Spanish indie studio Digital Sun just wrapped up a Reddit AMA session that gave fans a rare behind-the-scenes look at one of gaming’s most successful small studios. The developers behind Moonlighter, The Mageseeker, and the newly released Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault answered questions about their creative process, the challenges of indie development, and what makes their dungeon-crawling shopkeeper simulator so addictive. For a studio that started with just seven people and has now shipped multiple critically acclaimed titles, their transparency about the realities of indie game development offers valuable lessons for aspiring developers and curious fans alike.
From Seven People to Industry Success
Digital Sun didn’t start as an indie studio in the traditional sense. The team actually operates as part of a larger company called WildFrame that does game outsourcing and 2D animation work. This structure gave them a safety net that many indie studios don’t have, with CEO Javi Gimenez explaining in a previous 2016 AMA that having this parent company means they won’t suddenly disappear and brings decades of collective experience creating games for other developers.
The original Moonlighter launched in 2018 with support from Square Enix Collective, a program designed to help indie developers gain visibility and feedback during development. The relationship was purely supportive rather than controlling, with Square Enix helping with PR and store relations without taking any IP rights or providing direct funding. This model let Digital Sun maintain creative control while benefiting from the resources of a major publisher, a balance that many indie studios struggle to find.
Moonlighter 2 Changes Almost Everything
The sequel that launched into early access on November 19, 2025 represents a massive departure from the original’s formula. While the core loop of raiding dungeons at night and running a shop during the day remains intact, nearly every system has been rebuilt from the ground up. The most obvious change is visual, ditching the gorgeous pixel art and top-down perspective for a Breath of the Wild-inspired 3D art style with an isometric camera angle.
Combat feels completely different in Moonlighter 2. The original game let players swap between two weapons on the fly, creating versatile combat options. The sequel removes that dual-wielding system but makes individual weapon handling more deliberate and tactical. Players can now use firearms to take down airborne enemies and weaponize their backpacks to launch stunned foes off the map. Reviews suggest the combat takes significant adjustment for veterans of the first game, but the added depth rewards players who master the new mechanics.
The Roguelike Elements Get Stronger
Perhaps the biggest shift is how Moonlighter 2 embraces roguelike design philosophy more aggressively than its predecessor. The sequel replaces traditional floor-based dungeon exploration with a branching map system inspired by Slay the Spire. Instead of wandering through interconnected rooms searching for secrets, players now choose paths through different encounter types including perk rooms, mystery rooms, and standard combat challenges.
This design choice trades some of the exploration and hidden room discovery from the original for more strategic decision-making. Each run feels more distinct because the branching paths and unlock system let players experiment with different builds on the fly. During dungeon runs, players unlock upgrades that modify their playstyle in real time, adding another layer of unpredictability to each expedition. The lore rooms that provided backstory in the first game are gone, replaced by a focus on mechanical variety over environmental storytelling.
The Inventory Puzzle Gets More Complex
Managing your backpack was always a core mechanic in Moonlighter, forcing players to make tough decisions about which loot to keep and what to leave behind. Moonlighter 2 takes this puzzle element and cranks it up several notches. Different dungeon biomes now apply modifiers to relics that can lead to their destruction if not managed properly. The second dungeon introduces relic shock and overshock mechanics, requiring players to use batteries to prevent valuable items from exploding in their backpack.
The new system demands more planning and experimentation. Players need to think strategically about which items to loot, how to arrange them in the limited backpack space, and which modifiers to risk dealing with for high-value treasures. According to early reviews, the learning curve is steep, with plenty of trial and error before players find the right balance. Once you understand the systems though, the inventory management becomes one of the most satisfying aspects of the entire gameplay loop.
Shopkeeping Gets Strategic Upgrades
Running the Moonlighter shop has been completely reworked to feel more strategic and less tedious. Instead of constantly tweaking prices to find the perfect markup, players now focus on maximizing profits through shop perks and decorations. The emphasis shifts from micromanagement to macro-level strategy, with decorations and perks significantly impacting your bottom line without requiring constant attention.
This change addresses one of the common complaints about the original game, where the shopkeeping portion could feel repetitive after the initial novelty wore off. By making the shop upgrades more meaningful and reducing the busywork, Moonlighter 2 keeps both halves of the gameplay loop engaging throughout the entire playthrough. Players still earn money from sales to invest in weapon upgrades, armor improvements, potion effectiveness boosts, and various other enhancements that make dungeon runs more survivable.
Why Early Access and the November Delay
Moonlighter 2 was originally scheduled for an October 23, 2025 early access launch before being pushed back to November 19. The reason given was refreshingly honest – October 2025 became absolutely packed with major releases, and Digital Sun worried their game would get lost in the shuffle. The developers compared it to an overstuffed showcase where even precious gems can be overlooked, acknowledging that standing out requires strategic timing as much as quality development.
