Games Lift: Sharon Sacks and Vincent Will Inject Color into Crime Fiction

The Games Lift Incubator, a program managed by Gamecity Hamburg, serves as a professional development hub for emerging game developers. The initiative provides participants with structured workshops, mentorship, and networking opportunities designed to bridge the gap between creative concepts and industry-ready products. A primary focus of the program is addressing common challenges in the games industry, such as visibility, marketing, and effective pitching, while fostering technical and business skills among early-stage teams.

The 2025 cohort features the project The Wrong Horse, a detective adventure game developed by illustrators Sharon Sacks and Vincent Will. The project aims to modernize the crime fiction genre by moving away from traditional dark, noir aesthetics in favor of a more colorful and interactive experience. The game centers on a journalist investigating a suspicious death at a racecourse, utilizing mechanics that emphasize clue combination and character interaction. The developers, both of whom are completing master’s degrees at the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, are leveraging their combined seven years of illustration experience to drive the project’s art direction and development.

The development team is currently focused on conceptualizing puzzles and story threads, with a planned release date in 2027. While the duo manages core development, they are strategically incorporating external expertise for sound design, animation, and voice work to maintain a high-quality, compact experience. By participating in the incubator, the team is refining their project scope and business strategy, demonstrating the practical application of the program’s support in transforming independent creative visions into viable, well-rounded gaming products within the Hamburg development ecosystem.