Strand is a promising sci-fi puzzler from new Montreal indie dev Exnilo

At the Canadian Game Awards‘ Eh! Game Expo a few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of checking out a few homemade indie games, and there’s one that’s stood out to me ever since: Strand.

Developed by a new Montreal-based studio called Exnilo (derived from the Latin term “ex nihilo,” meaning “created from nothing”), Strand is a PC sci-fi puzzle game about solving a mystery while trapped in a time loop aboard a space station.

I’m a sucker for high-concept sci-fi stories, and the intriguing 25th-century premise mixed with puzzles whose solutions require you to gather as much knowledge as possible during each time loop proved pretty compelling in the demo. To learn more about the game, I spoke with co-founders Antek Kopacz and Alexandre Quintin. The pair is drawing from experience in both film and games, with the assistance of PR and marketing lead Allie Wilde, and they dive deep into that creative process in our chat.

Tell me a bit about the formation of your studio. What brought you both together to want to make games?

Alexandre Quintin: At Exnilo Studio, everything started with an unexpected meeting between two strangers in an ordinary Montreal apartment. When looking to move house, we met during an apartment showing and hit it off right away. A casual conversation, shared meals, and a Discord call sparked what would become an extraordinary partnership. From that chance encounter, a friendship was forged, fueled by a shared vision: to create something greater than ourselves; a studio born to push boundaries, reward talent, and inspire the future of gaming.

Alex, I see you worked for over seven years in the film industry. What were some of the projects you worked on and how has that experience informed your approach to game development?

Quintin: I have been very fortunate over my career; I had the chance to work on the Percy Jackson series, The Adam Project, Aquaman 2 for a short period of time, The Gray Man, Rumble and more. The biggest advantage of this VFX career was to develop a sharp sense of detail/realism as movies are more demanding in this regard as we aim for photorealism, most of the time. I also mostly worked on 3D design and modeling, both at the same time.

The Percy Jackson series was a collab with Industrial Light and Magic, the studio behind Star Wars. During that time, we exclusively worked on Unreal Engine to produce a real-time 360-degree environment for the actors (the Olympus sequence). So, transitioning into video games was fairly quick. To be fair, movies are now more and more prone to use Unreal Engine, and the gap between real-time and pre-calculated 3D seems thinner every year.

What made the biggest difference in our workflow was to use Nanite [virtualized geometry], as this allowed us to use a higher polycount to add details in the geometry directly, leveraging my VFX career workflow.

Antek, what were some of the games you worked on before and how did you want to build on that experience — and maybe even challenge yourself in a different way — with Strand?

Antek Kopacz: I have primarily worked within large companies but on games or prototypes developed by
very small teams (two to five people), where I held roles as art director and tech art. My mission was to deliver finished and functional games in just three to four months. This experience allowed me to touch on all aspects of game development: programming, game design, visual concepts, 3D, procedural generation, music, and sound design while working within constraints that forced us to be smart and optimized in all our decisions.

Among the most notable projects, I contributed to the development of [Gameloft’s] Disney Dreamlight Valley, and more recently, I served as environment art director on Dungeons & Dragons, a project still in development. Strand represents for me the perfect opportunity to replicate this experience of working with a lean team, but with a much more ambitious goal.

Where did the idea for Strand come from? What were some of the sources of inspiration?

Quintin: The seed of Strand’s story and world-building comes from Roadside Picnic, a book that explores mysterious, otherworldly phenomena left behind by an unknown force; an idea that resonated with us deeply. We also drew inspiration from the SCP Foundation [wiki-based collaborative writing project], with its eerie, unexplained occurrences and scientific approach to the unknown. Aesthetically, Prey and Star Citizen were key influences in crafting the atmosphere and visual design of Strand.

Beyond those influences, Strand was born from a desire to bring back the kind of challenge we personally felt was missing in modern games. Many games today tend to guide players over the finish line, and while that has its place, we wanted to create something that truly tested players; mentally, emotionally, and even philosophically and morally.

At the same time, we wanted to challenge ourselves as developers: Could we make something that was not just difficult, but also beautiful, thought-provoking, and deeply rewarding to play? We’re also fascinated by broader questions about humanity’s place in the future. What does it mean to exist in the 25th century? What challenges will define us? Strand is a reflection of those ideas, wrapped in a gameplay experience that rewards curiosity and perseverance.

But Strand isn’t just about the game itself, it’s also about breaking the mould of how games are made. The rise of indie studios is changing the industry, and we want to be a part of that shift. At Exnilo, we believe in a better way of making games, one where everyone on the team shares in the success, even at the financial level. That recognition and collaborative spirit fuels our work and makes this project, this studio, even more meaningful to us. At its core, Strand is our love letter to gaming as the tenth form of art. We’re not here to chase trends or mass appeal. We are skipping microtransactions and monthly subscriptions in favour of more transparent pricing models. Our focus is clear: to create games that challenge and captivate the most discerning players, the ones who crave immersive experiences that push boundaries and defy expectations.

