Following its release this past March, Esoteric Ebb has become a commercial and critical success. The game, which puts players in the shoes of the "world's worst cleric" to investigate an exploding tea shop, was built over eight years by solo developer Christoffer Bodegård. The title’s design philosophy—focused on replicating the unpredictability of tabletop RPGs—is the result of a lifelong obsession with the genre that began with Dragon Age: Origins.

Quick Facts

  • Game: Esoteric Ebb
  • Release Date: March 3, 2026
  • Platform: PC
  • Developer: Christoffer Bodegård

The DNA of a Choice-Driven RPG

Bodegård’s approach to interactive storytelling owes much to the classics. He points to Planescape: Torment as a title that "raised the bar for everything," and Deus Ex as a fundamental influence on how he structures player agency. For Bodegård, the best RPGs are those that offer choices beyond simple dialogue trees. He prefers the "go left or right" style of decision-making, where the player's physical approach to a space—such as crashing through a window or picking a lock—defines their experience.

This design philosophy extended into his choice of tools. While many interactive writers opt for specialized software, Bodegård relies on a heavily modded version of Notepad++. "If the writer feels like it's slightly annoying to add another choice option... they are going to be infinitely more likely to not add more choices," he explains. By keeping his workflow fast and lightweight, he ensured that Esoteric Ebb could accommodate a high volume of branching paths.

From Europa Universalis to Fantasy Worlds

When he isn't developing games, Bodegård is a self-described "superfan" of Paradox Interactive titles. He maintains deep ties to the grand strategy community, particularly through his love for Europa Universalis IV and the Anbennar mod. He praises Anbennar for its ability to take complex mechanics from EU IV and Victoria 3 and repurpose them to fit a high-fantasy, Dungeons & Dragons-inspired world.

His affinity for classic PC gaming also runs deep. He counts Heroes of Might and Magic 3—specifically the Horn of the Abyss mod—among his all-time favorites, citing its randomized maps and tactical depth as a masterclass in design. In fact, the "short rest" jingles found in Esoteric Ebb were directly inspired by the iconic soundscapes of Heroes 3.

What’s Next for the Developer?

With Esoteric Ebb now in the hands of players, Bodegård has turned his attention to his next project. While he isn't revealing specific details, he confirms he is currently utilizing the core technology developed for Ebb. Whether this will lead to a direct sequel or an entirely new experience remains to be seen, but he maintains an interest in exploring first-person perspectives in the future, citing a desire to create a game in the vein of Ultima Underworld.

For now, Bodegård remains a player as much as a developer. Whether he’s jumping into Abiotic Factor with friends or revisiting his permanent installs like Deus Ex, his work continues to be informed by the games that defined his childhood.