About US
Who We Are
Rare Castle is an indie video game developer that began as a simple idea in 2018—a dream that gradually began to take shape in the physical world. Currently run by a humble solo indie developer and the luminary dreamerweaver of the castle and guardians of the gateways, I’ve spent the past few years refining my vision and building the foundation for something truly meaningful, launching the website in 2021 as side project to my full-time job. In 2023, I took the next step, diving into the development of my first game—an experience shaped by a love for storytelling, cinematic worlds, and the immersive power of games.
I am passionate about creating meaningful, story-driven experiences that leave a lasting impression. Every aspect of the game I make is carefully crafted, where each scene invites reflection and emotional connection. My aim is to spark curiosity and guide players toward healing and self-discovery.
At Rare Castle, I’m especially drawn to the mystery and thriller genres, exploring the unknown with a sense of peaceful wonder. I want to create games that are thrilling yet thoughtful, where every twist leads to deeper understanding and personal growth.
The journey is just beginning. While I’m still building the resources to take the next step, I’m committed to bringing my passion for storytelling to life in everything I do.
How We Work
We are always eager to use the latest technology, especially real-time computer graphics, to create next-gen graphics in our video games and surprise our audience with a new level of innovative and unique indie entertainment.
Vision And Philosophy
At Rare Castle, our philosophy as an indie developer is rooted in the belief that great experiences don’t need to be vast—they just need to be meaningful. We draw inspiration from the simplicity and charm of classic games, where small-scale, focused environments create deep, immersive worlds. While we appreciate the innovation of modern open-world games, we cherish the unique magic found in the detailed, handcrafted worlds of classic titles that sparked our most nostalgic gaming memories.
Our priority is to create highly detailed worlds, where every asset is treated as a work of art. We believe in taking the time to get every detail right because we know that rushing art can compromise its soul. We’re willing to invest the time and resources needed to craft extraordinary, timeless experiences—where every corner of the world invites discovery and every moment feels special.
Our Permenent Team
Mohamed Fawzy
Game Director
Indie Game Developer and Writer, Cinematic Enthusiast, 3D Props/Environment and Unreal Engine Artist.
Lisa Keanu
Lead Game Designer
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. In mi nunc, facilisis sed erat sed, interdum suscipit nisl.
Marine Garrix
Concept Artist
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. In mi nunc, facilisis sed erat sed, interdum suscipit nisl.
Sonica Sana
Community Manager & PR
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. In mi nunc, facilisis sed erat sed, interdum suscipit nisl.
1st Crowdsourcing Round Contributors
13 Apr 2025 – 25 Aug 2025
Mohamed Rooby
Gameplay Programmer
Specializing in gameplay systems, AI behavior, interactive mechanics, with experience in Unreal C++ Blueprints.
Mohamed Alhajji
Gameplay Engineer
Computer Engineering student & self-taught Unreal dev, passionate about building great games.
Habiba Sameh
Game Designer
With passion for intuitive experiences. Bridging creativity and code to craft thoughtful, player-centered design.
Sonica Sana
Community Manager & PR
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. In mi nunc, facilisis sed erat sed, interdum suscipit nisl.
Advisors Board
Ahmed Fawzy
Software Enginer
Founder of AN Games Studio
Unreal Authorized Instructor partner for epic games
Lisa Keanu
Lead Game Designer
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. In mi nunc, facilisis sed erat sed, interdum suscipit nisl.
Marine Garrix
Concept Artist
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. In mi nunc, facilisis sed erat sed, interdum suscipit nisl.
Sonica Sana
Community Manager & PR
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. In mi nunc, facilisis sed erat sed, interdum suscipit nisl.
Ambitions & Goals
At Rare Castle, we are building toward a long-term vision: creating memorable, cinematic gaming experiences, developing interconnected fictional universes, and pushing the boundaries of real-time graphics technology.
