Marmalade Game Studio
Marmalade Game Studio specialises in digital board games for mobile, PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation and Xbox.
I started out as a Marketing Copywriter, but as the only writer in the company I was often called upon to work game-side as well. As a result I gained plenty of experience writing UX/UI copy, character profiles, unlockable content and stories/plots, especially for Clue/Cluedo.
Their titles also include: Monopoly, The Game of Life 2, Mouse Trap, Ticket to Ride, Taboo, Jumanji: The Curse Returns, and more. I worked across all titles.
Clue/Cluedo
The bulk of narrative work at Marmalade Game Studio went into Clue/Cluedo. With iconic characters caught up in the most famous murder mystery of all time, I worked with the game team to provide:
Twisted backstories
Tangled motives
Dark character histories
Revealing interview transcripts
Plausible evidence (including point of origin in the mansion)
This content was woven into unlockable Case Files that now provide dedicated players with layers of bonus material.
I can’t share the behind-the-scenes documents, but I will be happy to talk you through the processes and what was involved as and when we meet.
I wrote descriptions for every room and every weapon, suggesting points of origin for each item that could be accounted for in design. Clue players are detectives, they pick up on everything.
The writing job was extensive and I worked with the team in the Lisbon office to bring it all to life.
Trailer:
Monopoly
Every Marmalade game features 10 imaginative worlds as optional in-app purchases. There are hundreds of variations of the Monopoly board game in circulation, but the Marmalade themes are all original and exclusive to the digital game.
For every theme I wrote copy to accompany the release in-game, on the app store, on the website and throughout our marketing materials.
Instead of going for “straight” copy I turned the building descriptions into in-game “property pages” and gave the tokens player personalities. The game teams really looked forward to seeing these as they often designed without thinking about the “why”.
Victorian London
This was a festive release based on a Dickensian London. The building descriptions here focus on the architecture and history of the city, highlighting the care that had been poured into the design.
The Enchanted Forest
This is my favourite theme. Hands down. It’s gorgeous. At the time of release everyone was talking about “mindfulness” so the marketing team decided to leverage that in the messaging. It took a bit of head scratching to work out how to sell high-stakes property dealing as a relaxing past time, but I did my best!
Atlantis - New York 2121
Every theme has its challenges and surprising audience takes. Atlantis was the hardest copy-wise. The design team did a lot of research and came up with an amazing board featuring all sorts of ancient Greek references… that then needed to be explained to our audience in teeny tiny spaces. Do you know what a Hippocampus is (mythological creature, not region of the brain)? Neither did I. We made it work.
The Game of Life 2
For every outfit and vehicle in the game, I wrote a short description. Instead of keeping the copy clean and clinical I dug into the personality behind every item. Outfits are described as an extension of player personality and the vehicles come with a “sales spiel” designed to get players thinking about their life plans ahead of the game.
Sweet Haven
Every Marmalade game features up to 10 imaginative worlds. Every one needs supporting copy and, for Sweet Haven, story. Early in the process I worked with the concept artists to make sense of this town of candy-artists floating on pink sugar clouds. Later I came back to name items, outfits, houses, and jobs.
The original document is unavailable, but I would be happy to recount the history as and when we meet!
Under the Sea
This theme is a great example of having to roll with the changing tides. On the run-up to release I always ensured that copy was finalised, including the name of the theme - which is pretty vital when it comes to creating marketing assets and UI copy. I went on holiday for 1 week and when I got back, everything had changed. It happens in every studio and there’s nothing to be done except to pivot and systematically work through all the materials, ensuring content remains consistent.
I also had to make sense of some whacky vehicle designs courtesy of the game team. The Jelly Drifter came to me as a chair strapped to the top of a jellyfish with a note saying [insert title here - thanks Emily!].
Mouse Trap
Marmalade’s Mouse Trap adaptation is amazing. I stand in awe of what the game team achieved with this. It’s so fun and so unexpected, really capitalising on the opportunities that the digital platform allows while maintaining the essence of the original game.
My role was mostly related to translating in-game copy into words that could be understood by a four year old (as per player age), while appealing to the adults who played the board game as kids.
I took pains to ensure simplicity of language, and we all had a lot of fun with the trailer.
