Insomnia Development

Our Team

Mike Tkacz

Founder - Management - 3D Artist - World Creation

I feel nothing but joy having ventured down this path with Ben and watching our family of Fireflies grow. Insomnia was founded as a representation of both our ideals and as a way to bring the games I’ve always wanted playing to life—creating new worlds and pushing boundaries to craft truly unique universes.

As for me, I’m 23, driven by a passionate fire for truth-seeking and a desire to improve the world. Beyond exploring how our world and societies work, I'd say my biggest passions are gaming, art and science. My goal is to find the balance between enjoying my limited time here and creating the change I want to see, in hopes of inspiring others to do the same.Thank you for being part of our community! You can always find me on Discord. ^-^

- Mike <3

P.S. This is my all-time favourite video—I watch it whenever I’m feeling down or need a boost. If you watch it, you’ll understand why it always brings tears to my eyes. :)

"We'll figure it out, we always do", Ben and I

German Version

English Version

Kurzgesagt encapsulated who I strive to be perfectly

Ben Black

Co-Founder - Programmer

Hey there! I’m Ben from Ontario, Canada—a 20-year-old developer with a love for climbing, reading, gaming, and diving into all kinds of adventures. I’ve been programming since age 11, and I got my start in game dev at 17, working at Procedural Worlds on algorithms for creating man-made structures. Now, I'm working with our team and community to build amazing games!

"If I must fall, I will rise each time a better man." - Dalinar Kholin

Dominic – The Naked Dev

Senior Game Developer

My name is Dominic I’m 35 years old and I am ‘The Naked Dev’.

I’ve been developing games a little over ten years now. First at my own indie game studio called Alterego Games but since 2024 I went my own way and I now work independently on whatever project catches my fancy!

Over the years I’ve developed three adventure games called Woven, Sanity of Morris and City of Springs, build many games for clients in a work for hire fashion and nowadays I work on Spriggan as a dev and I create weekly unfiltered (naked) videos on YouTube about my experiences as a game developer.

“When in doubt, just do it.”

Eumell

Marketing - Video Editing - Merchandising

Hi I'm Eumell and I am 18 years old I have been into programming on and off for the past 6 years and started at insomnia almost a year ago. My mindset is: Do whatever the Hell you want just don't hurt others doing it

"Dont ever pay people out or put people down. Instead just put yourself up and let the haters do their thing. Id rather be a person thats hated on, than a person that does the hating. A wise man one said.. "Haters gonna hate!” ― Zyzz"

Yuki Kirste

3D Artist - Character Creation & Animation

Hey there, the name‘s Yuki. I love everything revolving around creativity, self-expression and psychology. I‘m a 21-year-old student from Hamburg, currently diving into a bunch of stuff connected to programming. When I’m not busy studying or working I help out with character creation and graphic design for Insomnia.

"Keep your bad vibes out of my cornflakes"

Camil

Community & Website Manager

Hey! I’m Camil, I am 18-years old and from the Netherlands. I'm really into gaming, and a lot of things tech related . Right now, I’m studying IT (HBO-ICT) and managing the website and Discord for Insomnia Development, where I do my best to keep things fun and running smoothly. Before this, I was a moderator at Badlion (ESL), helping people with tech issues and keeping chat vibes positive.

Gaming’s been my thing for as long as I can remember, and I love connecting with people online and IRL. Besides that, I’m a huge motorsports fan. I try to catch every Formula 1 race live if I can. I also just got my driver’s license, so I’m excited to get hands-on with cars and maybe even work on my own one day.

When I’m not gaming, listening to music or with friends and family, I’m hanging out with my pets: two cats, Turbo and Pippi, and my dog, Daisy. I’m always up for new challenges and learning something new (currently teaching myself Polish). I am excited to keep supporting Insomnia and see where this journey takes us!

Turbo

Pippi

Daisy

Razvan Kim

Audio Director

Hi, I'm Razvan Kim, 32, born in Transylvania, Romania. I'm an experimental musician and mixed media artist, currently working in Scotland for a charity that tackles persistent poverty. As an employability advisor and digital support officer, I help support ethnic minorities in finding new opportunities. I originally trained as a chef in Hamburg, Germany, but now I work as an audio director for several game studios, embracing the beauty of "happy accidents" in my work. While I focus mainly on sound design for Spriggan, I dabble in all things audio for the project.

'A matter baby? What's a matter baby?'

Matthias

Music Director

Hello! My name is Matthias and I'm currently 21 years old! My role in the team is that of the general music director, which means I'm the guy behind the music in game as well as the title screen music. I started making music when I was 16 but focused greatly on rap beats and similar areas of music, so around 2 years ago I got into classical composition as well as video game music which eventually lead me to writing this piece right here!

