Maschinen-Mensch

Maschinen-Mensch is an independent video-game development studio based in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 2014 by Riad Djemili and Johannes Kistmann, the studio was established by former Yager Development employees who had worked on Spec Ops: The Line. Its name combines the German words for “machine” and “human,” reflecting an identity built around systems-driven play and human decision-making. The studio’s first major release was Curious Expedition, a turn-based roguelike-adventure game that places players in the role of historical explorers seeking fame and fortune across procedurally generated versions of lost or remote locations. The game combines expedition planning, resource management, text-based narrative events, reputation and sanity systems, tactical encounters, and chance-driven dice mechanics. Rather than presenting a fixed campaign world, it creates short, variable journeys in which terrain, events, party composition, supplies, and decisions interact to produce emergent stories. Curious Expedition originated as a browser-game prototype. A €50,000 grant from the German government helped Maschinen-Mensch expand the prototype into a full commercial release on Steam. The game subsequently reached a wider console audience on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. It was nominated for the German Computer Games Prize in the Best Youth Game category and received generally favorable, though not unanimous, critical attention. Reviewers commonly highlighted its distinctive atmosphere, accessibility, procedural storytelling, and ability to generate memorable anecdotes. Criticism focused on repetition, the limited selection of environmental types, and a progression structure that some players found punishing or shallow. Maschinen-Mensch began developing Curious Expedition 2 in 2018 or 2019. The sequel substantially changed the visual presentation, adopting a ligne-claire comic-art style associated with bande dessinée, while retaining the series’ focus on expeditions, procedural events, party management, and strategic risk. Curious Expedition 2 was completed and released in 2021 for Windows, Nintendo Switch, Xbox platforms, and PlayStation platforms. The game was supported by three downloadable-content expansions and received recognition as Best Indie Game at Gamescom 2020. The studio’s later position has been shaped by the commercial performance of its games. Reference material states that Maschinen-Mensch ceased active game development after 2025 because revenues were insufficient, while continuing to operate for game support and maintenance. Co-founder Riad Djemili has also focused on Codecks, a separate venture. Accordingly, Maschinen-Mensch is best characterized as an independent game-development brand with an established catalogue and continuing support responsibilities, rather than as a large publisher or diversified entertainment group.

Maschinen-Mensch was founded in Berlin in 2014 by Riad Djemili and Johannes Kistmann, both of whom had previously worked at Yager Development on Spec Ops: The Line. The studio began with a browser-game prototype that explored the idea of short, unpredictable expeditions through hostile and unfamiliar environments. Financial support from the German government, reported as a €50,000 grant, enabled the founders to develop the prototype into a fuller commercial game rather than leaving it as a small browser project. That project became Curious Expedition, a turn-based exploration roguelike released in 2016. The game uses procedural generation to create a succession of expedition maps and combines resource management with event-driven narrative. Players assemble parties from historical character types, travel through environments such as jungles, deserts, and Arctic regions, and attempt to complete six expeditions while managing supplies, sanity, reputation, equipment, and the changing condition of their companions. Text events, discoveries, hazards, combat, and dice-based resolution make each run structurally similar but narratively variable. The game’s reception established Maschinen-Mensch as a specialist independent studio. Critics frequently praised its ability to produce distinctive stories from interacting systems, along with its atmosphere and accessible scale. Other reviews identified repetition in the available regions and questioned whether the progression and visual presentation offered enough variety over longer play sessions. Curious Expedition was nominated for the German Computer Games Prize in the Best Youth Game category. After its Windows release, the title expanded to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, giving the studio a broader international console presence. Maschinen-Mensch started work on Curious Expedition 2 in 2018 or 2019. The sequel preserved the first game’s core emphasis on procedural travel, party management, decision-making, and risk, but introduced a substantial visual redesign. Its ligne-claire comic style gave the series a more illustrative and visually differentiated identity than the original’s simpler presentation. The project received Best Indie Game recognition at Gamescom 2020 and was completed and released in 2021 for Windows, Nintendo Switch, Xbox platforms, and PlayStation platforms. Three downloadable-content releases extended the sequel after launch. The studio’s later history reflects the difficult economics of independent game development. Reference material reports that Maschinen-Mensch stopped active development after 2025 because income from its games was insufficient. The company nevertheless remained involved in operating and supporting its released catalogue. Co-founder Riad Djemili also shifted attention toward Codecks, another venture. The available material does not establish a formal dissolution, acquisition, parent company, public listing, or successor brand; therefore the studio is treated as active in a limited support and maintenance capacity rather than definitively defunct.

