Darjeeling is a production company and creative studio based in Paris, founded in 2009 by Marc Lustigman and Noam Roubah. At the crossroads of video games, animation and documentary, we develop works that favor singular universes, storytelling and experimentation. Our approach is based on strong collaboration with authors, artists and directors, with the ambition of offering experiences that move away from standardized formats and explore new ways of telling stories.
In video games, we design experiences where art direction, storytelling, and gameplay mechanics respond to one another. Californium, released in 2016, immerses players in a narrative and psychedelic adventure inspired by the world of science fiction writer Philip K. Dick. With Homo Machina, produced in coproduction with ARTE France, we envisioned a playful exploration of the human body inspired by the work of Fritz Kahn, transforming its inner workings into a gigantic machine operated by tiny characters.
This desire to adapt strong visual worlds continued with Labyrinth City: Pierre the Maze Detective. Inspired by the illustrated book series by IC4DESIGN, the game transposes its teeming mazes into an interactive adventure blending exploration, puzzles, hidden objects, and storytelling. Available on PC, consoles, and mobile, it illustrates our desire to create works accessible to different audiences while retaining an immediately recognizable visual identity.
Our catalogue also includes The Merlies, a poetic adventure developed in coproduction with ARTE France. In a miniature post-apocalyptic world, the player accompanies a community of little birds, builds their village and explores the remnants of a forgotten civilization.
Over the course of our productions, we have developed an expertise that blends production, interactive creation, art direction, and storytelling. Each project is an opportunity for us to explore a new universe and bring together talents from different disciplines. This cross-disciplinary approach allows us to design video games with a true authorial identity, capable of building bridges between culture, illustration, animation, and interactive entertainment.
