Blue Backpack: How a German Indie Studio is Redefining Narrative Games with The Berlin Apartment

The transformation of btf's games department into Blue Backpack in August 2025 marks a pivotal shift in the indie game landscape. With the launch of The Berlin Apartment, a narrative-driven title compressing 120 years of German history, the studio has established its unique identity. This article explores their journey, collective development model, and strategic partnerships that define their new era.

From btf to Blue Backpack: A New Identity

In August 2025, the games department of media production company bildundtonfabrik (btf) officially rebranded as Blue Backpack GmbH, marking its emergence as an independent game developer and publisher. The studio, now led by joint managing directors Florian Köhne (CEO) and Robert May, operates from offices in both Berlin and Cologne with a tight-knit team of around 20 employees.

This transformation represents more than just a name change - it signals Blue Backpack's commitment to carving its own identity in the indie game space. Their first major release under this new banner, The Berlin Apartment, launched on November 17, 2025, establishing the studio's post-rebranding trajectory.

Blue Backpack carries forward a celebrated legacy from their btf days. Their previous title, Trüberbrook, garnered significant acclaim by winning Best German Game 2019 and Best Staging at the German Computer Game Awards. The game's distinctive handcrafted diorama aesthetic set a visual standard that positioned the team as innovators in narrative-driven experiences.

Beyond development, Blue Backpack has expanded its role in the indie ecosystem by taking over management of Saftladen, Berlin's renowned indie coworking space. This move positions them as both creators and supporters of the independent development community, fostering collaboration across Germany's vibrant game scene.

Their ambitions extend globally through a strategic partnership with Parco Games, securing publishing rights for The Berlin Apartment and Constance across Asian markets.

Development Philosophy: The Power of Working as a Collective

Blue Backpack emerged from the games department of btf in August 2025, transforming from an internal division into an independent game development and self-publishing subsidiary. Led by Florian Köhne and Robert May, the studio now operates with around 20 employees split between Cologne and Berlin, carrying forward a philosophy rooted in collective resilience.

The studio's commitment to shared infrastructure extends beyond its own walls. Blue Backpack has taken over management of Saftladen, Berlin's pioneering indie games collective and coworking space. This hub houses notable studios like Megagon Industries (Lonely Mountains: Downhill) and Paintbucket Games (The Darkest Files), creating a concentrated ecosystem of creative talent.

This collective structure transforms individual challenges into shared opportunities. When developers hit creative roadblocks or face market pressures, they can tap into a network of peers for feedback, technical solutions, and moral support. The distributed risk model means that ambitious projects like The Berlin Apartment - which spans 120 years of German history through multiple perspectives - benefit from diverse insights into narrative design, publishing strategies, and platform relationships.

The transition from department to independent entity has granted Blue Backpack greater creative control over their narrative-driven titles. Rather than viewing resilience as a personal trait to be weathered alone, they've built it into their organizational DNA. This approach amplifies opportunity across the indie development community, proving that sometimes the most innovative games emerge not from solitary genius, but from the collective intelligence of interconnected creators.

The Making of The Berlin Apartment: Key Development Insights

Scope: 120 Years in One Berlin Apartment

The Berlin Apartment compresses 120 years of Berlin history into a single fixed apartment. This ambitious scope is explored through a short story collection format. Each story represents a different era, creating a living timeline within four walls. The apartment itself becomes a silent witness to Germany's most turbulent century.

Authenticity through German Voice Acting

The game centers authentic German voice acting as a core emotional driver. Players are strongly recommended to experience the game in its original German audio. This linguistic authenticity adds layers of cultural nuance that subtitles alone cannot capture. The voice performances ground each historical period in genuine emotional truth.

Episodic Structure as Narrative Framework

The Berlin Apartment is designed as a short story collection with episodic segments. Each segment spans a different era, from the Weimar Republic through division and reunification. These stories are anchored by a framing narrative set in 2020. This structure allows players to experience history in digestible, emotionally resonant chapters.

Development Studio and International Collaboration

The Berlin Apartment is developed by Blue Backpack, formerly known as btf Games. The studio underwent a rebranding in August 2025 to establish its independent identity. The project involves collaboration with PARCO Games of Japan, marking a significant international partnership. This cross-cultural cooperation brings together German historical expertise with Japanese publishing experience.