• 2025

  Active game development ends

  [1]Curious Expeditionen.wikipedia.org

  Reference material reports that insufficient revenue led the studio to stop developing new games while continuing support and operations for existing titles.

• 2021

  Curious Expedition 2 is released

  [1]Curious Expeditionen.wikipedia.org

  The sequel launches for PC and consoles and is subsequently supported with three downloadable-content releases.

• 2020

  Curious Expedition 2 wins Best Indie Game at Gamescom

  [1]Curious Expeditionen.wikipedia.org

  The in-development sequel receives Gamescom recognition in the Best Indie Game category.

• 2018

  Development of Curious Expedition 2 begins

  [1]Curious Expeditionen.wikipedia.org

  The studio begins work on a sequel with a redesigned visual direction and expanded exploration systems.

• 2016

  Curious Expedition launches

  [1]Curious Expeditionen.wikipedia.org

  Maschinen-Mensch releases its first major commercial game, initially for Microsoft Windows.

• 2015

  Curious Expedition receives a German Computer Games Prize nomination

  [1]Curious Expeditionen.wikipedia.org

  The studio’s forthcoming exploration game is nominated in the Best Youth Game category.

• 2014

  Maschinen-Mensch is founded in Berlin

  [1]Curious Expeditionen.wikipedia.org

  Riad Djemili and Johannes Kistmann establish the independent German game studio after working at Yager Development.

An independent, systems-focused game studio specializing in compact, replayable exploration adventures that combine procedural generation, resource management, narrative events, tactical risk, and emergent storytelling.

• Video game · 2016

  Curious Expedition

  Curious Expedition is a turn-based roguelike-adventure game centered on historical explorers undertaking a sequence of dangerous expeditions. Its maps are procedurally generated, and each journey combines exploration, supplies, party management, sanity, reputation, text-driven events, discoveries, hostile encounters, and dice-based combat. Players attempt to complete six expeditions while adapting to terrain and unpredictable consequences. The game was developed from an earlier browser prototype and released for Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. Its reception praised its charm, challenge, and emergent anecdotes, while noting repetition and limited environmental variety.

• Video game · 2021

  Curious Expedition 2

  Curious Expedition 2 is the follow-up to Maschinen-Mensch’s original exploration roguelike. It retains the series’ procedural expeditions, resource pressures, party decisions, narrative events, and risk-oriented travel while introducing a complete graphical overhaul inspired by ligne-claire bande dessinée artwork. The game was completed and released in 2021 for Windows, Nintendo Switch, Xbox platforms, and PlayStation platforms. Its post-launch catalogue includes three downloadable-content expansions, making it the studio’s principal later product and a broader continuation of the systems established by the first game.

• 2025

  End new game development and retain support operationsStrategy

  Background

  Reference material attributes the change to insufficient revenues from the studio’s games.

  Action taken

  Maschinen-Mensch ceased active development of new games while continuing to operate and support its released titles.

  Aftermath

  The studio’s role shifted from active production toward maintenance and support; no formal dissolution or acquisition is identified in the available material.

  Source

• 2018

  Develop a visually redesigned sequelGeneration change

  Background

  After Curious Expedition, the studio chose to continue the concept while expanding and visually differentiating the series.

  Action taken

  Maschinen-Mensch began development of Curious Expedition 2 with a complete visual overhaul in a ligne-claire comic style and further expedition content.

  Aftermath

  The sequel won Best Indie Game at Gamescom 2020 and launched in 2021 across PC and console platforms.

  Source

• 2014

  Convert the browser prototype into a commercial gameStrategy

  Background

  The founders had developed an early browser-game concept but needed additional resources to turn it into a full release.

  Action taken

  Maschinen-Mensch used a reported €50,000 German government grant to develop the prototype into Curious Expedition for commercial distribution.

  Aftermath

  The project became the studio’s first major release and established its focus on procedural exploration games.

  Government development grant. €50,000 (Development period before the 2016 release)

  Source

1. 1Curious Expeditionen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Maschinen-Mensch official websitemaschinen-mensch.com