The delay came right after Hollow Knight Silksong’s surprise release shook up the entire indie release calendar. Multiple games shifted their dates in response, with some developers like Hell is Us creative director Jonathan Jacques-Belletete calling Silksong’s surprise drop somewhat callous for how it impacted sales of other titles. Digital Sun’s decision to move into November shows they understood the competitive landscape, though finding a truly quiet release window is nearly impossible with how many games launch these days.
Responsive Development During Early Access
One detail that’s impressed early reviewers is how quickly Digital Sun has responded to feedback and fixed issues. Polygon’s review mentioned having to remove a note about stuttering problems because the developers patched it within days of the early access launch. This kind of responsiveness is rare in today’s gaming landscape and suggests the studio is committed to polishing the experience based on player input rather than treating early access as a cash grab.
The Mageseeker and League of Legends
Between the original Moonlighter and its sequel, Digital Sun created The Mageseeker: A League of Legends Story for Riot Forge in 2023. This 2D pixel action RPG let players control Sylas, a spell-stealing mage breaking free from captivity to bring Demacia to its reckoning. The project demonstrated Digital Sun’s versatility, taking their dungeon-crawling expertise and applying it to someone else’s universe and lore.
Working with a major IP like League of Legends gave Digital Sun experience with larger budgets, stricter creative constraints, and the challenge of satisfying existing fanbases with established expectations. That experience likely influenced their approach to Moonlighter 2, where they had complete creative freedom to make radical changes without worrying about maintaining someone else’s brand identity.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Digital Sun host their Reddit AMA?
Digital Sun hosted their AMA on the r/Games subreddit on November 26, 2025, to discuss Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault and answer questions about their development process and studio history.
Is Moonlighter 2 in early access or fully released?
Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault launched into early access on November 19, 2025 on PC via Steam and PC Game Pass, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S. The full 1.0 release date hasn’t been announced yet.
How is Moonlighter 2 different from the original?
Moonlighter 2 switches from pixel art to 3D graphics with an isometric camera, replaces traditional dungeon exploration with Slay the Spire-style branching maps, adds more complex inventory puzzles with relic modifiers, reworks combat to be more tactical, and streamlines shopkeeping to focus on perks and decorations over constant price adjustments.
Who are Digital Sun and what games have they made?
Digital Sun is a Spanish indie studio that’s part of the larger WildFrame company. They created Moonlighter in 2018, The Mageseeker: A League of Legends Story in 2023, and just released Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault into early access in November 2025.
Why was Moonlighter 2 delayed from October to November?
Digital Sun delayed the early access launch from October 23 to November 19, 2025 because October became overcrowded with major game releases, including the surprise launch of Hollow Knight Silksong. The developers felt their game would get lost in the packed release schedule.
What is the core gameplay loop in Moonlighter 2?
Players explore dungeons at night, fighting enemies and collecting loot while managing a limited backpack inventory. During the day, they run a shop selling the treasures they’ve acquired, then invest profits into weapon upgrades, armor improvements, and shop decorations to prepare for deeper dungeon runs.
Did Digital Sun work with Square Enix?
Yes, the original Moonlighter was supported by Square Enix Collective, a program that helped with feedback, awareness, PR, and store relations without taking IP rights or providing direct funding. This let Digital Sun maintain creative control while benefiting from publisher resources.
Is Moonlighter 2 worth playing in early access?
According to early reviews, Moonlighter 2 delivers on the dungeon-to-shop formula with significant improvements over the original, though it requires adjustment for veterans. Digital Sun has been responsive to feedback and quick to patch issues, suggesting the early access period will be well-supported.
Conclusion
Digital Sun’s Reddit AMA offered a transparent look at a studio that’s managed to carve out success in the brutally competitive indie scene through smart partnerships, creative risk-taking, and genuine passion for their craft. Their willingness to completely reimagine Moonlighter’s formula for the sequel shows confidence that many developers lack, especially when the original was so beloved. The shift to 3D graphics, roguelike map progression, and more complex inventory puzzles won’t please everyone, but it demonstrates a commitment to evolution over safe iteration. With early access running smoothly and the team responding quickly to player feedback, Moonlighter 2 looks positioned to build on its predecessor’s legacy while forging its own identity. Whether you’re a fan of the original wondering if the changes work, an aspiring indie developer curious about sustainable studio structures, or just someone who loves the idea of dungeon crawling to stock your shop shelves, Digital Sun’s journey from seven-person team to multi-project success story offers plenty to admire and learn from.