Blackbird

Blackbird Interactive is a Canadian game development studio based in Vancouver, known for making games where spaceships, salvage lasers, and existential sci-fi vibes take center stage. Founded in 2010 by veterans from Relic Entertainment (a.k.a. the folks behind Homeworld), Blackbird hit the ground flying—literally—by returning to their RTS roots and eventually earning the keys to the Homeworld franchise itself.

Their first major splash was Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak, a ground-based prequel that proved you could still have RTS magic without the void of space. Then they really leaned into their love for sci-fi labor and industrial chaos with Hardspace: Shipbreaker, a game where you slice up massive derelict ships in zero-g while corporate debt slowly eats your soul. Blue-collar space horror has never been so oddly relaxing.

They also co-developed Minecraft Legends with Mojang, because apparently the only thing more ambitious than building your own universe is helping someone else build theirs.

Blackbird isn’t just about games—they’ve also worked with NASA on Project Eagle, a slick and oddly wholesome Mars colony simulation designed to inspire curiosity about space and humanity’s future. (Yes, really.)

Oh, and they’re one of the rare studios out there with a four-day workweek, because even space engineers need a long weekend. Creative freedom, science partnerships, and strong art direction make Blackbird one of the coolest indie-but-not-quite-indie studios in the biz.