Our journey began with Off the Grid, a universe built around psychological mysteries, unconventional storytelling, and experiences that explore the human condition. Today, our ambitions extend beyond a single game. We aim to establish a lasting intellectual property, develop original rendering technology, and grow Rare Castle into a leading force in the games industry.
Every ambition begins with a foundation. Here’s what we’ve accomplished, what we’re working toward, and where we envision taking Rare Castle.
Milestones Achieved
Our journey is already underway. We have established the creative, technical, and strategic foundations needed to pursue our vision.
- Established the Off the Grid Universe: Created and documented the universe’s lore, narrative, characters, locations, factions, clans, and core concepts, alongside the original installment, Off the Grid: Bad Dream.
- Completed Core Development Documentation: Developed the Game Design Document (GDD), game pitch deck, and production budget plan for Off the Grid: Bad Dream.
- Developed the First Chapter Prototype: Completed a playable prototype of the adventure portion of Chapter One of Off the Grid: Bad Dream, validating a foundational part of the game’s experience.
- Became an Official PlayStation Partner: Achieved Official PlayStation Partner status in Q1 2025, marking an important milestone in Rare Castle’s development.
- Expanded Our Team: Reached a peak team size of six contributors in Q2 2025.
- Pursued PlayStation MENA Hero Project Support: Applied to the PlayStation MENA Hero Project program to explore opportunities for advancing the game and studio.
- Engaged Directly with Sony Interactive Entertainment: Met in person with a Sony Interactive Entertainment representative responsible for the PlayStation MENA Hero Project in Cairo in Q3 2026 to discuss Rare Castle and Off the Grid: Bad Dream.
Short-Term Goals
Our priority is to bring our first game to market while laying the groundwork for our next generation of technology.
- Bring Off the Grid: Bad Dream to Market: Secure the funding needed to complete development, publish the game, and bring our vision to players.
- Deliver Our First Commercial Release: Establish Rare Castle through a successful launch and create a game that resonates with players and earns their lasting appreciation.
- Advance Our PlayStation Partnership: Pursue participation in the PlayStation MENA Hero Project and work toward establishing Rare Castle as a recognized studio within the program.
- Initiate Rendering Technology R&D: Begin research and development on our own graphics rendering technology, exploring new approaches to rendering, light transport, and computational efficiency, with the long-term ambition of surpassing the visual capabilities of conventional path tracing.
Medium-Term Goals
With our first release established, we aim to expand our creative universe, grow our commercial presence, and advance our technological ambitions.
- Expand the Off the Grid Universe: Establish the series with Off the Grid: Bad Dream and begin development of its sequel, Off the Grid: Cult of Nature.
- Build a Commercially Successful IP: Grow the Off the Grid franchise into a commercially successful series, with the ambition of achieving best-selling status for Rare Castle titles.
- Pursue First-Party PlayStation Development: Work toward becoming a first-party PlayStation studio and building a lasting relationship within the PlayStation Studios ecosystem.
- Advance Our Rendering Technology Toward Adoption: Develop our rendering research into a practical technology that could eventually be integrated into established game engines, including Unreal Engine and, where technically and commercially feasible, proprietary engines such as Decima.
Long-Term Vision
Our ultimate ambition is to build a lasting creative and technological legacy.
- Establish Off the Grid as a Landmark Franchise: Grow the connected Off the Grid universes into a distinctive, enduring franchise within the psychological thriller genre, aspiring to the cultural impact and recognition of series such as Alan Wake, Control, and Silent Hill.
- Build a Best-Selling Franchise: Develop the connected universes into a portfolio of commercially successful titles with lasting player communities and long-term franchise potential.
- Become a Leading PlayStation Studio: Aspire to establish Rare Castle as a major creative and technological force within the PlayStation Studios group.
- Build Our Own Game Engine: Develop a proprietary game engine built around our rendering technology, integrating graphics, rendering research, and game development into a unified technological foundation for future Rare Castle titles.