MDS alumni studio Mermaid MenZ Games is preparing to launch the public demo for Bronzebeard's Tavern 2, continuing the story of the chaotic co-op tavern simulator the team first created while studying Game Development at MDS.
More than 20,000 wishlists and counting
What originally began as a seven-month student project has grown into a career for this dedicated alumni team.
The original Bronzebeard's Tavern was created by Darren Contreras, Christian Logoia, Ethan Buot, Ethan Uy and Wilbur Arnott during their final year at MDS, with the five developers forming Mermaid MenZ Games.
Rather than leaving the project behind after graduation, the five-person team continued developing Bronzebeard's Tavern and building its community. That support ultimately gave Mermaid MenZ the opportunity to take their original idea further.
By January 2025, Bronzebeard's Tavern had recorded more than 600,000 downloads and over one million additions to Steam libraries, alongside a 'Very Positive' rating from players. The team also took home the Student's Slice at the 2024 Pavs: NZ Game Awards.
Interest in the sequel has begun well ahead of the release of the Bronzebeard's Tavern 2 public demo. Within its first month on Steam, it had already surpassed 10,000 wishlists. That number has since grown beyond 20,000 as Mermaid MenZ prepares to put the game into players' hands for the first time.
Building a bigger tavern
Bronzebeard's Tavern 2 expands considerably on the foundations of the team's original student game.
The chaotic 1–8 player co-op gameplay returns, but this time players won't be confined to a single tavern. The sequel sends players travelling across different fantasy regions, working in taverns with their own layouts and hazards while encountering new customers, dishes and cooking styles along the way.
We're excited to push forward in a new direction with the intention of keeping the same themes and feelings that our players have come to love," says Darren Contreras.
It also introduces an all-new campaign exploring the story of Papa Bronzebeard and his family. Players will be mentored by legendary Tavern Masters as they travel the world, gathering the skills that will eventually lead to the opening of the original Bronzebeard's Tavern.
For players who simply want the chaos of the original experience, an Endless Mode will bring the game's customers, regions and dishes together into a more familiar tavern experience.
Support Mermaid MenZ Games
This next step marks an impressive milestone to the journey of Mermaid MenZ Games that began with five MDS students working together on a final-year project for Game Development.
“It's exciting because we've discovered things along the way that we weren't fully expecting, but have enjoyed the process of taking advantage of those moments that come up in development. For us, Bronzebeard's Tavern 2 is another passion project that is taking us further into becoming the indie team we hope to be known for worldwide! It's become much more than what we wrote down on paper,” says Darren Contreras.
The public demo for Bronzebeard's Tavern 2 launches on Steam today. Wishlist Bronzebeard's Tavern 2 on Steam and follow Mermaid MenZ Games as development continues.
