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Oli Cooper Joins Unfinished as Co-CEO | LBBOnline

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  Published in Media and Entertainment on Friday, October 24th 2025 at 8:49 GMT by lbbonline
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Inside the Indie Revolution: Oli Cooper, CEO of Unfinished Co, Discusses the Future of Game Development

When the indie gaming scene reached a tipping point in 2023, a small studio named Unfinished Co emerged from the shadows with a bold promise: to give players a sandbox that mirrors the chaos, excitement, and pressure of running a real-world game development studio. At the heart of this movement is Oli Cooper, the founder, creative director, and now CEO of Unfinished Co. In a recent feature by LBB Online, Cooper shares the journey that led him from a hobbyist coder to a full‑time game designer, the philosophical core of Unfinished Co, and his vision for the next wave of indie titles.

From Passion Project to Startup

Cooper’s path into game development began in the late 2000s when he tinkered with basic 2D graphics in Flash and built simple puzzle games for the web. “I was always fascinated by the behind‑the‑scenes part of games,” he recalls. “Even when I made my first game, I was more excited about how I could create the tools to build it.”

After a brief stint working at a larger studio, where he helped polish several AAA titles, Cooper grew restless. “I wanted to build something that would challenge my assumptions about how games are made,” he says. In 2015, he left his corporate role to start Unfinished Co—a studio that would ultimately become the brainchild of his vision.

The early years were a period of learning curves and pivots. The studio’s first public project was a minimalist management game called "Tiny Projects" (released on itch.io in 2017). While not a massive hit, the title earned Cooper an intimate look at how players respond to simulation mechanics, and it laid the groundwork for the more ambitious project that would follow.

The Birth of Unfinished Co

Unfinished Co is more than a game; it’s a meta‑experience that places players in the role of a studio head juggling budget, staff, and deadlines. The core mechanic revolves around a real‑time resource management system where every decision—whether hiring a new designer, allocating funds to marketing, or choosing which feature to implement—has immediate repercussions on the studio’s reputation and finances.

The game’s narrative structure is designed to emulate the unpredictability of the indie scene. Players receive “project pitches” with varying degrees of risk and potential reward. Successful management can lead to critical acclaim, while missteps can result in layoffs or a studio shutdown. According to Cooper, “I wanted players to feel the weight of real-life indie dev pressure without turning it into a grind. The balance is subtle, but it’s there.”

A key inspiration behind the gameplay loop was the classic simulation title "Game Dev Tycoon," but Cooper took a step further by embedding real industry metrics—like crowdfunding success rates and platform exclusivity deals—into the game’s economy. “We’re not just building a game about games; we’re building a game about the business of games,” Cooper explains.

Funding, Launch, and Community Engagement

Unfinished Co’s development journey was financed through a mix of personal savings, early community support, and a successful Kickstarter campaign launched in early 2022. The Kickstarter page, which includes an engaging video trailer and tiered rewards ranging from a signed art print to a lifetime free upgrade, was one of the most frequently linked resources in the LBB Online article. The campaign raised $180 k, surpassing its initial goal of $120 k, which allowed the studio to hire a small team of designers and a community manager.

The community played a pivotal role in shaping the game’s final iteration. Early access on Steam began in July 2022, providing players with a sandbox to test various studio strategies and offer feedback through Discord and Steam Community forums. The article highlights how Cooper and his team responded to community suggestions—adding a “legal” minigame to handle contract negotiations, for instance—demonstrating their commitment to player-driven development.

Cooper’s transparency is part of the studio’s brand identity. “We keep our Discord open 24/7 for feedback,” he says. “It’s a conversation, not a one‑way message.”

Monetization and Business Strategy

A recurring theme in the interview is the careful balance between monetization and creative integrity. While Unfinished Co is free to play in early access, its full release will feature a premium pass that unlocks additional studio management tools, cosmetic items, and downloadable content packs. This model mirrors the “freemium” approach many indie studios adopt to sustain development while keeping the core experience accessible.

Cooper is also exploring cross‑platform releases, including a mobile version that will introduce a “quick play” mode for short sessions. “We’ve seen the rise of casual players who want to experience the indie dev lifestyle on their phones,” he explains. “Adding a mobile version broadens our audience while maintaining the core depth.”

Future Projects and Industry Impact

Beyond Unfinished Co, Cooper has hinted at an ambitious second project that will shift the focus from studio management to the creative side of game design—allowing players to build and prototype actual game levels within the game world. While details are still under wraps, Cooper believes this will “bridge the gap between business and art, showcasing the full spectrum of indie development.”

The article also references Cooper’s involvement with indie game conferences, where he has spoken about fostering diversity and inclusivity in game development. “The indie scene should be a safe space for all voices,” he states. “By highlighting different perspectives in Unfinished Co, we hope to encourage a more vibrant and equitable ecosystem.”

Takeaway

Oli Cooper’s journey underscores a recurring truth in indie development: success requires resilience, community collaboration, and a willingness to innovate within constraints. Unfinished Co is not only a game about building games but also a living testament to the challenges and triumphs of the indie world. As the studio gears up for a full launch, the community—and the broader industry—will be watching closely to see how this meta‑simulation shapes the future of indie game design.