Life is Life, LaLaLaLaLa - by that one guy who made a hit song and then just disappeared

Philip Tkacz

I am here to help wherever I can, that can be to challenge ideas or concepts from a business perspective, to provide feedback especially on the topic of player experience or just to say "hi" every couple weeks. The adult life has advanced limiting me strongly in the ability to play video games as much as I would love to, but deep in my heart I am still a gamer that enjoys good games and playing alone or together with others. It is funny how my little brother and I always maxed out the map editor function when games had these and now I am happy to witness an actual game development from the inside. I do believe in this project and the people that are so passionate and give their everything to make this come true. Lastly I am a proud brother who wants Insomnia to become popular and fill the gap in the gaming sector that big studios are not having enough heart for and small studios not having the knowledge or resources for. I am on discord but if you want to reach out to me.. write me an E-Mail :D

"Choose what is right, not what is easy" -(Star Wars the Clone Wars S02E18)

Cross-Functional Support - Professional Fangirl

Eddie

Mentor - Character Designer, Concept Artist, Painter, Digital Sculptor

I love creating art and doing my own thing, all while trying desperately to keep Mike and Ben on track. An old animator's saying I live by: "Young artists would ask senior animators for shortcuts, and the answer was always, 'The shortcut is—learn how to fucking draw.'” Or simply put: “The quickest way is the long way.”

Motivation and goals

At Insomnia Development, we don’t just build games—we craft experiences grounded in values that shape our approach to game development, community interaction, and sustainability. Our goal is to disrupt conventional industry practices by focusing on ethical design, fostering meaningful connections, and delivering games that not only entertain but inspire. Below, we outline our core motivation and long-term goals for Insomnia Development.

"Games with Heart, Built Together"

Our Philosophy: Games with Heart

We believe in "creating games with heart", where passion and creativity guide every aspect of the development process. This philosophy drives us to prioritize the player experience, ensuring each game is fun, challenging, and rewarding, without relying on exploitative practices. We reject corporate greed, loot boxes, and manipulative business models. Instead, we focus on crafting games that bring joy, foster community, and provide value to the players.

At our core, we emphasize human-centric values—respect, transparency, and creative freedom. For us, the well-being of our employees and the satisfaction of our community are paramount. We see Insomnia as more than just a workplace; it's a family of passionate individuals working together to create something meaningful.

Ethical Development & Sustainability

We are committed to sustainable production methods and transparent business practices. Whether it’s how we develop our games or how we produce our merchandise, we strive to minimize environmental impact and maintain full transparency. For example, our merchandise, like sustainably produced beanies, reflects our dedication to ethical choices in every aspect of our business.

Our approach to ethical development is also deeply ingrained in how we design our games. We reject pay-to-win mechanics and predatory microtransactions, choosing instead to create experiences that respect players' time and money. By keeping our production in-house through vertical integration, we ensure that every step—from development to merchandising—aligns with our vision of sustainability and ethical responsibility.

Community-Driven Development

The community is at the heart of everything we do. We don’t just make games for our players—we make games with them. We actively involve the community at every stage of development, listening to their feedback and shaping our projects based on their input. Whether it’s supporting modding, encouraging fan art, or creating open feedback loops, we believe in fostering a collaborative environment where everyone’s voice matters.

This community-driven approach allows us to create games that are more than just products—they become living ecosystems where players, developers, and contributors share a common vision. By inviting gamers to participate in our creative process, we ensure that the worlds we build are meaningful, authentic, and shaped by those who care most about them.

A Vision for the Future

At Insomnia, we envision a world where creativity, community, and integrity redefine the way we create and engage with digital and physical experiences. Founded by Mike & Ben, Insomnia is driven by a simple yet ambitious purpose: to build a future where our values—Quality, Trust, Honesty, and Innovation—are at the heart of everything we create.

Our journey is centered on Spriggan, a game that embodies our commitment to immersive storytelling and thoughtful game design. It’s more than just a game; it’s a living world where players can explore strategic depth, make meaningful choices, and lose themselves in richly woven lore. Our focus is to create an experience that respects the player’s time, with additional content as a choice—not a requirement. As we often say, “Money is a tool we need in order to achieve our dreams and vision, but it is not the goal.”

But our vision extends beyond Spriggan. We’re building an ecosystem where digital experiences and physical products coexist. From our 100% recycled, carbon-positive beanies to Insomnia Coffee, every product reflects our belief in creating a more sustainable world. Each decision we make, whether in game design or product creation, is meant to leave a positive impact, ensuring that when you choose Insomnia, you’re choosing a brighter future.

Our independence as a small team allows us to stay nimble, adapting quickly and maintaining a direct connection with our community. This connection is vital—our players are not just consumers but collaborators, friends, and partners in this journey. With their support, we aim to bring Spriggan to life, expand our reach, and prove that small, passionate teams can make a real difference.

As we move into the next year, our focus is on delivering Spriggan as a polished, fully realized experience. Our roadmap includes key milestones—finalizing gameplay systems, refining the narrative, and engaging our community at every stage for valuable feedback. Alongside Spriggan, we’re expanding our product lineup with new sustainable offerings. We are committed to providing consistent updates, keeping our supporters in the loop, and delivering a release that reflects our standards of quality and passion. This year is about focus, execution, and turning our vision into tangible results.

Contact Us

Reach out for support, feedback, or collaboration on Spriggan.