A team of Computer Games Design graduates at USW have once again been selected for Tranzfuser 2025 – the UK’s flagship competition for emerging game development talent.
RuneCube Studios – made up of Rhys Jones, Connor Elsbury and Cameron Fritz, along with BA Music Producing graduate Wigg Grant – are one of just 21 teams across the UK to be chosen for this year’s programme.
Their game, Overstaffed, is a two player co-op action adventure set in the world of Arrilla. The wizards the players control are exploring an ancient area known as the Forsaken Ruins, home to different environments each with their own climate and inhabitants, in order to retrieve an extremely powerful artefact. The game features multiple co-op elements such as Overstacking, which allows players to throw each other, reach areas which are usually unreachable, and defeat more difficult enemies.
Now in its 10th year, Tranzfuser gives graduate teams the opportunity to independently develop a vertical slice of their game over the summer, culminating in a public showcase this September. The programme goes far beyond game development: teams are given the freedom to pursue their entrepreneurial ambitions, supported by the Games Biz Academy, a curated resource hub designed to develop real-world business and studio leadership skills.
Over the course of 14 weeks, RuneCube Studios, with support from the BA Computer Games Design course team, will work with a handpicked industry mentor, often a seasoned developer from the UK Games Fund portfolio. Alongside independent development and support from their local hub, the team will take part in cohort-wide activities and mentoring sessions, giving them a unique opportunity to grow not just as developers, but as founders building the foundations of a sustainable studio.
At the end of the programme, all teams will have the chance to pitch for grant funding of up to £25,000 from the UK Games Fund to support the commercial development of their game – a crucial stepping stone towards taking their work to market.
Connor Elsbury, programme lead for RuneCube Studios, said: “We are delighted to be a part of the Tranzfuser 2025 lineup and are ready to work our hardest to bring the best possible game we can. Tranzfuser is a great opportunity for each team member to develop their skills, and potentially push Overstaffed out to the public and find fans.
“The competition is one of the best opportunities we could have received right after coming out of University. It is a great way for the team to develop their skills both existing and new by working on a game we are all familiar with developing. We also see it as an opportunity to put our names out in the industry, potentially create our own studio and also have it become a hallmark of our experience as developers.”
Dann Rees, course leader for Computer Games Design, added: “We are very proud that 2025 marks the 10th consecutive year that USW teams have earned a place in Tranzfuser – an incredible achievement that underscores the course’s strong track record in producing talented, ambitious, and industry-ready graduates.”
