not!key.studio
Web Applications – SaaS – Video Games
One studio, multiple playgrounds
not!key.studio, It's a French independent studio that designs digital products: web applications, SaaS tools, and video games. The common thread running through all these projects? An obsession with... quality, a strong taste for detail and a desire to create things that matter, regardless of the medium.
Each project is managed from start to finish: from concept to art direction, from development to deployment, including interface design and communication. This is what makes an independent studio strong – a coherent vision at every stage.
What are the plans?
GR-GO
A platform for planning long-distance hiking routes in France and its overseas departments and territories. GR-GO centralizes GPX tracks, detailed stages, points of interest, trail weather, and a unique interactive Tabloguide allowing users to personalize their route in just a few clicks. More than 30 GR® and GRP® routes are listed, with reliable data provided in collaboration with the French Hiking Federation (FFRandonnée).
alea.pw
A password generator designed for one-second, frictionless use. Two generation modes: Diceware (real-word phrases that are memorable and robust) and classic random (mixed characters). Six levels of security with hack time estimates, real cryptographic entropy, and zero data stored or transmitted. Everything happens in your browser.
Project W
A marketplace dedicated to selling crochet patterns, designed for creators. Features include an intuitive pattern builder, one-click PDF generation, automatic translation into over 6 languages, VAT managed by the platform, and transparent, low commissions. A deliberate departure from existing platforms, plagued by opaque fees, outdated interfaces, and an influx of AI-generated content.
The Reaping Company
A 2D platformer blending action and Metroidvania elements, focused on narrative and the consequences of player choices. You play as a recently deceased soul, recruited as a reaper within a bureaucracy that governs death. By exploiting time-travel contracts, the player attempts to undo their own death, but each action generates unpredictable alternate realities.
Who is behind not!key.studio ?
My name is Alex, and I am almost entirely self-taught.
I studied 3D animation for two years, then worked for three years in web marketing before launching my own business. Since then, I have developed a successful hiking site, I have delivered various client projects, and today I am building my own digital products.
My background has given me a profile that is both technical and creative, equally comfortable with web development, art direction, pixel art, and game design. It is this versatility that fuels the studio; each project benefits from all of these skills.
What has guided me from the beginning: curiosity, high standards, and a constant need to learn and do things myself. Whether it's for a web application or a video game, the approach is the same: to build something polished with a real intention behind every decision.
Will you be providing regular updates?
Yes, or at least I'll try my best without it slowing down the development itself. I publish monthly devlogs to share the game's progress: what I'm working on, what's evolving, and the challenges encountered along the way. Alongside these devlogs, you'll also find... tutorials on video game development, This includes things I've encountered that I think are worth sharing. There will also be timelapses of asset creation, more in-depth analyses of specific techniques, and some behind-the-scenes glimpses of interesting parts of the process.
All these articles will satisfy your curiosity about how a game is designed, or even give you some advice if you are developing your own project.
The latest devlogs
Devlog 1 | January 2026 - First steps for The Reaping company !
Devlog 1 marks the beginning of The Reaping Company's development. This first month was devoted to laying solid foundations: defining the narrative framework, choosing an artistic direction, creating the first pixel art characters, designing...
The latest game development tutorials
Choosing the right rendering resolution for a pixel art game
Choosing the right rendering resolution is one of the most important decisions when creating a pixel art game. It has a direct impact on visual clarity, sprite readability, scaling behavior, and the overall appearance of the game.
Implementing low-resolution pixel-perfect rendering with a smooth camera in Godot
Implementing pixel-perfect rendering with a smooth camera in Godot 4.6 proved to be much more complex than expected. This article details the actual problems I encountered during production (image ghosting, jittering, frame rate issues, etc.).