In the six years since its launch, Horse Reality, by Dutch indie studio Studio Deloryan, has built a loyal following. The game blends real-world genetics with engaging gameplay, allowing players to train, breed and care for virtual horses. Studio Deloryan has mastered the balance of scientific accuracy and fun, creating a unique space for over 50.000 monthly active horse enthusiasts.
The journey of Horse Reality began with its founder, Deloryan Hommers, looking for a serious horse game to play. “It all began when I couldn’t find the ‘perfect’ horse game that matched my own vision,” recalls Hommers. Initially conceived as a playful hobby project with her friend and co-creator Tamara, the idea quickly gained traction due to their complementary skills. Hommers with her background in media and technology and Tamara with her studies in biology.
Realism was the project’s cornerstone from the start, influencing everything from the game’s name to its design. “With that name, the focus was on realism right from the start,” says Hommers. “Tamara explored horse genetics and together we developed a system where players could breed horses strategically for specific traits and colours, as long as they understood the genetic aspect of it.”
Dedication to research
Creating a game based on accurate genetics requires dedication to research. Studio Deloryan relies on secondary research, gathering data from scientific articles, historical records and expert consultations. This information forms the backbone of Horse Reality’s genetic framework, that reflects the complexity of real-world equine genetics.
Hannelore Roodhooft, the team’s researcher, explains: “Balancing scientific accuracy with fun gameplay is a constant challenge, especially in a field like horse genetics where research is always evolving.” She shares an example of the recent discovery of a second Grey allele that causes slow greying. “While this is fascinating in real life, fully implementing this in Horse Reality would require extensive changes to artwork and systems, for a result that wouldn’t create a big enough impact for most players.”
“Ultimately, in such cases, we prioritise features that enhance ‘player happiness’ as we tend to call it,” Roodhooft continues. “Horse Reality already has a genetics system that is quite extensive and we’re careful not to overwhelm players with even more complexity than is necessary. Our goal is to make breeding feel strategic, educational and rewarding, without sacrificing the fun factor.”
Realism v playability
For all its scientific depth, Horse Reality is, at its core, a game and games are meant to be enjoyable. Hommers and her team have worked tirelessly to strike a balance between realism and playability. “Initially, we aimed for strict realism, but we found out while playing the game that being too realistic wasn’t enjoyable in the long run,” Hommers explains.
A prime example of this balance can be seen in their approach to complications during foaling. While such events are common in real-life horse breeding, their inclusion in the game could deter players. “In real life, complications during foaling can result in the death of a mare, foal or both,” says Hommers. “In my personal opinion: I would definitely rage quit if my amazing mare -that cost me a fortune- ended up dying upon giving birth to her first foal.” Consequently, while foals in the game can suffer genetic complications, mares are spared, ensuring that the gameplay remains enjoyable without veering into frustration.
Difficulties of scalability
Maintaining a vast and evolving database of genetic and breed information comes with its own challenges. As scientific discoveries are made, the game must adapt. Hommers acknowledges the difficulties of scalability: “In the early stages of development, it’s easy to start with a straightforward system,” she explains. “However, as the database grew, the lists with relevant details became too long and overwhelming, making it difficult to quickly locate specific pieces of information. A linear layout like that simply doesn’t work well for a growing, evolving database.”
The solution? Modular and interconnected information. “We’ve restructured the layout multiple times,” says Hommers. “Today, we use Notion to keep everything organised and consistent across genetics, breeds and visual references. Information is modular, interconnected and easy for the team to access. The key lesson I learned was to plan for scalability early on. Trial and error taught us that constantly reworking systems wastes time better spent elsewhere.”
Listening to the community
Player feedback is a critical component of Horse Reality’s success. The game’s community often highlights areas for improvement, such as the visibility of specific coat patterns. Art Director Dominika Grochowska recalls the rabicano coat pattern as an example: “In real life, rabicano can show on foals, but it’s not always visible yet. Players suggested displaying the pattern prominently on foals in-game to make it easier to identify.”
“Feedback like this helps us identify areas where adjustments would improve their game experience without overhauling the genetics system,” Grochowska continues. “Players often bring fresh perspectives we hadn’t considered and while we can’t implement everything, their suggestions guide our priorities and keep the game evolving in a meaningful way. They are the ones who play the game after all!”
Looking ahead
According to Hommers, when looking ahead to the future, 2025 will focus on accessibility and player experience. “This year was all about stability: improving the backend, building an in-house development team and setting the game up for future growth,” she shares. Future plans include refining the onboarding experience for new players and addressing feedback about the game’s economy. Long-term goals aim to make the game more dynamic while preserving its core focus on genetics. “Whether players love collecting horses, breeding strategically or simply enjoying the art, our goal is to ensure the game offers something for everyone,” Hommers says.
Play Horse Reality for free here.