Brandon Valadez
Founder
Brandon founded Sync Games in 2025 and leads development on The Stayover. He cares about horror that leaves something behind after the scare is over.
Small team.
Strange worlds.
We’re an independent studio based in Iowa. We make story-driven games that get under your skin and stay there for a while.
Why we make games.
We love horror, but a scare on its own isn’t enough. The stories we remember are the ones that make a room feel different after we leave it—or make us wonder whether we understood that room at all.
The Stayover is our first game. It’s also the clearest picture of the studio we want to build: small, curious, and willing to follow an uncomfortable idea.
The people making it.
Samuel Rodriguez
Co-founder · Marketing & Strategy
Samuel leads marketing and strategy. He works on how we talk about the game, where we show up, and how players become part of the process.
What matters to us.
Give the fear a reason
Every room, mechanic, and reveal should move the story—not just fill the silence.
Let atmosphere do the talking
Light, sound, and empty space can say plenty before a character ever does.
Listen when players get stuck
Playtests show us what the game is actually saying, which isn’t always what we meant.