Tiny Nomads Makes Global Waves with Game About a Runny Nose

Axel Sandstedt, Jad Tawbi and Leo Wognum.

Tiny Nomads was founded by Jad Tawbi, Axel Sandstedt, and Leo Wognum. The trio met in 2019, during their game development studies at Uppsala University in Gotland, where they developed several games together.

With each of them specialising in different aspects of game development, Jad focused on programming, Axel on graphics and sound, and Leo on design and animation. After graduating, they went their separate ways, until Jad took the initiative to bring the group back together.

The reason? A global game jam in Singapore.

“We had collaborated on many projects during our studies and always noticed we worked really well as a team. When the opportunity to join the game jam came up, I knew who I could count on and have fun with on this project”, says Jad Tawbi.

The result of the game jam was Sniffer’s Delight. The game, created in just nine days, became an unexpected success. Out of more than 400 entries, Tiny Nomads placed in the top three, earning them an invitation to pitch their game in the final round, live in Singapore during the Olympic eSports week 2023.

After a challengingly fierce but successful pitch to industry veterans such as SEGA and Japan eSports Union, they won the competition. The first major milestone for the young studio.

“In that moment, we realized our idea wasn’t just an idea – it could become something big”, says Leo Wognum.

Since then, Tiny Nomads studio was born, travelling the world, visiting Japan, Dubai and Germany among other countries, and showcasing a further-developed version of Sniffer’s Delight to the world. It has come a long way with a colorful cel-shaded artstyle and quirky new levels and mechanics to explore.

In the game, you run around fantastical environments as a Sniffer, solving puzzles with snot- and breath-related abilities and helping the sewer critters restore their home to its former glory.

“When people ask us ‘Why a nose?’, we always answer ‘Why not?’. We want to make games that people can gather around, laugh at, and remember for how they made them feel”, says Jad Tawbi.

The studio also sees Japan as a potential key market. During a visit to Tokyo, they noticed a strong interest in the game’s quirky style and humor, reminiscent of the Japanese games they themselves grew up with. Sniffer’s Delight was a hit with the Japanese audience, being played by influential streamers and receiving coverage by Japanese media such as Famitsu.

“In Japan, a game is more than just a game. It lives on through toys, arcades, and events. We see a huge potential to expand our universe there”, says Leo Wognum.

In their first year, Tiny Nomads received support from Science Park Skövde, as part of its startup program Sweden Game Startup. Though self-funded, the studio has several promising collaborations in the works and hopes for exciting developments in the coming year. Right now, their focus is on releasing a demo on Steam and working harder toward securing external funding and collaborations.

“But growth isn’t just about money. We want to grow as a team, as developers, and as a part of the gaming world. Most of all, we want to make people smile”, says Leo Wognum.

Axel Sandstedt adds:

“We’re excited to bring more of Sniffer’s Delight to players around the world. We recently started a Steam Store page where people can wishlist the game, and the support has been incredible!”