Remember when the internet used to crawl at turtle speed and the best part of our afternoons was running outside to play with our neighborhood friends? Back then Langit Lupa, Agawan Base, Ice Water, and Tumbang Preso were the highlights of our day and not mobile games or social media feeds.
Our parents would promise, “If you sleep after lunch, you can play outside later.” And when we did, we’d race out the door once we woke up, ready to chase and shout “Taya!” the moment someone tagged us to be the next ‘it’. Those simple joys, laughter, scraped knees, smell of sunshine shaped our childhood growing up.
But what if we can relive those moments again, this time on a screen?
That’s where NinetySix Studios comes in. Instead of drawing inspiration from folklore or myth, this indie game studio reimagines the thrill of Filipino street games in the digital space with their first game, Langit Lupa: Office Wars. It is a playful twist on our beloved past time set in the most unexpected place: an office.
Chaos in corporate attire
Picture this: employees leaping from desks, doing parkour, and tossing vending machines, all while trying not to get tagged. Langit Lupa: Office Wars takes the classic childhood game and translates it into pure, hilarious mayhem for grown-ups who never outgrew playtime.
Even in its early demo on Steam, the game has already sparked laughter and nostalgia among players like me. During playtests, people couldn’t seem to stop shouting and cheering as they dodged and climbed across virtual desks.
For NinetySix Studios, that reaction was part of their goal: to recreate that spark of fun that defined our Filipino afternoons.
But who exactly are the people behind this charming digital chaos?
From a sleepless night to a studio
Founded by husband-and-wife duo Kendrick and Genevieve Miche (GM) Villaruel from General Santos City, NinetySix Studios was born from a sleepless night in March 2024. During my conversation with the couple, she recalled how Kendrick, unable to sleep, suddenly decided that he wanted to make their own game and start a game dev studio.
It wasn’t just a whim, however. It’s a decade in the making. Kendrick, an electronics engineer at a film studio in Cebu, has always been a gamer. Years ago, he joined friends who wanted to make a learning-based MMORPG. That began his path in learning Unity and C# through countless YouTube tutorials and mentorship from seasoned developers. Though the game didn’t take off, it became his first big step into game development.
By 2015, Kendrick started making small mobile games for clients. Later in 2020, after buying a VR headset, he then ventured into making VR games and apps. That was when he realized that making games is his passion.
GM, meanwhile, brought her creative eye as a design architect, handling the studio’s marketing, branding, and social media while injecting her humor into everything they post, all while being the team’s ray of sunshine. Together, they grew NinetySix Studios from an idea into a team of passionate developers.
The name “NinetySix” came from Kendrick’s birthday, reversed. It is a simple, balanced name that easily rolls off the tongue that reflects calm, creativity, and personal meaning.
Persistence, passion, and play
Running an indie game studio and juggling full-time jobs isn’t exactly easy mode. Kendrick codes and designs after work, while GM manages design, community engagement, and witty posts that fans love. Every asset and every update is all funded from their own pockets.
Originally, Langit Lupa: Office Wars was just a passion project. But fate stepped in when they discovered the Level Up DOST Esports Game Dev Challenge, a competition for promising developers in the industry.
With their game now refined with a playable demo, they took a chance and entered the contest in November 2024. They became one of the three contestants in the professional category. During the event at the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines in Cagayan de Oro, something magical happened.
Their booth quickly became the loudest in the room. Students were laughing and even jumping from excitement while playing their game. Even older folks joined in the fun! That energy is infectious, and, in the end, NinetySix Studios won as the Champion in the Professional Category that year.
That win became a turning point for the studio, proving that their vision for reviving Filipino street games resonated deeply with their audience.
Heart, humor, and Filipino chaos
The secret sauce behind Langit Lupa: Office Wars isn’t just sheer nostalgia. It’s heart. The team made sure that the mechanics, humor, and chaos of the original game were translated as accurately as possible into the digital version. Their QA tester even had one rule: if nobody was laughing, they had to tweak it until it’s fun.
Kendrick’s decade-long experience in Unity and C# ensures smooth, stable gameplay, while the game’s ragdoll physics adds extra hilarity into the mix. Even better, one bug that launched players out of the office ‘box’ was so funny, they decided to keep it as a feature. Now that’s a commitment to fun!
But of course, none of that magic would be possible without the people behind NinetySix Studios—a small but mighty team whose passion fuels every chaotic update.
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Kendrick Villaruel | Founder & Lead Developer |
| Genevieve Miche Villaruel | Co-founder & Branding Lead |
| Albert Ruiz | Lead QA |
| Aldren Geronimo | QA |
| Mark Aeron Ducoy | Junior Developer |
| Russele Dave Berami | Junior Developer |
| Ayessa Bon | Content Creator |
From Playgrounds to Platforms: The road ahead
Today, NinetySix Studios has grown to seven members, each contributing their expertise and passion. The team continues expanding Langit Lupa: Office Wars, adding proximity voice chat, localization, and updated keybinds. They’ve also been preparing for their goal for next year: Steam Next Fest.
GM also hopes to visit schools in Visayas to gather feedback and learn how childhood games vary across regions. We know that they’re working on Sungka already, but are we going to see more in the future like Patintero? I can’t wait.
Ultimately, GM also dreams of turning Langit Lupa: Office Wars into an Esports-level event, complete with shoutcasters, wild plays, and a passionate audience.
Game on
Game development is tough. But Kendrick and GM are proof that passion can turn even the smallest spark into something fun and incredible.
When I asked Kendrick and GM for some parting words, Kendrick said:
“Keep making games and add every project to your portfolio. He also said, ‘Join game jams, no matter how bad you think your game is. For every project is a learning experience. Also, once you create a game, you have to learn how to socialize. Don’t be shy and talk about your game. Invite people to try it and ask for feedback. That’s how you’ll grow.’”
GM added, “I can see that the community, both game developers, players, and testers, are very warm and supportive with each other, which I am grateful for. Everyone was providing opportunities to showcase their games, learn from other developers, and even help connect to other publishers compared to years ago when we had to start everything from scratch.”
Kendrick also admits how lucky he is to have GM, his social butterfly and creative wife, who supports and helps him in every step of the way.
From a sleepless night to a champion title, NinetySix Studios has turned nostalgia into a digital love letter to Filipino childhood. It is a reminder that the games we loved as kids can still bring us together.
So, what are you waiting for? Taya! Try out the demo of Langit Lupa: Office Wars on Steam and play it with your friends!
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You can also check out their social media links below!
