunch isn’t just pushing pixels anymore—they’re pushing the boundaries of what a game dev workspace can be.
Paint-drip chic meets cutting-edge tech
Designed by Oktra’s Emily Benussi, the office is a fever dream of high-tech AV and furniture that looks like it’s melting into the floor. It’s as if Salvador Dali decided to design a WeWork, but with more polygons and fewer clock faces.
The space recently snagged the “Project of the Year: Workplace Interiors 5,000 to 15,000 Square Foot” award at the Mixology North Awards 2023.
Gaming room? Of Course
But it’s not all show. Facepunch has thrown in some serious perks for its team. There’s a gaming room (shocking for a game studio, we know), a curved breakfast bar that’s probably seen its fair share of energy drink spills, and a “wellbeing corner” for when debugging code gets too real.
AV Envy
The real star of the show? The AV setup that Vision On AV Systems put together. We’re talking a network so robust, it could probably handle a DDoS attack from every salty player who’s ever rage-quit Rust.
The lobby boasts two video walls, each with nine 55-inch NEC monitors. It’s like Times Square, but with fewer tourists and more polygons. Everything runs on AV-over-IP. Because who needs HDMI when you can have Cat6, right?
BYOD or BYOM
The boardroom is where things get really interesting. It’s minimal on the surface, but underneath, it’s packing more tech than a Silicon Valley startup. An 86-inch 4K LG monitor? Check. Poly Studio X70 videobar with AI-powered cameras? You bet. It’s all controlled by a Kramer KT-107 touchpanel that probably feels more like piloting a spaceship than starting a Zoom call.
And for the rest of the office? Logitech cameras and Kramer VIA Connect2 solutions are scattered about, ensuring that no matter where you are, you’re never more than a click away from a video call. Because in 2024, if you’re not on a video call, are you even working?
The future is now
Facepunch Studios’ new office isn’t just a workspace—it’s a statement. It’s saying, “We make games, but we also make bank.” And with this level of investment in their workspace, who knows what they’ll cook up next? One thing’s for sure: whatever game they release from this office is going to have some seriously high expectations to live up to.
