Thorgrim, the Ice Viking – Breakaway (Amazon Game Studios)

Among the many personalities I helped shape during my time as Art Director on Breakaway, Thorgrim stood out as a pure force of nature, an ice-cold juggernaut with mythic presence and brutal simplicity.

Inspired by Norse mythology and Viking archetypes, Thorgrim was designed to embody raw power and unwavering resolve. His silhouette, with the horns of a battle ram and the weight of a towering warhammer, demanded clarity and impact on the battlefield.

Every design choice, from his armor to the frost-covered hammer, was about communicating one thing: unstoppable momentum. His animations needed to feel heavy, deliberate, and dangerous, while still reading clearly in fast-paced, chaotic gameplay.

Thorgrim’s ability kit amplified that direction:

• Heavy overhead strikes, devastating knockbacks, and his signature move, Ragnarok, delivered visual weight and moment-to-moment spectacle.

• His perks encouraged aggressive, high-reward playstyles, rewarding control and timing.

• His buildables, especially the Demolition Hammer and defensive Wall, reinforced his role as both battering ram and frontline tank.

It was a pleasure bringing Thorgrim’s icy fury to life, thanks again to the talented team and collaborators who helped make this hammer-wielding Viking more than just a tank, but a memorable and mythic presence in Breakaway’s roster.

#Breakaway #AmazonGameStudios #CharacterDesign #VikingConcept #GameArt #SimonLocheArt #VisualDevelopment #GameplayDesign

Breakaway is a team battle sport where two squads of four collide in intense competition. Seize the Relic and slam it into your opponent’s base to score! Make plays with your team by passing, juking, and dunking the Relic. Crush your enemies with magic and steel. Control the arena with game-changing buildables and outplay the other team. With so many different ways to play and win, Breakaway is never the same game twice.

Breakaway - Portobello Characters: A Look at the First Art Direction

Before its first major pivot, Breakaway had a very different tone and scope. The early version of the game, known internally as Portobello, was built around a more casual and accessible experience, and visually, I wanted that to come through in every corner of the design.

The goal was to develop a lighthearted and cartoony aesthetic: no straight lines, bright and punchy colors, soft forms, and non-aggressive silhouettes. While the game still relied on a PBR (Physically Based Rendering) pipeline, the visual intent leaned more toward an illustrative, stylized finish.

During this period, I was serving as both Art Director and the sole character concept artist, which meant shaping the world while simultaneously designing its cast. It was a fast-paced but creatively rich time, and I had a lot of fun developing characters that embraced the visual playfulness we were after.

These early designs reflect a version of Breakaway that was more whimsical and expressive, a foundation that helped us define and evolve the game's identity over time.

Special thanks to Peter Han and Michael Anderson for their fantastic work translating these characters into 3D.

#Breakaway #Portobello #CharacterDesign #ConceptArt #AmazonGameStudios #StylizedArt #VisualDevelopment #SimonLocheArt

Project Bruce: A Glimpse into a Forgotten Gotham

That was the premise behind Project Bruce, an unreleased web series we developed as a passion project exploring the slow, quiet unraveling of an aging Batman in a world that had moved on without him. It was less about action and more about atmosphere, tone, and the emotional weight of a legacy fading into irrelevance.

This collaboration brought together an incredible group of artists and storytellers, including Casey McDermott (Blizzard Cinematics), Renaud Galand (Lead Character Artist on Overwatch), and many other talented contributors. I was fortunate to be involved in the art direction and concept design, helping define the look and feel of a Gotham that mirrored Bruce’s own decline.

Visually, the goal was to shift away from the heroic myth and toward something more human and fragile. The city felt heavier, colder, and more indifferent. Bruce himself was no longer a figure of fear, but a man clinging to purpose in a place that had already forgotten him.

Though the project never made it to release, it remains one of the most creatively rewarding explorations I've worked on. It allowed us to reimagine a legendary character through a completely different lens, one shaped by age, isolation, and the quiet search for meaning when the cape no longer fits.

#Batman #ProjectBruce #ConceptArt #VisualDevelopment #UnreleasedSeries #ArtDirection #SimonLocheArt #GothamRedefined

Breakaway - Killian

Art direction and visual development on the first Amazon Game Studios game: Breakaway.

The latest character produced for Breakaway. Killian, a powerful Crowd Control sorcerer.

Huge thanks to my team and my outsourcing partners.

Breakaway is a team battle sport where two squads of four collide in intense competition. Seize the Relic and slam it into your opponent’s base to score! Make plays with your team by passing, juking, and dunking the Relic. Crush your enemies with magic and steel. Control the arena with game-changing buildables and outplay the other team. With so many different ways to play and win, Breakaway is never the same game twice.

Splash Art:

Concept Art:

3D Model:

In Game screenshots:

Breakaway - Hannah

Art direction and visual development on the first Amazon Game Studios game: Breakaway.

The latest character produced for Breakaway. Hannah, a fierce rolling tank. :)

Huge thanks to my team and my outsourcing partners.

Breakaway is a team battle sport where two squads of four collide in intense competition. Seize the Relic and slam it into your opponent’s base to score! Make plays with your team by passing, juking, and dunking the Relic. Crush your enemies with magic and steel. Control the arena with game-changing buildables and outplay the other team. With so many different ways to play and win, Breakaway is never the same game twice.

Splash Art:

3D Model: 

Concept Art: 

New Beginnings – Joining Amazon Game Studios as Art Director

 

March 2015 marks an exciting new chapter for me.

I’m proud to announce that I’ve joined Amazon Game Studios as an Art Director.

Over the past few years, I’ve had the opportunity to work on a variety of projects across different areas of the entertainment industr, —from video games to animation and illustration. Each experience has been rewarding in its own way, but the chance to be part of a new venture like Amazon Game Studios felt too good to pass up.

Amazon’s ambition to build something fresh and bold in the gaming world is truly inspiring. There’s a strong focus here on innovation, quality, and player experience, and being able to help shape that vision from an early stage is a challenge I’m excited to take on.

My role as Art Director will involve helping define the visual identity of new projects, building and mentoring art teams, and ensuring that the creative goals stay tightly aligned with the gameplay experience. It’s a big responsibility, but it’s exactly the kind of work that keeps me motivated and passionate about what I do.

Los Angeles is now my new home, and the energy at the studio is contagious. There’s a sense of possibility here that reminds me why I chose this career in the first place.

I’ll share more when I can, but for now, I’m just excited to be on board and ready to tackle the road ahead.

Thank you to everyone who has supported me along the way.

Stay tuned, great things are coming.

#AmazonGameStudios #ArtDirection #NewAdventure #SimonLocheArt