Press Kit
Growlery - A place to escape to, alone, when ill-humored
Company Overview
Growlery Games LLC is a small, indie video game studio founded by Peter Haigis Jr in January 2024 and registered in March 2024. It is a U.S. studio based in Leominster, MA. Currently, Peter is the solo developer working on Growlery Games’ first game, Risk & Riches. Risk & Riches is slated for release on Steam and Itch.IO in February 2025.
Growlery Games is committed to growing the indie game development community in Central Massachusetts, where we have multiple state and private higher education institutions with Game Development and other industry-adjacent programs. Our long-term goals are to become a positive example for other small studios and become an industry leader in creating healthy work environments (meaningfully, not just on the surface). In the short-term, we are committed to developing the best games that we can with the resources that we have, so that we can grow and become the beacon that we believe we can be in an industry mired by sudden layoffs, crunch, burnout, and an uncertain future due to ever-changing economics and technology.
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@GrowleryGames
Peter Haigis Jr
Peter Haigis is the Founder and, currently, Solo Developer behind Growlery Games LLC. He has an AS degree in Business Administration from Quinsigamond Community College, a BS in Game Development from Full Sail University, and an MS in Game Design/Production from Full Sail University. While still a student at Full Sail University and in the year after graduation, Peter worked on several commercial projects as a programmer and producer, with his primary role being a Unity C# Developer.
After spending time in Florida and South Carolina, Peter returned to Massachusetts to co-found Pariah Media LLC, an entertainment company that promoted local bands and built online communities of music fans. Unfortunately, Pariah Media was unable to grow fast enough and was dissolved a year after its formation.
In the years after the dissolution of Pariah Media, Peter struggled to find a job in games or software development. However, he met and later married his wife Natalie Higgins. Less than a year after they began dating, Natalie successfully ran for State Representative of the 4th Worcester District and Peter played a critical role on her campaign team. Peter’s software background and analytical approach made him uniquely skilled at several aspects of running state and local political campaigns. Having no luck finding a job in games or software, Peter took his experience running Natalie’s campaign and created a career working on political campaigns for over 8 years. He managed and worked on campaigns for State Representative, State Senate, State Ballot Initiatives, Local Questions, Mayor, City Council, and School Committee; and even served two years as a School Committee Member himself.
Following the sudden death of Peter’s father in May 2023, Peter decided to pursue game development again. His father’s passing served as a reminder of how important it is to pursue our passions in life. In particular, was a quote from President Theodore Roosevelt that Peter’s father kept and a music box that played Frank Sinatra’s song “My Way.” So, using money that he had saved up and the money from his inheritance, Peter switched careers in January 2024 with the mindset to complete at least 3 games in roughly 3-4 years to give Growlery Games a good chance of getting off the ground.
“Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.”
Risk & Riches is a roguelite deckbuilder set in the American West during the late 1800s. You’ve won a piece of land with an abandoned gold mine in a game of cards only to find that the mine is infested by monsters, demons, and cultists. You must delve into the mine as one of the residents to battle the creatures within using their unique deck of cards, mine gold, and ultimately close off the portal from where the evil creatures are emerging. The gold you acquire during your runs can be used to build up the town to unlock helpful upgrades and attract new playable residents. You may purchase equipment and customize the starting decks of each resident to make them stronger and improve the chances of unlocking your favorite playstyles during your runs.
In Risk & Riches, you can choose to end your run before reaching the bottom of the mine. Leaving the mine resets your progress but secures the gold you’ve acquired. Choosing to stay longer than you can handle means risking everything.
Release Date: February 2025
Steam - https://store.steampowered.com/app/2990670/Risk__Riches/
