Today, we want to shine a light on the man behind the stunning and spine-chilling art of Macabre—industry veteran Jake Hempson. Jake has a long history with sci-fi horror, starting with his work on the "Aliens vs Predator" game. Inspired by films and games like Alien, Dead Space, and Event Horizon, Jake aims to evoke those same spine-tingling feelings through the design of creatures, costumes, and environments in our game.
Over to Jake:
Soooo… an industry veteran, eh? (Yes, yes, I have been around the block.) I'm a bit of a mixed bag. I originally studied graphic design in South Africa, then moved to the UK, aiming to get into comics illustration and concept art. I wound up teaching myself 3D animation, eventually working on the "Aliens vs Predator" game for Rebellion.
Several games later, I came to OZ and worked for Krome Studios in Brisbane. Eventually, I transitioned into a 3D generalist for VFX/TVC, working at Cutting Edge, where I first met Jay.
A few years and several films later, I reconnected with Jay and was excited to learn he'd been working on a multiplayer horror game (Macabre). I wanted in as I love horror and creature design, as well as some of the nerd-core sci-tech aesthetics we have in mind (more on that later). —Jake Hempson