While rooted in German history, the game's development reflects a global perspective on storytelling.

Release Window and Critical Context

The Berlin Apartment released in late 2025, aligning with press coverage throughout the year. This timing positioned the game within a broader conversation about historical narratives in interactive media. The late 2025 release allowed the development team to fully realize their vision of 120 years in a single space.

Launch Strategy and Partnership with PARCO GAMES

Release Date, PARCO GAMES Partnership & Asian Market Entry

The Berlin Apartment launched on November 18, 2025 as PARCO GAMES' first-ever published title. This partnership marked a significant milestone for both the developer and publisher.

Global Anticipation Metrics

• 100,000+ wishlist entries worldwide prior to launch
• First title in PARCO GAMES' inaugural publishing slate
• Developed by Blue Backpack after spinning off from bildundtonfabrik (btf)

Asian Market Expansion Strategy

PARCO GAMES secured Asia-focused publishing rights covering four key territories:

• Japan
• China
• South Korea
• Thailand

The publisher leveraged its unique retail advantage through 15 department stores for integrated marketing campaigns across these regions.

Beyond The Berlin Apartment: Constance and Future Projects

While The Berlin Apartment explores German history through anthology, Constance tackles deeply personal themes through Metroidvania mechanics. This hand-drawn 2D action-adventure launched on PC via Steam on November 24, 2025, with console releases planned for 2026. Players control a paintbrush-wielding artist escaping a decaying inner world, exploring mental and emotional burnout through fluid platforming and exploration.

Blue Backpack's partnership with PARCO GAMES represents a strategic push into Asian markets. This collaboration covers China, Japan, and South Korea, with both The Berlin Apartment and Constance showcased at Tokyo Games Show 2025. The partnership extends beyond simple distribution, creating cultural bridges between European indie development and Asian gaming communities.

Critical Reception and Narrative Impact

Critics have drawn immediate parallels between The Berlin Apartment and What Remains of Edith Finch, citing its narrative focus and exploration of a space's history. The comparison gains depth through the game's unique lens: Germany's somber historical context spanning Nazi rule, the Cold War, and the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Reviewers consistently highlight the game's emotional resonance, describing it as a "poignant game" that delivers an "engaging and insightful examination of the human experience." The apartment itself serves as more than a setting - it becomes a microcosm through which players explore Germany's turbulent 20th century, making vast historical events feel immediate and intimate.

The game's brevity has sparked discussion among critics. While universally described as "short but sweet," the concise runtime offers "an enjoyable evening's cosy entertainment." Some reviewers note the minimalist gameplay as a limitation, though this appears to be a deliberate choice that emphasizes narrative over mechanical complexity.

The Berlin Apartment released on November 17, 2025, for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S at a $24.99 price point with a 10% launch discount. The Nintendo Switch version faced postponement, though no specific timeline was provided for its eventual release.

This launch strategy positions Blue Backpack as a studio willing to tackle challenging historical narratives while maintaining accessibility through reasonable pricing and multi-platform availability.

The Saftladen Collective: Fostering Berlin's Indie Scene

At the heart of Blue Backpack's philosophy lies Saftladen, a renowned indie games collective and shared workspace in Berlin. This collaborative ecosystem houses teams like Megagon Industries and Paintbucket Games, fostering cross-team innovation. The studio's collective development approach ensures that narrative-driven games remain their core focus while maintaining the collaborative spirit that defines Berlin's indie scene.

Blue Backpack stands at a rare intersection of German media heritage and indie innovation. Originally the games department of renowned production house btf (bildundtonfabrik), the studio spun off as an independent developer and self-publishing subsidiary in August 2025. This transition granted them creative autonomy while preserving access to established production infrastructure.

The studio's DNA is deeply rooted in historical storytelling. Their breakout title Trüberbrook won Best German Game 2019 and Best Design at the German Computer Game Awards, setting the stage for their signature approach. The Berlin Apartment crystallizes this vision - an anthology spanning 120 years of German history told through the intimate stories of inhabitants in a single Berlin apartment.

Conclusion

Blue Backpack's story showcases how indie studios can thrive through collective resilience and historical depth. By leveraging partnerships like PARCO GAMES and managing hubs like Saftladen, they are redefining sustainable, narrative-focused game development for a global audience.