A lot of sci-fi space stories like this could easily go down a more horror route, like Alien. How did you decide on this particular 25th-century story and tone?

Kopacz: We love sci-fi, and it’s true, many space stories lean toward horror, isolation, and survival. But for Strand, we were more interested in exploring a different kind of 25th-century story. One that asks, ‘What does it mean to exist in the far future? How have we evolved as a species? What does survival look like when the threats aren’t just external, but existential?’ Rather than focusing on fear, we wanted to tap into wonder, mystery, and challenge.

The 25th century in Strand isn’t about running from danger, it’s about pushing forward, questioning everything, and redefining what it means to be human. The story and tone reflect that. There’s a weight to the world, an unease that comes from not being handed all the answers, but also a sense of discovery and purpose.

That said, tension is still a key ingredient. Instead of relying on horror tropes, we build tension through the unknown by placing players in a world that feels vast, indifferent, and intellectually demanding. You’re not equipped with tangible tools like a gun to aid your adventure, instead your weapon is your mind. In that sense, Strand shares DNA with classic sci-fi that challenges us to think, rather than just react. As for what else might be out there… well, let’s just say planet VESTA has its fair share of mysteries.

I imagine puzzle design is quite challenging — you want to make something that isn’t too easy for the player but also doesn’t overly frustrate them. As such a small team, how do you go about designing and balancing puzzles?

Quintin: Puzzle design is definitely a delicate balance, challenging enough to feel rewarding but not so difficult that it feels unfair. As a small team, we rely heavily on iteration and playtesting to fine-tune this balance. At our core, we’re making games for gamers. People like us grew up with titles that didn’t hold your hand, where overcoming obstacles felt like a true accomplishment. There are a lot of fantastic games out there today, but many tend to guide the player too much, leading them straight to the objective. We remember a time when games challenged you to think, to explore, and to struggle a little before that “aha” moment.

That’s the experience we want to capture with Strand, a game that respects the player’s intelligence and rewards perseverance. Instead of flashing markers, we teach and guide the player more subtly; through gameplay, logic, philosophy and even human nature. That said, we don’t want frustration for frustration’s sake. Our approach is to create puzzles that make you feel smart when you solve them, rather than just relieved they’re over. We achieve this by designing around logical problem-solving rather than obscure solutions, giving players the right tools but leaving the discovery up to them.

There have been a handful of “time loop” games over the past few years, like The Outer Wilds, 12 Minutes and Deathloop. What are you hoping to bring to this “subgenre” with Strand?

Quintin: A lot of time loop games introduce a sense of urgency, whether it’s racing against a ticking clock or being forced to react under pressure. With Strand, we wanted to take a different approach. Here, the time loop isn’t something that happens to you; it’s a tool. Instead of creating stress, it allows for strategic planning. Each loop gives you time to rethink your approach, map out new possibilities, and uncover the optimal path forward. Managing your energy wisely is key, looping too soon could set you back, but using it effectively can open up new areas and solutions. Ultimately, we wanted to make a time loop system that rewards careful thinking rather than just quick reactions. It’s not about struggling against the loop — it’s about mastering it.

Something that the Eh Expo! showcased is the sheer variety of developer talent, both in Montreal where you’re based and across the country. Beyond the tax incentives, what is it about Canada that makes it such a big producer of great games?

Allie Wilde, Exnilo PR and marketing lead: Honestly? It’s the people. Canada has some of the best game developers, players, and gaming media in the world, and that’s what makes this industry thrive here. On the development side, Canada has long been a home for incredibly talented and passionate devs, whether at AAA studios or small indie teams like ours. Not only do we have the best talent born and raised within Canada, we also attract amazing developers from across the globe to our ecosystem. There’s a real culture of creativity and innovation here, and because the industry is so strong, we can leverage that strength, pushing each other to make better, more ambitious games.

Then there are the players. Canadian gamers are some of the most engaged and dedicated in the world. We see it every time we show Strand, players here care about great games, about challenges, about artistry. They’re not just looking for the next trend; they want experiences that stay with them.

And we can’t forget the gaming media. Outlets like MobileSyrup do an amazing job of amplifying the work of Canadian studios. Having a strong media landscape means that more of our games reach the right audiences, and that support is invaluable. Of course, the tax incentives help, but they don’t make great games, people do. And Canada has some of the best people when it comes to making, playing, and celebrating games. That’s why we’re so proud to be part of this industry here.

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This interview was edited for language and clarity. 

Strand is set to release sometime on PC later this year. You can wishlist the game on Steam, where a free demo is also available.

Header image credit: Exnilo Studio

Update: 24/03/2025 at 1:41 p.m. EST — This story previously named Exnilo’s PR and marketing lead as “Allie Page,” when it should say “Allie Wilde.” It’s since been corrected — sorry to Allie for the mix-up!