End of Abyss Developer: Section 9 Interactive

Section 9 Interactive

Section 9 Interactive is an independent studio based in Malmö, Sweden; its legal name is Section 9 Interactive AB. End of Abyss is its first game. Mattias Ottvall described it at Summer Game Fest 2026 as a small studio of nine developers.

The studio's official website is dedicated to End of Abyss and lists the game on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC via the Epic Games Store.

The founders

All three previously held lead roles at Tarsier Studios, the team behind Little Nightmares, Little Nightmares II and Reanimal. Xbox Wire and the official "Meet the Creators" video both confirm this background. See End of Abyss vs Little Nightmares.

The team

Several other team members appear in the official behind-the-scenes videos. These are the names and roles given there:

• Gustav Bunse: environment artist.
• Olivia: character artist.
• Robin Jonsson: level designer.
• Isabel: game programmer.
• Tobias Lilia: sound and music.

How End of Abyss began

Mattias Ottvall said he and his brother have been prototyping games for most of their lives. When they were about to leave Tarsier, they looked through their old prototypes and found this one interesting.

The prototype was originally faster, more of a top-down action shooter, and at one point even a mobile game. When Gustaf Heinerwall joined, it became more atmospheric. The team said it became clear early on that they had something that didn't feel like other games.

Working with Epic Games

Epic Games Publishing publishes End of Abyss, which is why the PC version is sold only on the Epic Games Store. The studio also received an Epic MegaGrant and builds the game in Unreal Engine, the same engine the founders used at Tarsier.

Mattias Ottvall told Shacknews that the studio looked for a partner who understood its vision and trusted its expertise, and that it felt that way about Epic from the first meeting. See End of Abyss on Epic Games Store.

Design philosophy

The team names classic NES games like Zelda and Metroid as its biggest influences, along with films such as Alien and The Thing. Mattias Ottvall said they want the world to speak for itself instead of telling the player what to do. The developers also said the game should be quite accessible but still challenging, rewarding players with gear rather than experience points.

Official channels

The official YouTube channel posts behind-the-scenes videos about the game's creators, level design and audio.

Studio and game timeline

Behind-the-scenes videos

The official channel has published a series about how the game was made. They are the best primary source on the studio's thinking.

• Entering the Facility: Meet the Creators introduces the founders and artists, and the game's origin as a prototype.
• Where I Hide The Secrets covers level design, save point placement and hidden areas with level designer Robin Jonsson.
• Resonating Frequencies covers audio and sound design with Tobias Lilia, including the invented language.

Links to the channel are in our footer.

Frequently asked questions

Is End of Abyss made by the Little Nightmares developers?

It is made by former Tarsier Studios leads who worked on Little Nightmares, at their new studio, Section 9 Interactive. Tarsier Studios itself is not involved.

Who publishes End of Abyss?

Epic Games Publishing.

What else has Section 9 Interactive made?

Nothing yet. End of Abyss is the studio's debut.