Super Duper Gamer Team Entertainment: From Animation to Award-Winning Games: The Ember Lab Brothers & Building Your Own Door

To start this one off... did you know that Black History Month didn’t start as a month?

It actually started as Negro History Week. Founded in 1926 by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, it was created to highlight the achievements of Black Americans in the United States — specifically the descendants of enslaved Black people in America (what some today refer to us Foundational Black Americans). Dr. Carter G. Woodson wanted to make sure our achievements weren’t erased, minimized, or forgotten.

So when we talk about Mike and Josh Grier, the brothers behind Ember Lab... this isn’t just about celebrating a successful studio. It’s about documenting a blueprint — everything needs a starting point.

And trust me… this blueprint doesn’t require permission, and it definitely doesn’t require going into debt for a degree. There are more accessible ways to learn now than ever. So if you're a creator at heart, this one’s for you!

They Didn’t Start Where You Think

Ember Lab was founded in 2009 in Orange, California. But they didn’t start as a game studio.

They started in animation, but... this wasn’t messing around on a laptop. Their short films, including Dust and the now-legendary Majora’s Mask: Terrible Fate, were polished, cinematic, and precise. That Zelda fan film alone made people stop scrolling, and it has over 15 million views so far.

Mike Grier sharpened his craft as a digital artist in Japan. Josh Grier handled operations, writing, and production — which (let’s be honest), is the part many creatives forget about until things get chaotic.

Now to be clear… yes, formal education was part of their journey — but in today’s landscape, that same level of skill can be built through online platforms, targeted courses, and real-world practice without taking on long-term debt.

They weren’t waiting for someone to hire them with fingers crossed... they made their next move their best move and it paid off. They built proof of their capabilities and it caught the eye of Sony.

Proof travels faster than resumes.

From Proof to The Game Awards

That proof turned into Kena: Bridge of Spirits in 2021. Best Independent Game + Best Debut Title and the Game Awards stage! That’s not a lucky break... it stemmed from their growing skillset.

Now in 2026, they’re preparing to release Kena: Scars of Kosmora, continuing a franchise that started from what some would’ve called an “untraditional” background.

But here’s the thing… there is no traditional path anymore. SDGT Entertainment didn’t come from a traditional path either. If we had to wait around for a greenlight, we wouldn't exist.

You Don’t Need a Specific Door

Some people think the only way into game development looks like this:

College → Internship → Studio Job → Promotion → Maybe Direct a Game

But the Grier brothers showed something more important than a path — they showed what matters:

Skill → Portfolio → Visibility → Opportunity → Ownership

Now how you get that skill? Well... I'm glad you asked.

You can go the traditional route (which I don't advise)… or you can build your skills head on:

Learning (Unreal Engine + Udemy) → Skill → Portfolio → Visibility → Opportunity → Ownership

or Learning (Unreal Engine + Udemy) → Skill → Create → Visibility → Self-Publish → Ownership

Same destination… without the debt.

When you build your own door, you let yourself in. And that’s the beauty of creating your own opportunity. Results will vary, but if this is something you're passionate about... give it your best!

It doesn't always have to be your door if it's open to you... and it's where you want to be.

See Careers at Ember Lab

Unreal Engine: The Great Equalizer

Let’s talk tools.

Here’s what that means today:

The engine used by AAA studios is downloadable right now. (BIP!)

Blueprint scripting allows you to build logic without deep coding knowledge. (BOOM!)

Marketplace assets allow you to prototype fast. (BAM!)

Tutorial ecosystems are massive. (POW!)

Documentation is public. (BANG!)

And most of this can be learned for $0 to less than $100 if you move smart. Don't miss this part... we've thumped these drums for awhile now because the barrier isn’t access anymore.

But like anything... it will require discipline, but think about what it will lead to. You'd literally create your own world, characters, and story! Whole fanbases exist because some are just that awesome!

Portfolio Over Permission

It doesn't matter what the industry says, a number of studios are out of touch. If you want to create a game, there are faster, more affordable ways to get started today than spending years in college and taking on massive debt. Portfolio's matter more than a degree. If opportunities are hard to come by… research, learn, and build.

And that’s the heart of this story. The Grier brothers didn’t ask if they belonged... they showed up, showed out and the gamers came.

If you want to get into game development? Build... something. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It doesn’t have to be massive. But it would be your first build... and then you build upon that. Tweak, test, play.

Those ambitious steps forward create that much needed... momentum.

Representation and Responsibility

Black developers are still underrepresented in the industry. So if you ever needed motivation that adds to that percentage... Mike and Josh Grier are prime examples, along with the Kena franchise. (By the way, they aren't related to David Allen Grier... I checked!)

But yeah... that’s why visibility matters. When creators see founders who look like them... winning and building on those wins, something shifts. Possibility becomes practical.

So the bottom line is... you don’t need:

• A perfect roadmap
• A massive budget
• Institutional validation

You need:

• Willingness
• Learning
• Skill stacking
• Persistence

Ember Lab didn’t wait for entry... they built it. You can too! No lie, you can literally get started here with the Unreal Engine that takes you from Step 1 to Step 5 (with help from Epic Games):