Doneref Studios
š®š¹ Indie Game Studio
Independent by choice. Made to inspire. Crafting meaningful experiences through play. Doneref Studios is an Italian indie game studio.
We are independent by choice and driven to inspire. Our mission is to unite experienced industry professionals and passionate newcomers to create unique and memorable gaming experiences.
How do we model a Zym for our game?
Usually we carefully set up Blender⦠a sphere, brush, smooth edges...
However, it seems the Artistic Director has⦠a very unique approach:
Letās start with traditional Italian ragù. š
Add bĆ©chamel. Boil the pasta. š
Layer it all with grated Parmigiano Reggiano. š§
Ah questo sì che è buono.
Into the oven it goes⦠and boom!
A Zym is born. š½
Interesting pipeline, right?
20/02/2026
STUDIO NEWS | February 2026 Update is Live š
Huge progress on EINās first Demo, new Unity tech in the works, and our FebāJune 2026 plans are officially underway.
Catch up on everything here:
š https://doneref.com/news/february-2026-update
12/02/2026
"EIN: The Zyms' Pathkeeper" is officially on all socials. š
Weāll be sharing devlogs, updates, moments, and behind-the-scenes content as we continue to build.
Follow along: https://linktr.ee/ein.pathkeeper
29/10/2025
Big studio shake-up š
Our new Social Plan is launching soon: new content, new platforms, same passion.
See whatās next š https://doneref.com/news/social-plan
09/10/2025
We mightāve gone a bit quiet š» but weāve got news to make up for it!
Check out our October 2025 Update š https://postly.click/WFX
01/07/2025
šŖ Somethingās slicing its way backā¦
Weāre playtesting Line Slice 2.2 on Discord!
Wanna be part of the testing?
(Android 8+ only | Ends July 9)
Join now ā https://doneref.com/discord š
20/06/2025
Itās all fun and games until fun isnāt easy anymore.
At Doneref, talking about what it means to be a gamer is tricky.
We are gamers. But weāre also making games. So yeah, thereās a conflict of interest.
Still, letās try a simple exercise: Weāll say what gamers want. You tell us how far off we are.
š® We want respect.
Not endless systems pretending to be ādepth.ā Not engagement loops disguised as content.
Just a clean, honest space to have fun, where choices feel real, and they matter.
Yes, weāre in it to make a living. But we still believe thereās a sweet spot where what we want as Doneref
can meet what we want as players.
Letās aim for that.
10/06/2025
š« Weāre not here to chase virality.
š Weāre here to chase meaning.
In today's gaming landscape, itās easy to get distracted by trends and hype. But we believe that true impact comes from something deeper.
When mechanics and creativity work together, games become more than just entertainment. They become experiences you can feel and resonate with.
They invite players to connect on a real level. This is where game design is headed: thoughtful, intentional, and meaningful. And we are excited to be part of that future.
06/06/2025
š® Indie games donāt follow trends, they set them.
AAA titles might rule the charts, but itās the indie scene that keeps gaming alive, raw, and innovative.
From Undertale to Hollow Knight, from Celeste to Disco Elysium, indie developers have always dared to take creative risks that big studios simply canāt.
They bring new mechanics, bold stories, and unforgettable experiences to the table, built with heart, not just budget.
We wrote a piece about why Indie Games are reshaping the future of gaming, and why they always will.
š Read it now:
š And tell us your favorite indie game in the comments.
Why Indie Games Shape the Future of Gaming Indie games drive innovation with bold ideas, emotional stories, and unique design. Discover why they're shaping the future of gaming, without big budgets.
š Weāve just launched our new website.
Why?
Because things change.
Tech moves forward.
And so do we.
As we grow in ambition and sharpen our vision, our site needed to match that energy, bolder, clearer, and built for whatās next.
The old one? It got us here.
But this one?
Itās built for where weāre going.
Check it out ā https://doneref.com
30/05/2025
š§ Meet Antonio, Doneref's Audio Director, who doesnāt wait for inspiration.
He waits for the deadline. And when it hits? He delivers.
Before he was crafting soundtracks, Antonio was getting lost in Ape Escape 2, Kingdom Hearts, and Skyrim.
Not just playing, more like studying. Feeling. Letting those games shape what heād one day create.
Now at Doneref, Antonioās building more than music.
Heās building atmosphere.
His process?
š Dig into references.
š§Ŗ Experiment with sound.
ā³ Let the pressure do its magic.
šµ Compose with purpose.
Antonioās not in this for the spotlight.
Heās here to leave something behind, something that works emotionally, mechanically, musically.
Because when it clicks?
You feel it.