NEVERDIE Studios needed a web presence that matched the dark, cinematic world of The Howling Mine — an experience, not just a website. Generic agency work would have killed the atmosphere before a player even hit play.
Built from scratch with a custom video-driven hero, GSAP-animated transitions, and a HUD-inspired interface that feels like part of the game world. Every interaction was designed to pull the visitor deeper into the lore.
A live, production-grade site that stands up against major studio releases. NEVERDIE now has a flagship digital presence ready for their marketing push.
The Brief
NEVERDIE Studios came with a clear vision and zero tolerance for mediocrity. The Howling Mine is a dark fantasy mining game set in a world where the economy is real — players earn, trade, and compete for genuine value. The site needed to convey that world from the first second of load.
The brief was straightforward: build something that feels like it belongs in the game. No generic agency aesthetic, no stock photography, no compromise on atmosphere.
The Build
The hero is the centrepiece — a full-viewport video loop with a GSAP-powered panel slam sequence that transitions into the content. The animation system was built to mirror the game's own loading sequences, giving returning players an immediately familiar feel.
The HUD-inspired navigation and typography system was designed from scratch. Every typographic decision — the Audiowide display font, the courier mono system text, the tight letter-spacing — was chosen to reinforce the game's industrial aesthetic.
Under the hood, the site runs on Next.js 15 with Sanity CMS for content management. NEVERDIE can update news, events, and game information without touching code. Vercel deployment gives sub-second response times globally.
Technical Highlights
Custom canvas-based lightning bolt system using GSAP for the hero impact sequence. Midpoint displacement algorithm generates unique bolt geometry on every load — no two visits are the same.
Video-driven hero with intelligent fallback for mobile and low-bandwidth connections. The panel animation system uses scroll-triggered GSAP timelines that respond to the user's scroll velocity.
Outcome
The Howling Mine launched to an enthusiastic response from the NEVERDIE community. NEVERDIE Studios now has a digital home that matches the ambition of the game itself — and a CMS they can operate independently.
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