Minecraft firm 4J Studios opens in Edinburgh as work on major new game intensifies

Award-winning 4J Studios - founded in 2005 by Chris van der Kuyl and Paddy Burns - said its new studio on the capital’s George Street will be home to staff focused on software and design roles. A recruitment drive is now underway to tap into the city’s games sector talent pool.

The Dundee-based firm, which employs more than 50 people, is best known for its work on the Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo console editions of Minecraft. It is currently sharpening its focus on the development and delivery of a major new release, entitled Reforj.

The game is being developed in collaboration with the gaming community through 4J’s “Pioneer Program”, whereby hundreds of players have been given access to the title while it is in production. Their feedback is being used to inform and improve the user experience and the games studio has recruited Joe Garrett - a popular figure in gaming circles whose YouTube channels and commentary on Minecraft have racked up billions of views - to support that process and work with the Reforj design team in collaboration with the gaming community.

The new title is slated for release in 2026 and is built on the Elements Engine, a proprietary software platform developed by the 4J team specifically to facilitate development of its latest game.

Burns, chief executive of 4J Studios, said: “The development of Reforj has been gathering pace for several months now and 20 years on from Chris and I launching the studio, this is as exhilarating a time as we can remember for the firm.

“The pioneer programme is really taking off and it’s fascinating to see how people are experiencing the game and to hear their feedback and be able to incorporate it as we go. We hope we can capitalise on that momentum and sense of energy by opening our first office in Edinburgh, which will give us even better access to the diverse pool of software and design talent that exists in and around the city.”

Recent Scottish Government figures highlighted the strength of the video games industry in Scotland. The number of companies operating in the sector rose more than seven-fold between 2010 and 2024, from 15 to 130 firms, with combined turnover growing in line with that increased activity, from £38.1 million to £340m over the same period.

That sector strength has helped the country achieve a first in attracting the leading games industry event, Dice Europe, to Scotland this autumn.

Van der Kuyl, chairman of 4J Studios, said: “Dice Europe coming to Edinburgh and Dundee is a major moment of international recognition for our home-grown industry. It’s vital that the sector and government use this as a catalyst for further cooperation and collaboration, creating the best possible conditions for the many brilliant individuals and studios we have within the sector in Scotland.

“4J is delighted to be part of that story and we hope opening this new office in Edinburgh underlines our commitment to rewarding and nurturing talent.”